Ipod Touch vs Cowon j3

[Pratt]

The Apple is more expensive for the 8 gig version than the J3 and not expandable (I have plenty of cards so I don't need to buy any so that doesn't figure into the costs). Also, no tactile buttons.
 
But it has a LOD for amps and dacs which is nice. However, perhaps the HO on the J3 is just fine for this?
 
Basically if the touch had buttons, expandable memory, no silly apple software (I'm not converting my FLAC all the time) and a better EQ then it could trump the J3 with it's LOD (if that matters) and extra features like wifi. But it doesn't. So I'm probably going from my old D2 to a J3.

 

[flaming_june]

Though I had be surprised by how good the touch SQ was, it just couldn't beat the J3.  However all of them, including teclast t51, clip+ are all pretty far from hi fi source.  Hence other considerations becomes the deciding factor.  Many of them are listed.  However another would be the ability for the touch to digi out directly into mid to hi fi dac/amps (either stationary/mobile).

 

[Parall3l]

personally, i actually like the way itunes gives me control over my library, especially if i'm missing album arts, or i could add lyrics to my songs.

 

[shrimants]

its entirely possible to just convert to ALAC and then transfer, its not like there will be any quality loss and i'm pretty sure alac does a better job of managing the space the file takes up. i dont want to use the word compression but thats what i'm talking about. I'm in this same boat, i'm trying to figure out whether I shoudl go for the ipod touch 4g over the J3. considering i can get the 4g in 64gb model and have all sorts of usage out of it vs the J3 which will do purely audio for about the same price per GB....

 

[Pratt]

Sure, you can convert all sorts of files pretty easily (I convert a bit of my FLAC to mp3 for my gf for her Fuze and Clip but not often), but it takes up too much time and is too much hassle for me. I've got about a terabyte of music and I chose some "essential" tracks/albums that stay on my DAP (D2 right now) and go with me when I use it (I only use my D2 for exercise and around the house chores and sometimes while reading in bed with classical/acoustic music when the gf is asleep). But the rest of my music I decide on according to mood right before I'm about to use my DAP and then transfer to it right then. So unless I wanted to constantly convert things as I decide upon them and when I'm pressed for time (got to get on the bike or cut the grass before dark or dinner for instance), I'd literally have to convert everything to ALAC and have copies of all my music in both FLAC and ALAC. I'd have then about two terabytes of music, two copies of everything I have, on my computer and HD(s) all the time for it to be convenient for me to use an apple product (or any product that does not play FLAC). I'm not willing to do that, it takes up too much space (and I'd have to buy yet another backup 1 or 2 terabyte HD). It's much simpler to just have a device that can play the format I already have and prefer and use on my computer all the time for my main system (FLAC) than to convert my entire library to another (or more) formats for each portable device. It would take weeks to do that, just as it has taken me a lot of time to convert my cd's to FLAC (and I keep buying new ones all the time). And I will not simply just use lossy mp3 since I can easily hear the difference between them and lossless (yes, I've been tested many times by both programs and people using entry level IEM's to mid level cans to entry level speakers to very hi-fi speakers and so have many others I know who also, at least 8 or 9 times out of 10--the lowest was 6--can tell the difference as well when blind even on "low-fi" gear. It's pretty obvious in our "audiophile" circle and I'm never listening to anything lossless and never did--I went from cd to FLAC).
 
So the ipod is a good product if you don't have the unique circumstances or preferred use issues I have. But I do, so converting everything is too much trouble as well as more expensive (with the extra HD drives I'd have to buy just for backup to keep other lossless or lossy files I converted from FLAC so I wouldn't have to do it again). Life is too short for all this converting and sorting for me. I have to have a player that plays FLAC or hire someone to convert my files lol. (If I lost my FLAC files, if all my HDs they are on failed, I seriously would hire a friend to re-rip them from CD again it was that much trouble for me in the first place. It took months! And that was back when I only had about 1500 cd's, I've lost count now...4? 5? thousand?). If the touch had expandable memory and read FLAC then I'd probably get it...but it doesn't.

 

[Freeze]

i thought there was an app that allowed flac to be played on touch

 

[shrimants]

theres apps that allow that to happen but its a pain transfering files to the ipod touch then. what i was saying is that he could just perma-convert his entire library from flac to alac if he has an ipod. Its all lossless so its not like he's getting a different sound or anything, its just that initial hassle. That is actually what I was planning to do, get an ipod touch 64 gig and convert my entire library to ALAC for ease of use. lossless is lossless and I dont see the point of paying 250 for a J3 32gig when i can get 64 gig plus more features than i'd know what to do with. Not to mention, that would let me buy a relatively crappy phone that at least has good call quality and not have to splurge on the data plan, or at the very least just not have to get some sort of super fancy does-everything hifi phone.

the only other option I can think of for myself is to find a phone with ridiculously good sound quality on audio files (which pretty much doesnt exist past iphone) but then i'd be doing that a couple years from now when my N1 broke or becomes obsolete.

 

[Freeze]

i cant wait for the galaxy s2 to come to that states. that thing is a beast

 

[Godinhovsky]

Sorry for reviving this thread but, and after read the all thread I still have doubts between iPod Touch 32Gb vs Cowon J3 32Gb..
 
