Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Source Gear › Cowon D2 vs iPod Touch
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Cowon D2 vs iPod Touch

post #1 of 35
12/9/07 at 8:25pm
Thread Starter 
I'm really on the fence about which one of these flash players I'd like to get. Both are able to have 16 gigs so that's of no concern. I'm really interested in the touch-screen navigation so that's not a negative. I just can't decide which one to pull the trigger on.

So, which one would you chose, and why.

Thanks.
Reply
post #2 of 35
12/9/07 at 8:37pm
I'd take the D2 for better SQ
Reply
post #3 of 35
12/9/07 at 8:41pm
for the D2:
+the cowon is generally regarded to have better sound quality
+not as long
+still has some tactile buttons
+has lots of development going on (ex: flash games, paint, dictionary, etc.
+infinitely expandable

-smaller screen
-thicker
-some do not like the 'cold' sound signature
-no Wi-fi
-small accessory market

iPod:
+thin
+attractive
+Wi-fi
+tons of accessories
+all memory is built in
+has line-out (i think?)
+tons of extra applications which can be added
+wonderful interface

-some are disappointed by sound quality
-not expandable
-pretty long
-whole thing is screen pretty much
Reply
post #4 of 35
12/9/07 at 8:51pm
I have both and each has it's good points. The D2 is much easier to input music and files (no iTunes). The D2 SQ is a little warmer to me. The D2 has FM which I use occasionally to record. The Touch has Wi-Fi. Touch has a bigger screen. D2 has almost no accessories. The Touch will work with many of the current iPod accessories. It is still new so I think more will come out. (I hope!) A combination of these two devices would be killer. Apple would never do that because you wouldn't ever have to buy a new one. Note how many users here have many generations of iPods. I love my new Touch even though I was resisting it, but it brought me over to the dark side.
Reply
post #5 of 35
12/9/07 at 10:23pm
I've used a friend's Touch, and own a D2, so it's pretty obvious which way I voted.

The biggest question is whether you are a fan of iTunes or not. I like owning the CDs for all my music. I decided I was happier using the many options available to rip FLAC files from my CDs, and I've been converting everything I own to OGG files. These formats are not available on the Touch, but Apple has lossless available, so it's not a big difference. However, I prefer organizing my music in Windows, using drag-and-drop.

The other major differences for me are that the Touch does a much better job with photos. My D2 will store and display them, but on the Touch the controls are much more cool (zoom and scanning through them). On the other hand, the D2 takes SD cards; 16 Gb cards are here and 32 Gb cards are coming, and the prices are falling...
Reply
post #6 of 35
12/9/07 at 11:21pm
I own both and my vote goes to the touch. It's heads and shoulders above the D2 in my opinion. The Wi-fi aspect alone is the killer but the superior GUI is another factor as well. Add the fact that it is an iPod so you will be able to find accessories of all types as well.
Reply
post #7 of 35
12/9/07 at 11:50pm

Touch

I'm loving my Touch, but i dont think it excels as an audio player. I use it more for entertainment overall. I jailbroke it and use it as a pda/ internet browser/ podcast player/ moderate music player. I use my ZVM for my music collection but tag along the Touch because of all the things it can do. I've neverused a D2, but I'm sure it's more audio orientated.

My biggest grip is not having dedicated volume controls, but then again double click on the home key and the volume keys pop out. Anyway i recommend the Touch if you have another dap to use when you just want to listen to music. Its annoying to use when your in a rush or want to change songs. But as a pda i enjoy it throughly. Overall i recommend the Touch, its GUI and style is unsurpassed. Yet keep it mind it doesn't excel as an audio player in my opinion due it the touch screen. If this is your primary audio player make sure you'll enjoy using a touch screen! I cant stress this enough lol.

Side note, any choice you make I'm sure you'll be very happy. Both are known to be great gadgets. Good Luck!
Reply
post #8 of 35
12/10/07 at 12:15am
I have the D2 and I had the ipod touch for about 3 weeks...to me the touch was just way to big and heavy to use as a everyday music player...felt like a brick..and I hated how the screen is flush...
Not only that but I hated itunes...and it doesn't even except .avi files...
Reply
post #9 of 35
12/10/07 at 12:46am
i also have both and for my music, the d2 falls head and shoulders below my ipod. i listen to trance mostly and classical and the d2 gets too confused with bass. mid bass smears across both channels in almost every headphone i use and the better the music, the worse the smear is.

it is smaller which is nice but the touch for sq is only behind when regarding hiss - it has a little more but both are annoying with sensitive headphones. i have had the touch for 2 months now and the d2 for about a year. i am dissapointed with the d2 for many reasons. the software is bad, the interface is not excellent, the sq is good sometimes, but there is no good platform. it does not sound decent in all music forms as the touch does.

however, the touch is large. for me, using no accessories or expandables and setting both screens off soon, the battery life difference is nothing more than 4 hours better for the d2.

honestly, i cannot recommend the d2 over the touch
Reply
post #10 of 35
12/10/07 at 11:26pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all the replies, I think I've decided on the Touch.
Reply
post #11 of 35
12/11/07 at 12:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cowon_1 View Post
I have the D2 and I had the ipod touch for about 3 weeks...to me the touch was just way to big and heavy to use as a everyday music player...felt like a brick..and I hated how the screen is flush...
Not only that but I hated itunes...and it doesn't even except .avi files...
haha, the touch a brick? its technically smaller than the D2, since its so much thinner. it is heavier (120g vs 91g), but definitely not a brick
iPod Touch vs Cowon D2
your user name also suggests a bit of bias.
Reply
post #12 of 35
12/11/07 at 12:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by zip22 View Post
your user name also suggests a bit of bias.
Don't take his opinions seriously. Ive gone through and read his posts, he will trash anything that doesn't have the Cowon brand logo on it.
Reply
post #13 of 35
12/11/07 at 12:45am
oh my, he decided on the touch. the touch you can easily take for a test drive at any apple store. unfortunately it is harder to do so with the d2. i hope i did not sound as if it was trashing the d2. i got it when the original hype about the device was at peak. unfortunately, i fell prey to that.

it is a good player now with firmware 2.51 but even on just audio player capabilities alone, i could not recommend it above the touch. the touch is just... very clean output with strong bass but not overpowering. the d2 i feel has slightly more mid presence but as i explained, it helps to muddy up the bass quite a bit with fast music.

i do prefer its size as it nearly fits in a jeans pocket and can be easily toted in anything else. there have been just too many misinformations with the d2. i was hoping for 52 hours battery life and the best i have had has been 33 - quite a problem. my touch has exceeded battery life as well as my ipod 4g (that i had and sold within 2 months).

at least cowon never slandered apple like sansa did (before they even became a decent player)
Reply
post #14 of 35
12/11/07 at 12:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by shigzeo View Post
"....at least cowon never slandered apple like sansa did (before they even became a decent player)"

I assume you are talking about the iSheep campaign? Ah, I saw nothing wrong with it. just a weak attempt to try and differentiate themselves from the crowd.
Reply
post #15 of 35
12/11/07 at 1:44am
you mean... call someone a sheep? it slandered ipod and people who would buy ipod or products with i in the name. it is silly to attack another company to show you are better or even a viable choice.

i have hated that with osx though i like it better, i hate the constant window bashing. the fact is that i cannot play my favourite utopia or ultima online without windows...

the advert had the flavour that if you bought any i device you a sheep are just being mouth fed. so buy the other product we are adverstising, then you will not be mouth fed as we keep our sheep much better. silly.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Portable Source Gear
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Source Gear › Cowon D2 vs iPod Touch