[Peddler]

My Iriver2 CD/MP3 combo finally arrived and I have spent the past week experimenting with the machine and learning how to extract CD’s into MP3 format without screwing up the sound.

Iriver2

Build quality of the unit is fairly good but it’s not up to the standards of the Sony and Panasonic models. Comparable to virtually anything else on the market though. The LCD display is excellent – showing track info, encoding method and time information. The unit also features a remote control which mirrors many of the functions found on the main unit. There is also a backlit display on the remote control which allows you to keep the player out of site when out and about.

Portability

In addition to the Iriver2 I also own the Sony 915 Discman and the R900 mini disc recorder. I have to say that the Iriver2 doesn’t get close to offering the same degree of skip protection as these players have. If you strap the unit to your belt using the supplied carrying case I find that it only occasionally skips but there’s no way you could go jogging with it! Battery consumption appears to be fine but again cannot compete with Sony.

Sound Quality

Firstly I have to say that the machine produces a certain amount of noise from its electronics. This is present as soon as you switch the machine on and can intrude when listening to music at really low volume levels. Generally not too much of a problem and I have noticed that the Airhead portable amplifier produces a very similar amount of noise. When the music’s playing I suspect more people wouldn’t be all that bothered by it. The machine also has a fairly bright (but detailed) tonal balance – again I suspect that I will adjust to this without too many problems – the shift in tone is a little like the change I get when I use my adaptor cable with my Etymotics to give the 4P the same characteristic as the 4S. BTW – I’m listening to the Iriver2 via both the Etymotics ER4P’s and the Sony 888’s.

Note that this player features a 12mw headphone amp and does go that little bit louder than most other CD players. I generally listen with the volume control set to around 30 / 40 whereas with my R900 and 915 players I often play them at virtually full blast.

CD Playback. Takes longer to load than a normal Discman but there’s no problems with the sound quality. The machine is capable to reading CD Text discs – both on the main display and on the remote control.

MP3 Playback. Initially I found that the sound quality was somewhat bright and fatiguing. However tonight I experimented with different settings on my Exact Audio Copy and Lame software and have managed to eliminate this metallic brightness. With the right encoding I honestly don’t think I could tell the difference between the original CD and the MP3 copy.

If you’re looking for a good all-round player with flexibility being a higher criteria than portability, then I think the Iriver2 is the business. I don’t think I will be getting rid of my MD recorder just yet though – if only the Iriver2 used the same anti skip system that Sony uses I would seriously consider selling both my other players.

 

[purk]

Nice review. I am waiting to get one of the newer sony or panasonic mp3/cd player.

 

[edog]

Good review! I've seen far too few reviews that address sound quality adequately. I returned my RioVolt SP250 (the North American version of this), because I heard a huge amount of noise when listening through my Etymotics ER-4P's. That ruined piano music and other kinds of classical music for me. Music that tends to be louder, like rock, does pretty well on the SP250 though.

My Sony MZ-E90 MiniDisc player and Panasonic SL-CT780 have much cleaner outputs, and I would hear nothing but total silence during the quiet moments of a song. (I use an amp with the SL-CT780 though.)

Out of curiousity, how do the ER-4S's sound when plugged directly into the headphone jack? I returned the player before I got my ER-4P to ER-4S adapter.

 

[Peddler]

To be honest the difference isn't that great. I suspect that if you found the amount of noise too much, no headphone is really going to resolve this without losing musical detail.

Personally I don't have too much of a problem with the noise - I rarely listen to music quiet enough for it to intrude.

 

[utdeep]

optical out?

 

[Peddler]

The Iriver2 doesn't have optical out. It does have just about every other control you could every possbily want but no opti out.

The player does go louder than virtually any other modern player on the market that I am aware of though.

I still rate the player even though it does suffer from a little 'line noise'. Most sound quality issues are resolved by take care with encoding. Regular CD's sound pretty much the same as my Panasonic 570 or Sony 915 players.

 

[kerecsen]

I hope no one will mind if I cross-post my thoughts on white noise from mp3.com's message board...

The problem as far as I can tell is that the iRiver people chose to implement volume control strictly digitally. Which means that the analogue amplifier is always "turned to its highest volume" and the perceived volume is controlled by modifying the data fed to the DAC. This means that even the slightest noise from the digital subsystem comes out quite loud, especially when the volume setting is turned down (the signal-to-noise ratio is very-very bad in this case). This would also explain why the Rio100 may be less noisy (the total amplification is lower).
Since I liked the iRiver2, but I prefer sensitive headphones (Sony A34L), and I truly HATE white noise, I had to come up with some solution

It turned out that an an extension cord with a volume control works very well. You just put the extension cord between the player and the headphones, then pause playback, then start turning down the volume on the cord from its highest setting until the hiss is completely gone (and then some). Afterwards you have to turn the volume up on the rio (usually by 5 to 10 steps). Then it's a whole new world

For the hacker types: I found that a good division rate is 1:10 (signal out -> 50 ohms -> (headphone in AND 500 ohms -> ground)). Of course it may have a negative impact on sound quality, but most people won't hear it anyway (not to mention it's far less annoying than the hiss).
On the other hand this modification increases the resolution of the output (since more bits are used). The only limiting factor is that above volume 35 or so, the equalizer hits the ceiling and doesn't equalize all that much...

 

[Peddler]

As I own the Etymotic Er4P and adaptor cable to convert to ER4S standards (which contains two 74 ohm resistors) I shall try this to see if it eliminates the white noise.

I shall keep you posted.

btw - it have been listening to the Iriver2 almost exclusively for the past week and I suspect I have got used to the noise as I don't find it half as intrusive as I used to.