Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Source Gear › Volume Level Settings for Cowon D2 "Line Out"
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Volume Level Settings for Cowon D2 "Line Out"

post #1 of 16
2/8/08 at 9:58am
Thread Starter 
Hi!

I have a question concerning what level should I put the volume on the D2 to "simulate" the Line Out?

I read somewhere it should be at 49/50 and somewhere else (iaudiophile) that per the graphs it is 34/50.

My main problem is that my search batteries got "emptied" and I just can not retrieve the information concerning this.lol

Any help will be appreciated...

regards,
Reply
post #2 of 16
2/8/08 at 10:06am
Set the output level to 50. This will give you an approximate 0dB into a high impedance load - in other words 'line out'.
Reply
post #3 of 16
2/8/08 at 12:12pm
Its not 50, and I don't trust the Cowon engineers enough for it to be 49.

Volume matching the L/O of the H120 @ 0dB, the 0 gain for the D2 seems to lie around the 46-47 mark instead.
Reply
post #4 of 16
2/8/08 at 2:07pm
i believe that a silly person at iaudiophile sumised it was 34/50 and not 49 and i have to believe that. cowon do use way more processing in their daps than many other companies - for 49 to be a line out, it would not be explained by how the volume fluctuates as you go up the scale every five steps.

as well, volume increases near the end of the 5 steps, thus 49 would be a 4/5 on the hiss scale. 49 seems to be a somewhat random number. i don't think that they bloak who tested 34 usually uses good testing methods, but for this test, he did well.

after using d2 for 9 months or so and after many wonderful experiences, i cannot believe that it is anything else than 34. yet even so, it comes from the amplifier. it is a loaded signal.
Reply
post #5 of 16
2/8/08 at 4:21pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by shigzeo View Post
i believe that a silly person at iaudiophile sumised it was 34/50 and not 49 and i have to believe that. cowon do use way more processing in their daps than many other companies - for 49 to be a line out, it would not be explained by how the volume fluctuates as you go up the scale every five steps.

as well, volume increases near the end of the 5 steps, thus 49 would be a 4/5 on the hiss scale. 49 seems to be a somewhat random number. i don't think that they bloak who tested 34 usually uses good testing methods, but for this test, he did well.

after using d2 for 9 months or so and after many wonderful experiences, i cannot believe that it is anything else than 34. yet even so, it comes from the amplifier. it is a loaded signal.

Do you remember where this came from, the 34/50 level? a graph analysis or something?

At iaudiophile forum I found this today:

by DFKT:
"To simulate a line-out: Turn off all audio effects, lower all EQ bands to -12, turn volume to 49."

regards,
Reply
post #6 of 16
2/8/08 at 4:59pm
i am sorry i cannot answer your question very well, but i think the user name was unclesam or something like that. the forum thread as well i cannot find right now (great help i am). i was excited to read:

Line Out on the D2: - iAudiophile.net Forums about a line out for the d2 - a proper one, but it seems that just cowon does not know its own players. it is too bad that such a contraption to reverse the in and out could not be made, but it does make sense. perhaps, the successor to the x5 will someday come out and fix all the problems the x5 had and add some good features, then cowon fans have something truly to rejoice about but until then, they really are just hyped players for the reasons of great processed sound.

i will continue looking for that thread, it was interesting, cheers.
Reply
post #7 of 16
2/8/08 at 5:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caribou679 View Post
Do you remember where this came from, the 34/50 level? a graph analysis or something?

At iaudiophile forum I found this today:

by DFKT:
"To simulate a line-out: Turn off all audio effects, lower all EQ bands to -12, turn volume to 49."

regards,
Could this "line-out" work with meizu M6 too? I try to do some testing.
Reply
post #8 of 16
2/8/08 at 7:06pm
Just put your D2 at 50 (with no effects and EQ at zero) and enjoy your music, it's that simple.

EDIT: This is the thread you need to read: I MUST KNOW! D2 Measurements and Observations [LONG] - iAudiophile.net Forums

This shows that there is nothing wrong with using volume level 50.

