Help! New D2 Has Sound Problem [Archive]

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mymp3sarescratchy

07-26-2007, 18:01

Hi, I got a Cowon D2 very recently but I've already found a problem, which I hope someone can help me with. I have noticed that the sound is very harsh, particularly when a hard "s", "sh", or "ch" is sung. Usually the "s" sound produces a brief charge of static in the headphones. This isn't a huge sound problem, but I noticed it pretty early on in use, and it bothers me everytime I listen to the D2.

I complained about the problem in the official cowon america forums (http://www.cowonamerica.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12752), and a member directed me here. He said other people in this forum have reported similar problems, but I have not found anyone here reporting the same defect.

This problem reminds me very much of my dad's car cd changer, where again there was a static sound, kind of like someone whispered/hissed very loudly into the microphone on the "s". It was much worse in that player though.

Is this normal? Has anyone else had this problem? Should I ask for replacement?

All of the JetEffects are off, and the equalizer is on normal. But no matter which settings I use the result is always the same. I notice the sound problem in my Grado SR80's, also in the included ear-buds.

I got this player for a trip, a trip I am still on, and I am not coming back home for a few more days. Until then the experiments I can try are very limited, but I can do more when I get back home, including possibly connecting the D2 into my sound card to record the D2's signal, thus demonstrating the problem. At least I hope that will work.

Thank you for reading! I'd appreciate whatever information and help anyone can give!

wader

07-26-2007, 18:19

I'm sorry to hear your issues with the SQ, but perhaps there's some things we can try to see if this is unique to your player, an aspect of your audio file(s) and/or related to your ear/headphones.

1. What kind of source audio do you generally play on the D2?

2. Which brand and model of phones do you use with the D2?

3. Do you play this relatively loud?

4. Do you hear this same characteristic when playing the same audio files, with the same phones, through a different device (such as another personal player or the computer?)

5. Are you able to share a sample file which exhibits the sounds you perceive, so others might test on their devices?

I don't mean to grill you, just going through typical areas of consideration for something like this, since you already mentioned keeping the EQ flat and effects OFF.

- wader

TedJ

07-26-2007, 19:37

Scratchy has already mentioned the cans he's using... Grado SR80 and the included buds.

Have you tweaked your music files using MP3Gain? If I didn't know any better, I'd suspect your files may be clipping a little.

wader

07-26-2007, 21:01

Scratchy has already mentioned the cans he's using... Grado SR80 and the included buds.

Thanks, I was admittedly rushing to get out the door when posting above, and missed this useful information. Don't SR-80s have a minor reputation for noticeable brightness, btw?

I suspect the source files, too. Would be interested to try out a copy.

- wader

mymp3sarescratchy

07-27-2007, 15:19

I'm sorry to hear your issues with the SQ, but perhaps there's some things we can try to see if this is unique to your player, an aspect of your audio file(s) and/or related to your ear/headphones.
Sure, no problem! Well, actually...heh, I'm on vacation for like 2 more days, so I can't do a lot of stuff that I can do at home. But, I will try alot more stuff when I get back, I was mostly just wondering if this is normal, or a common problem.

1. What kind of source audio do you generally play on the D2?
Everything I have on the player right now are MP3's, almost all of which have been run through MP3Gain set to 89db. On the other forum GSV3MiaC suggested it may be MP3gain's fault. But this does not sound like clipping, more like a whispering hiss. I managed to d/l a few completely unaltered MP3's recently, and they have the exact same problem. Also, these same MP3's sounded fine on my computer.

I converted one of my mp3s to wav format, and it still had bad sound when played on the D2, but that file had already been run through MP3gain. When I get back home I will experiment with other codec formats, and re-rip CDs freshly.

2. Which brand and model of phones do you use with the D2?
The static sound is present on both the pre-packaged ear-buds, and my GradoSr80's. It is much more noticeable in the SR80's though. I did not have this problem at home with these headphones.

3. Do you play this relatively loud?
This is a pretty subtle sound problem, which is really only obvious at high volumes. No matter what volume though, the defect is still there, if I listen carefully.

4. Do you hear this same characteristic when playing the same audio files, with the same phones, through a different device (such as another personal player or the computer?)
On my computer at home these same MP3's sounded fine, with any headphones. This problem is exclusively heard on the D2.

5. Are you able to share a sample file which exhibits the sounds you perceive, so others might test on their devices?
I would like to do that when I get back home. I'll connect my D2 to my computer to record several examples, from different music genres, that demonstrate the problem. Then I could attach the same mp3's directly from my computer right next to the D2 versions, so the difference is most obvious. I'll string them all together so it will be easy to hear the exact problem.

I'll write out the exact process I use, to eliminate the question of human error. :-)

I don't mean to grill you, just going through typical areas of consideration for something like this, since you already mentioned keeping the EQ flat and effects OFF.

- wader
No problem! I really wanted someone to help like this, I'm willing to do just about anything. I just bought this player, drooling over the anticipated 75mw of sound, only to gain a problem that was not present on any of my other players.

But I do want to mention again a CD Player my dad has. This thing must be defective, because it sounds horrible. I cannot believe a company would make a million players that sounded this crappy. It is a very similar sound problem as the D2's, only about 10 times worse.

