Amazing Sound In a Small Package!
Written: Jul 21 '03 (Updated Jul 21 '03)
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Pros: Outstanding sound-quality (!), small and light-weight, easy-to-use and intuitive software. 3-in-1 (FM, dictaphone, MP3)
Cons: Fair FM-signal, non-rechargeable batteries.
The Bottom Line: This player is perfect if you´re on the move. 128 mb is enough to store 1-2 CD´s at 160 bit/sec - or 2-3 hours of continuous and unparalleled sound quality.
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| mindfull's Full Review: Cowon Systems iAUDIO CW200 (128 MB) MP3 Player |
**** I am from Denmark - therefore forgive me for any possible misspellings :-) *****
"I want good, easy-to-bring portable sound!" Sounds familiar? Well, what should one get then? I asked myself this question 1 year ago because I wanted to be able to download Mp3´s from my PC to something portable - fast and easy - and bring it with me on my way to the gym, to college or on that hour-long train-ride.
And thus the search began:
Actually my first thought was to buy a Sony MZ-N707 MiniDisc. And I did. And I went back to get a refund - why? In short because you may only download the same MP3 file three times to your (Sony) MD before the software blocks for further transfers of this particular file. If you wish to make stereo recordings, then a MiniDisc may still be the right choice for you. But besides from this feature the Mp3-player has (in my opinion) out-dated the MiniDisc. But which Mp3 should one buy then?
I searched the Internet for weeks and worked my way trough many reviews before I narrowed down my search to the Iaudio from Cowon, Creative Nomad II MG and the RipFlash from PoGO. All of these had what I searched for: Mp3 and Fm-receiver in the same product. I should say that I also considered the Apple Ipod due to its enormous storage capability and good sound. But the package and the mechanics were simply not suited for my primary needs: An easy-to-wear, lightweight device that could store minimum a couple of CD´s.
I eventually deciced to go with the Iaudio due to its small dimensions, the good reviews and the 3-in-1 features. It was a bit of a gamble to order this one, because I had never tried it. But I am VERY satisfied with this product and it is even better than I had imagined:
The SOUND QUALITY is simply superb: Crisp and good balance between midtones and bass. I have heard several other Mp3-player, incl. high-end (and more costly) Sony models that does not have the same deep and distinct bass (without getting boomy) as the Iaudio. I am also quite amazed by the good quality of the standard ear buds. They are really good. They fit well although I suppose that ear buds usually do feel somewhat uncomfortable after a while of wearing. I actually went to a hi-fi store to plug a pair of Grado-60 headphones to my Iaudio - just to check out the difference in sound, so to say. I expected the Grado´s to be light-years better with this player, but I was surprised to find that the standard ear buds really had a somewhat more punchy and dynamic sound. This is surely not to compare the headphones in themselves (the Grado´s ARE way better), but to indicate that the ear buds are quite good and probably as good as they get with an Mp3-player like this one.
The player is really, really LIGHT and HANDY. No worries about bringing it on your next date because you don’t have a handbag. It arrives in a nice little plastic-etui (looks like white leather) that has a belt-clip on the back so that you can easily attach it to your clothes, whether running or walking. It doesn’t fall off.
The display is very bright and shows the names of the songs and the artists. There is the option of choosing between several equalizing setups, such as Jazz, pop, rock etc. I have chosen the rock-mode for a full bass. The player is very easy to navigate, even when in your pocket.
The DICTAPHONE works nicely. But it is a mono Dictaphone and NOT a high-bit digital recorder! Keep that in mind if you want to make stereo recordings of yourself or others singing or playing an instrument. You should probably still get a minidisc (or a creative jukebox) for this purpose.
The FM-RECEIVER is acceptable - but it’s not as good as your regular portable radio-receiver (the thing with an antenna that stands on your desk at home). You should probably expect to receive a good signal from main radio stations in your area - be able to listen to the news, but not expect to hear your favourite music without any noise at all. Sometimes you can, but not always. A nice feature is the possibility of recording the FM-signal directly onto your device as an mp3 file, which you can then upload to your computer.
The jet-audio SOFTWARE is very user-friendly and very intuitive. The program is very easily installed (took me 3 minutes). You then simply browse your catalogues and drag the mp3-files that you wish to download across the screen and onto your Iaudio player. And here is a COOL thing: You can use your Iaudio as a small hard disk. You simply drag your word document or your jpeg file onto your player in the same way as your mp3 files. Just be aware that your player cannot voice-dictate your word documents to you ;-)
The BATTERY-life is acceptable. But obviously battery-life is always an issue (read: problem) when the batteries are non-rechargeable. I would estimate that a set of AAA batteries last for about 4-6 hours of continuous play on this device. I personally invested in an adapter and a couple of AAA rechargeable batteries - and now this is not a "problem" any longer.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 160
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Epinions.com ID:
mindfull
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Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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