[Zalithian]

I've been an Ipod user for a long time. It was my first, and second mp3 player. Then I decided since my second one didn't seem like it would last much longer to shop for a new one.

I tried a Zune at first but I got a defective battery so I took it back and ended up ordering a 16 gb D2 + 16 gig SD card. Ever since I got my D2 I've been using it over my ipod basically all the time. The battery life is so better it's not even on the same level, and I never really did a big A/B on the SQ. I just did a short one initially. My ipod (30gig video) had been demoted to strictly podcasts.

I decided just now to try it with my PFE's(greys) and with no EQ it sounds really dull. There may be slightly more bass but in terms of sharpness it just seems lacking. I wouldn't say it sounds dull enough that it's veiled but things seem less precise. I tried some of the EQ and the treble booster makes it sound too bright and unbalanced and none of the other ones are quite right either.

Are the older ipods that different in sound signature from the D2 or am I just a Cowon fanboy now?

 

[fjf]

The ipod REALLY improves with amplification. The amp section of the D2 is more powerful, and unamped sounds way better.

 

[KMASCII]

I've tried the them amped and unamped and found the Phonak's to be better off unamped from the Cowon D2. To me the Phonak's became a bit animated under amping, at least with the iBasso Boa. But you may experience different results with a different amp.

Caveat: Although they are a great phones I found the Phonaks heavy in both the bass and treble. So obviously our hearing is quite different.

For my part, my er4s and Westone 3's respond very well to iBasso amping of the Cowon D2. Regardless, the Cowon D2 a very good source.

 

[xaval]

Wow, this subjective listening is really daunting. My experience with the setup on my sig is quite different KMASCII. Phonaks unamped from the D2 are more about midrange than the frequency extremes. With the T4 the reinforcement on the bass, as a means to build on music structure, is an awesome improvement and the highs are sweeter.

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