There's a little set of speakers I use at work sometimes, they have insane amplification so I can use lvl 30 for them no problem. Use whatever level that you need to attain a good volume level without stressing your amplifier too much. Plus I have used my D2 on a fair variety of equipment and have yet to notice any distortion at any volume level.
Reply
post #9 of 16
2/9/08 at 12:41am
i read that 49 is the value...
but remember that all EQ, effect and whatsoever you did to change the music must be set to zero.
or that will not be alike to line-out.
Reply
post #10 of 16
2/9/08 at 1:01am
Thread Starter 
I tried this:
by DFKT:
"To simulate a line-out: Turn off all audio effects, lower all EQ bands to -12, turn volume to 49."

but I find having everything at -12db is bland . Not much soundstage. Liveless.

I use the 49/50 with EQ flat at 0db, no effects and sometimes using effect MPE on. Responds well to bass and the other frequencies. I like the wideness the sound takes and the corresponding soundstage

Currently using a LD MKIII as amp.

regards,
Reply
post #11 of 16
2/9/08 at 1:03am
The loose standard is that a full scale digital signal should produce 2.0 Vrms on the analog output from a CD player or a DAC......but some devices put out as low as 1.2 Vrms, and some are as high as 2.4 Vrms.

While that seems to be a lot, the difference between 2.4 Vrms and 2.0 Vrms is only 1.6 dB, which less than one increment on a lot of digital audio controls, anyway.

Normally, it's best to run sources at a relatively high level so their fundamental noise level is a lower percentage of the output signal, and it thus is amplified less by a headamp.......so the overall system signal to noise ration is better.

What bothers me is reading that comment about turning all EQ bands to -12....because that doesn't necessarily guarantee a flat response 12 dB down from the input level.
Reply
post #12 of 16
2/9/08 at 2:43am
turning down eq settings may adversely affect the sound. who knows who well cowon have implemented eq. if you down 12 on all frequencies, perhaps some will be off and some will be on. again, it is adding processing to the music.

and there is no such thing with the cowon as a true line out. any signal from the headout is coming from the amplifier. if indeed it is switching from volume 34 to class d- then you are getting a squashed amplifier. no matter how much d sound good, they are often using tricks to keep volume as well as mid and bass frequencies going.

the cowon is made as a portable and though it will sound good powering sensitive speakers, it will never compare to any even rather cheap home system.

if you use sensitive earphones, you can hear the volume phase up and down with music paused from ever 5 level intervals. there is something strange about the output from the cowon d2.

i had um2 to test it when i had both and it distressed me, the fluctuations happened every 5 levels all the way up to 50.
Reply
post #13 of 16
2/10/08 at 11:24pm
Thread Starter 
Ok! So on iaudiophile.net /forum I got the reference I was looking for:
50/50 looks fine for me. For the technical talk:
I MUST KNOW! D2 Measurements and Observations [LONG] - iAudiophile.net Forums

regards,
Reply
post #14 of 16
2/20/08 at 2:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caribou679 View Post
Ok! So on iaudiophile.net /forum I got the reference I was looking for:
50/50 looks fine for me. For the technical talk:
I MUST KNOW! D2 Measurements and Observations [LONG] - iAudiophile.net Forums

regards,
Caribou - I saw your post earlier, and you're using 0/0/0/0, but are you using any other processing (BBE, Mach3Bass, MP Enhance)? As well, what EQ Filter settings are you using?
Reply
post #15 of 16
2/20/08 at 2:26pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by robojack View Post
Caribou - I saw your post earlier, and you're using 0/0/0/0, but are you using any other processing (BBE, Mach3Bass, MP When I Enhance)? As well, what EQ Filter settings are you using?
When I use the D2 to feed an amp, I do not use any processing effects, as BBe etc. Sometimes , on certain music/song I will add the MPE.

As for the EQ Filters:
band 1=80
band 2=230
band 3=850
band 4=3.2k
band 5=11.7k

To be frank I did not notice any change,or nothing substantial, with the differents parameters available on the width of the EQ bands.

regards,
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Portable Source Gear
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Source Gear › Volume Level Settings for Cowon D2 "Line Out"