[kendric]

Ok I have been using Zen X-Fi 32GB (w/ a 8GB SDHC Expansion) for coming nearly to two years.

But as my library of songs expands, so does the shortcomings of the so-called X-Fi Crystallizer and X-Fi 3D Expand.

So i need a new player that sounds as good as Cowon / Preferably a Cowon or even better SQ ones. Internal Memory Capacity of 32GB or Higher, Most Important of all, It Must possess Memory Expansion (Be it Micro SD/SDHC or Standard SD/SDHC both are fine by me)

And i roughly remember there is one Cowon that fits the bill, nearly that is, with disastrously cluttered Video-Playing Interface that made it a joke among Cowon Line-Ups, It got me DQ them =(

And Thanks Everyone in Advance! =)

 

[david1978jp]

I really don't think X-Fi sounds bad. (Of course, there are others sound better.) However, a different earphones may give you "the improvement" you want. What earphones are you using now ?

 

[floydfan33]

You are probably referring to the V5 which I agree is a horrible interface, but a fantastic sounding player (with FLAC it is several times better than my Iphone).
 
I also have a D2, that sounds great, but the menu is still quite layered (several steps to do one thing).
 
I hear really good things about the S9 touch screen though, that might fit your needs.
 
Matt

 

[kendric]

Quote:

I really don't think X-Fi sounds bad. (Of course, there are others sound better.) However, a different earphones may give you "the improvement" you want. What earphones are you using now ?

Oh i am using Monster JAMz for now, upgrading to Miles Davis Tribute in a couple of weeks time and grabbing Fischer Audio FA-003 as my life's first can ever, plus a iBasso D10 Cobra,
 
For me, X-Fi 's 'Sound Enhancing Functions' is pretty Genre-Dependent, On my Wav Lossless Tracks of Acoustic and Band (Talk About Jason Mraz, The Ting Tings, Bossa Novas and Jazz) The X-Fi does did a good thumbs up, though they are probably not build to power up Mainstream Pop (And i mean K-Pop, Chinese Pop Songs by that, I am a Singaporean Chinese fyi (= )
 
 
 

 

[kendric]

Quote:

You are probably referring to the V5 which I agree is a horrible interface, but a fantastic sounding player (with FLAC it is several times better than my Iphone).
 
I also have a D2, that sounds great, but the menu is still quite layered (several steps to do one thing).
 
I hear really good things about the S9 touch screen though, that might fit your needs.
 
Matt

Oh in fact S9 are one of the first that i thought of (together with Sony X Series along)! Brilliant Sound and everything, only thing that it doesn't have memory expansion, which i find it really wasted (same for Sony X series) =( Because even with the 32GB internal storage its won hold my heaps of WAV Lossless that are considerably humongous in filesize. Still IF I could overcome the cluttiness of V5 one day, i won rule out the possibility.
 
How bout the 80GB Zunes and the Archos? I not really familiar with those (in fact i don't really dig much into the PMP Realms either). And cNet does'nt seems to update much of the Players aspect.

 

[stevenswall]

The Cowon J3 is essentially an S9 with an expansion slot (microSD) and speaker. If I where you, I would go that route, as I have never heard a better player than my S9 when it comes to EQ and DSP effects. Also worth mentioning that I cannot distinguish my S9 with a flat EQ from my old Sony Stereo with a flat EQ. Both are powersul and clean, and my S9 has a better EQ.
 
Overall Interface is also the best I have used, including the iTouch, Walkman, ect. With so many options for the interface (40+ modular peices for the different functions) you are more likely to find one that fits you better than an iPod.
 
Other considerations:
OLED screen
In pocket playback/volume controls
Radio Recording
Bluetooth

 

[kendric]

Quote:

The Cowon J3 is essentially an S9 with an expansion slot (microSD) and speaker. If I where you, I would go that route, as I have never heard a better player than my S9 when it comes to EQ and DSP effects. Also worth mentioning that I cannot distinguish my S9 with a flat EQ from my old Sony Stereo with a flat EQ. Both are powersul and clean, and my S9 has a better EQ.
 
Overall Interface is also the best I have used, including the iTouch, Walkman, ect. With so many options for the interface (40+ modular peices for the different functions) you are more likely to find one that fits you better than an iPod.
 
Other considerations:
OLED screen
In pocket playback/volume controls
Radio Recording
Bluetooth

Oh ok, though web search led me to a conclusion that J3 has a 32gb version but i just wanna confirm with you, is it true? =DD
 

 

[stevenswall]

Convert your WAV to FLAC and you will save over half of your space, though sadly this does not work with the X Walkman, since it doesen't suport FLAC as far as I know.
 
The last Zune I tried listening to was strange. I asked the owner if it had a custom EQ enabled, or some kind of reverb effect. He said it did not, and that that was how it always sounds... I didn't like the echoey effect, and previous to that experience, other Zune models I had listened to didn't have the weird reverb, but they didn't sound remarkably good either. Now, after having listened to the Zune HD, I would put it and its EQ with the iPods. It sounds OK, but when you enable the EQ it is hard to tell the difference between presets, and nothing I have heard boosts bass as much as the Mach3Bass or X-Bass EQs on my S9.

 

[stevenswall]

Yes, there is a 32GB version... Here it is: http://www.amazon.com/COWON-Portable-Media-Player-Black/dp/B003Q6CUD0/ref=sr_1_1?s=gateway&ie=UTF8&qid=1285610089&sr=8-1

 

[kendric]

Quote:

Yes, there is a 32GB version... Here it is: http://www.amazon.com/COWON-Portable-Media-Player-Black/dp/B003Q6CUD0/ref=sr_1_1?s=gateway&ie=UTF8&qid=1285610089&sr=8-1

Ok, SET! My Buys are on the J3 then! Hmm btw you know of any good software that rips cd straight into FLAC? Windows Media Player doesn't offer as far as i know =( (maybe the Windows 7's version do but well i still stuck on the XP for now~ =[[ )
 
If there is then i will re-rip all the CDs. =))

 

[floydfan33]

Now that I've seen the J3, I want one too!

 

[stevenswall]

CD > FLAC I use a portable program that can run off of a flash USB drive:
 
BonkEnc Portable
 
It polls the CDDB to automatically tag all of the songs ect, and can name them whatever you wish, and even put them into folders by artist, album ect(<ARTIST> - <ALBUM>/<TRACK> - <TITLE>) any order, very flexible, I run it off my S9.

 

[11amaberry]

DBpoweramp is the best program I know of. Not sure what the free version is like, but the payed version is definitely worth the price IMO.

 

[kendric]

Thanks all! Shall dig into these software for a look, How bout the Foobar2000?

 

[11amaberry]

Foobar is a good player, but I don't use it to rip CD's.