Overall Best SQ for Portable Player? - Page 3

http://www.cowonglobal.com/product_wide/COWONS9/product_page_1.php  

"Furthermore, delicate hardware calibration provides balanced, high quality default (normal) EQ and a variety of rich sounds..."

 

Also, it has been repeated on many review sites like AnythingButIpod and here on Head-fi.

 

I haven't actually been able to find any software based BBE products that actually sounded like their implementation on the Cowon and I've been looking hard for over a year since it's the best EQ that I've heard.

 

 

Well it's from the 1990's so you won't find one lol. HM-801 is worth a look.
 

 

Edited by natashaful - 6/15/11 at 11:48am

Welcome to Head-fi DotChannel,

 

I've been reading some of your posts.  What are you wanting to do with a digital recorder?  Are you wanting to transfer CD's/vinyl/cassettes?  There are so many portable digital recorders on the market now. Sound Devices, Tascam, Marantz, Sony.  Or are you wanting to use it to its' full potential for example recording live concerts?  Or are you just interested in using it as a great playback machine?  The newer machines are called handheld recorders and you may wish to look into that.  For example, Tascam makes several great handheld recorders and they are under $300.00.   Tascam makes a DR-05 and a DR-07 both are very good digital recorders.

 

Jesse

 

To me, the best portable audio player continues to be the iPod Classic.Lot's of capacity for a lot of uncompressed music and very good sound quality, altough diferent from many other players. It tends to be more analytical and less bassy than the Cowon's, for example. 

Danimoca, I haven't heard the Classic, but I have heard the 3G Nano, I thought they were clean and analytical. The Zune 120 is similar IMO, while the Sonys have a looser and warmer presentation, which I thought is a little muddy. It is often mentioned that the Cowons are cold and analytical, the Classic is even more so? Detail is king for me, without sounding too lifeless. My Zune 120 have only 3 hours of play time now with lossless. I am deciding if I wanted to get iPod (Classic or Touch or iPhone) or Cowon (C2 or J3) as my next DAP. I need at least 32GB space and long battery life. It will be amped.

FWIW, I find the classic 160GB to sound better than my nano 5G. The nano sounds tinny & irritating compared to the classic. Now, my iPhone 4, THAT kills 'em BOTH. Still, all are quite respectable.

 

As for the Cowon DAP's, cold & analytical is a thing of the past. Try the S9 or the J3 - then judge. The C2 is said to sound just as good - but isn't good when navigating the player is concerned.

 

I still prefer my iPod's I guess,...just for the ease of use. Plus, the touch sounds amazing w/the apps available for it now - equal to Rockbox OR Cowon: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/528724/quality-eq-apps-for-ipod-iphone-ipad

My Ipods have always sounded warmer than my Cowon S9/J3 when flat. It is very slight though. Who uses a Cowon flat though?

I am never a fan of EQ or effects. To me a good circuit or headphones doesn't need some algorithms to mask its defects. All the EQ and effects I have heard so far muddy things up, to various extend, though I haven't heard how well is Cowon's implementation.

i felt the same way but cowons isnt too bad.

The Cowon's implementation is the best I've heard. It's better than any software EQ I've been able to find and I'm an EQ nut. I haven't been able to find anything for my computer to match what it does and I've been looking for a year.

  Excuse my dislexia, you are right. Man I wish I never sold mine all those years aggo, tapes were stuipdly expensive though.
 

 

Hey DotChannel,

 

No I'm not familiar with the HM-801.  It sells for around $800.00.  I think you would be better off getting a digital handheld recorder that will sound better considering the price.  I do have the Sound Devices 702, that is an incredible recorder and playback machine.  It is probably the standard in the film industry.  The reason why I have it, is because I use it as a back up machine when recording live concerts at the universities.  I use it when I travel to cities where I can record street performers/buskars. So I really utilize it.  And of course it records at 24 bits up to 192K. And playback is just crazy.   Sony makes a PCM-M10 under $300.00 which is a nicer recorder and Marantz PMD-620 is also a nice handheld but has been out since 2007.  If you are not in a hurry the NAMM show is this July around the end of the month there will be new products showcasing such as Sony, Marantz, Tascam.  I hope this helps.  Just be patient and do your research.  As always this type of media constantly changes.  

 

Jesse