I won't be able to make it in under the 1 month warranty to replace the player for free, but I'd be willing to go through some trouble to get a correct sounding D2, because the sound defect really bothers me! Thank you again for helping!

PrincipalValiant

07-27-2007, 17:59

mymp3sarescratchy

07-27-2007, 19:12

I've encountered something similar to this even with flac files. Try turning all effects off and all eq settings to -2. Actually I don't think it is specific to the D2, I'm pretty sure I've also heard it happen on other equipment.

To me it's most notable when listening to high pitched guitar notes in metal.

Thanks for the reply, I tried what you suggested, but it made no difference.

This static sound very much hinges on the singing of a hard "s". Guitars and other instruments don't have nearly as much static, at least that I notice. And like I said, this problem is exclusive to my D2.

I must have some defective unit... No way other people don't notice this!

I should mention that as soon as I got my D2, I broke it. [laugh] I tried to update the firmware but I must have screwed up somehow, because the player stopped responding to anything I did, it wouldn't turn on and my computer wouldn't recognize it. So I went online and got some help. The man instructed me to reset the player by pressing into that tiny hole in the side, and that resurrected it. After that I updated the firmware again, this time everything going smoothly. I don't know if that has anything to do with my sound glitch, no one else has mentioned the firmware being possibly at fault. But, I haven't had the chance to update/reset it again, so that is still open as a possible solution.

I'm thinking I must have got a "bad D2", much like my dad got for his car cd changer. He never tried to get his replaced or fixed though... This has to be some kind of uncommon player defect, don't you think?

PrincipalValiant

07-27-2007, 19:15

Maybe it has something to do with battery voltage, some of them have been known to be kind of wonky.

mymp3sarescratchy

07-30-2007, 12:59

I am so, so sorry.

2 days ago, I thought I had figured out where things went wrong: On the way out of the airport 3 weeks ago, my carry-on bag fell 5 feet to the ground. In this bag was a hard plastic cup, with a sock stuffed in the hole, where my D2 player was snuggly secured in at the bottom. I thought that would save it from damage if my carry-on happened to be punched or punted into a nearby ditch. But it obviously wasn't enough! The D2 was probably damaged by the shock of the fall, and had it's circuits scrambled, resulting in the small sound problem that was irritating me so much I wanted to smash my brand-new Cowon D2 with a hammer!

How was I going to get a replacement? What did the warranty say? I hope I have the original packaging! If I sent it back to Cowon, would they just ship it right back to me, without even doing anything to it? And how much would that cost me? After all, my mom dropped it, so it was technically my fault. How much would I have to beg and suffer, just to fix this HORRIBLE SOUND PROBLEM?! I had to do something - I couldn't live like this!

When I finally got home a mere 8 hours behind schedule, I rushed right to my computer so I could start experimenting. I plugged in my Grado's and played an mp3 where this problem was most apparent. This was quite a shock, because it sounded exactly the same as on my D2, with the exact same fault in the sound. Tried a different mp3, same problem. What is happening?

Wait a sec, the SR80's must have been crushed - and THEIR's were the circuits that had been scrambled! But let's not jump to conclusions. Just to be thorough, I plugged in an old crappy pair of headphones into my computer and listened again. And guess what? The problem is still there. The problem was always there. There never was a "problem" to begin with...

I am a neurotic idiot. I am insane.

I played that same track again, right off the CD, and sure enough this “unbearable static” was there too. It was there even on my home stereo.

Now, to put this into perspective, I have been listening to mp3's from my computer for years, and of course listening to music much longer than that. I had been using these Grado SR80's every single day, for several hours at a time, since I got them 1 month before my trip. But within thirty minutes in the Vacation hotel I was sure my new player was defective, and my entire investment, no, my entire life, was ruined. And It Was All In My Imagination.

Overall I'm glad this is over, that I don't have to worry about it anymore, but I feel like a real jerk trying to get help for nothing at all. And so I apologize once again.

I'm so sorry... for everything.

CannotRegister

07-31-2007, 07:30

wader

07-31-2007, 11:14

I'm glad to read that the problem cause was found, with the solution looking to be rather straightforward.

- wader

mymp3sarescratchy

07-31-2007, 16:13

[laugh] [laugh]

No need to be so apologetic, bro.

BTW, I just got some SR80s today to use with my D2 for at-home listening. So far, loving them!

BTW#2, are you going to try fixing the SR80s? I've seen quite a few threads online about the "Grado Grattle", which could be your problem. It sounds easily fixable too.
Nah, I don't think there is anything wrong with my headphones, just my head. I haven't heard of "Grado Grattle" before, but if I start getting sound problems I'll think of that.

I'm glad to read that the problem cause was found, with the solution looking to be rather straightforward.
Heh heh, thanks. The "problem" was found, and we all know the solution to that!

Well, thanks again. Bye!

jcgamer60

08-01-2007, 13:15

wader

08-01-2007, 14:20

Isn't this sibilance? Its pretty normal with this player as i can hear the harshness also and so does my friend (There was a topic a few months ago on this). Although, not everyone notices it (which is a good thing!) ;). I haven't encountered any problems in terms of static though.

You might be interested in the resolution (http://www.iaudiophile.net/forums/showthread.php?p=138873#post138873) to that original post.

- wader