In terms of sound quality does the iPod lose alot to Cowon? (even though the apps)
As far as I read, for the Cowon (with Denon D2000 and IEM) I won't need any AMP, but for iPod?
 
iPod allows us to many features (cam/apps/wi-fi) but I already have a good mid-range android.
 
and btw, is it real a pain in the *** to make *.flac run in touch 4g? (im used to iPod Nano 1st Gen 4gb so it's not alot of space actually)

 

[basementdweller]

Quote:

Sorry for reviving this thread but, and after read the all thread I still have doubts between iPod Touch 32Gb vs Cowon J3 32Gb..
 
In terms of sound quality does the iPod lose alot to Cowon? (even though the apps)
As far as I read, for the Cowon (with Denon D2000 and IEM) I won't need any AMP, but for iPod?
 
iPod allows us to many features (cam/apps/wi-fi) but I already have a good mid-range android.
 
and btw, is it real a pain in the *** to make *.flac run in touch 4g? (im used to iPod Nano 1st Gen 4gb so it's not alot of space actually)

 
I'm not going into a lot of depth here but for sound quality:
 
I have both a 32GB J3 and the latest 64GB Touch.  For headphones that I actually use with DAPs: Shure SE535, Senn IE8, Monster TPG, JVC FX700, Klipsch Custom 3 Beyer t50p, and V-Moda M80...I also have a pair of Atrios and Brainwave B2(got both with nicely discounted coupon codes and couldn't resist) but I haven't gotten the chance to try them yet.  For some reason I can't tell much difference between sources using the M-80, but with everything else it scales from a little better to much, much better using the Cowon.  For sound quality it is hard to compare even using programs like eqU the Cowons EQ is pretty great and BBE is awesome, but I suspect it has something to do with the fact that the Cowon simply puts out more power.
 
Usability:
 
Ipod wins hands down.  With UI Cowon did pretty good, which seems to be a rarity for non-Apple DAPS, however the Ipod UI is still more intuitive.  Strangely, if you get the EQU app for the ipod, and I do highly recommend it, then it brings the music playing portion of the UI back a bit so both players are pretty much in the same ballpark.  Both touch screens work well.  More external devices work with the Ipod.  If you hook the Cowon up to a MAC it tends to Brick, which is why I eventually got a touch(PC bricked and I replaced it with a MAC and now I have to use my fiance's computer to make changes to the Cowon).  It takes more effort to set up the Cowon.  Most people here have well organized folders, but that probably isn't the norm elsewhere and Itunes, like it or not, is plug and play so to speak.  If you absolutely have to have playlists get the Apple, the Cowon's on the go playlists isn't bad once you figure it out, but still.  Finally, I rarely use the video feature, but when I did it was very easy to get video up and running on the Apple, but a pain on the Cowon(actually don't think I ever got it to work.
 
Other:
Battery life for both players is excellent.  I get a lot more out of the Cowon, but that is because I use it for music only and screen is mostly off.  Both are durable.  I dragged both through a literal third world war zone and they both still work.  At the end of the day, for myself, the sound quality on the Cowon is simply better than the Apple, but the Apple is much easier to live with day in and day out.  I am seriously thinking about buying the Fostex HP-P1 so that I get the sound quality I enjoy with the Cowon and everything else I like about the Apple in one package, but that conversation is probably best left for another thread.
 
I hope some of these ramblings helped
 
 

 

[basementdweller]

I forgot to mention that while a 32GB Cowon and 32GB SD equal the 64GB Ipod capacity wise, I did have issues.  I never got FLAC to stream from an SD card without horrible jitter, lossless never presented a problem though.
 

 

[Godinhovsky]

Quote:

I forgot to mention that while a 32GB Cowon and 32GB SD equal the 64GB Ipod capacity wise, I did have issues.  I never got FLAC to stream from an SD card without horrible jitter, lossless never presented a problem though.
 

Thank you for your time..
I still have some doubts about my final choice
People told me that both players will support (when needed) my future Denon D2000, wont they? (I know that with Cowon I wont but for iTouch?)
FLAC is not a must but I would like to use it.
 
Lastly, if I can afford both J3 and S9, the "obvious" answer is J3?
Anyway, my iPod Nano 1G lasts 6 nice years..
 
ps: the issues with Cowon were while MAC werent they? (windows user) xD

 

[basementdweller]

Yes, the issues with Cowon are when using a Mac.  I never personally tried to make it work with the Mac because there are too many horror stories.  I would rather use someone's PC to update it or sell rather than brick it.

 

[Godinhovsky]

As Cowon J3 is better than S9 and "newer". I'm in doubt about other competitor to J3, his brother i10..
The difference between prices is 50€(70$) and.. (32Gb version)
 
Pros of i10:
- Smaller and Thinner
- Cheaper by 70$
 
Pros of J3:
- Slot SD (extra 32Gb if needed)
- almost 2x battery (64h audio)
- Larger and greater screen
 
From specs, sound remains equal for both, not?
From someone that comes from the 1st nano, the i10 is deciever

 

[basementdweller]

I don't know because I don't own an i10, but I think the Cowons all basically sound the same.  I also think the general opinion is that the J3 is the best player Cowon ever made to include models that came after it.