I received the P2 yesterday and immediately compared it to the P1 with Campfire Andromeda. Good news and bad news; depends how you look at it.
Settings on Both:
1. DAC filters set on: Slow since P1 does not have Super Slow like P2.
2. Volume matched; at listened at different levels from 90 to 116 with different music; Pop/Rock/Reggae/Vocals etc.
3. EQ/BBE/MP Off on both, all DSP turned off.
4. Single ended (SE) out used.
5. Set on earphone mode.
6. P1 owned for 2 years - Well broken in over 400+ hours. P2 fresh out of the box.
7. P1 Update V 2.20 latest at this time of post.
8. P2 Update V 1.11 latest at this time of post.
The Good:
- The P2 is not a
HUGE difference from the P1.
- P2's major difference is two things, 1. It's
sound stage is definitely wider and the
midrange is definitely more forward about +2 to +3db more than the P1.
- You can get the same effect with EQ from the P1 to make the midrange forward sounding like the P2.
- Highs and lows are very closely sounding, nothing major noticed.
- Both sound smooth. P2 kind of still sounds like Burr Brown but
tad more refined. P2 is musical and never tiring to listen to just like the P1. P2 maybe less analog sounding, maybe
tad more realistic.
- Both act and behave the same loading etc - not surprising and that is good and welcome. Only
major difference is the horizontal album browsing is pretty sensitive. Nothing like the P1. P1 was just perfect. The P2 you tilt 20-30 degrees and you are in horizontal album view. Hopefully an update will desensitize that setting. You can turn this off but I like to use it as it shows the album's larger than in any other view and you can quickly scroll thought it to find music.
- I don't feel like anything major is missing in details.
- The multi wheel is super handy though. Can be used for quick volume adjustments or switching different EQ presets.
- The P2 does give and have more ways to control playing music with the multi wheel which is awesome.
- Maybe the pairing with the Andromeda was not ideal. If you have an IEM that likes below .6 Ohm the P2 on SE is perfect.
- Plays while charging and NO noise while charging. P1 was the same.
- The
text is larger to read on the EQ settings. I strained to read them on the P1.
- If you don't like EQ the P2 does sound better mids and width/sound stage.
- The P2's AKM DAC plays better with the Cowon's DSP and EQ as it does not sound as processed at higher values/settings like the P1. ie: BBE on 10 on the P1 does expand the sound but add sibilance big time as does the MP Enhance.
- Additional touch settable multi button. Not the wheel but on the screen at the bottom- very handy.
- The best is that this was all done on SE connection. I will be getting a balanced cable and see if that is where the P2 can set itself apart from the P1 (hopefully).
The Bad (?):
- If you have mid forward IEM's or headphones the P2 maybe a touch
too thick/forward sounding in the midrange? Some may like this some may not.
- The DAC filters
do not seem to make a HUGE difference as one would think. It's extremely
hard to tell the difference if any between Super Slow and Sharp on 24bit FLAC. Maybe a dog or on higher resolution DSD it maybe more noticeable, but didn't test as most of my audio are CD rips.
- It would of been nice if the DAC filters had a more pronounced effect at different bitrates you can select?
- The screen resolution on the P2 is the same as the P1.
- If you like EQ you can make the P1 sound like the P2 midrange wise, but will need the DSP effects to get the same sound stage/width and it may sound too artificial and or processed.
- Maybe the pairing with the Andromeda was not ideal as on SE as the .6 Ohm is too low? The Andromeda is known to like and prefer 1 Ohm. If you have an IEM that likes below .6 Ohm the P2 on SE is perfect.
I will report more once I get the balanced cable for my Andromeda. Should you buy the P2 if you have the P1? If you are new to Cowon the P2 is a great place to start, money no object.
It's not a blow your socks off difference though. It's subtle and for many I would recommend better IEM's if you already have a P1, money better invested and more gained I feel. If you don't have a P1 then getting one that is cheaper now,
is a bargain. If you like the latest and greatest and money is no issue and you like more controls and features, a larger sound stage and mid forward, the P2 is great.
Will I keep it? Yes.
Update 8/2/2017:
I can't tell which is the culprit but in using the combination of the SE on the P2 and the balanced Litz with the Andromeda it's a match made in heaven. I can't fathom audio sounding more full and realistic and 3-D like. Vocals are less harsh and fell like at times their positions are nose to nose with you and they are singing directly at you. Creepy and amazing at the same time. Instruments and musical artifacts and special effects are all detectable and can be pinpointed in their location in this imaginary field. Sibilance (if and when present due to the track recording not the P2) is not as prevalent and less harsh and a bit smother. Even poorly recorded songs have a new "sound" to them making them sound more realistic and forward and less harsh. I'm not sure which is contributing more to all this, the Cowon P2 using balanced mode or the Andromeda with a balanced cable but both play extremely well together and now all songs have a new life and effect to them.
Hope that helps.
Update 8/2/2017:
I can't tell which is the culprit but in using the combination of the balanced out on the P2 and the balanced Litz with the Andromeda it's a match made in heaven. I can't fathom audio sounding more full and realistic and 3-D like. Vocals are less harsh and fell like at times their positions are nose to nose with you and they are singing directly at you. Creepy and amazing at the same time. Instruments and musical artifacts and special effects are all detectable and can be pinpointed in their location in this imaginary field. Sibilance (if and when present due to the track recording not the P2) is not as prevalent and less harsh and a bit smother. Even poorly recorded songs have a new "sound" to them making them sound more realistic and forward and less harsh. I'm not sure which is contributing more to all this, the Cowon P2 using balanced mode or the Andromeda with a balanced cable but both play extremely well together and now all songs have a new life and effect to them.
All genre of music is now much more full and wide(r) and way much more addictive and realistic to listen to. I never thought balanced makes THAT much of a difference but apparently is does and it's a pretty drastic effect. It's almost like having a new audio tuning function of a setting like Width/BBE of 1 to 20 and it's set on 15.
This makes, at least for me want to put the P1 away which I have. Sigh, but is ok.