Which has better SQ?

[thechungster]

I want a better source for replacing my iPod touch 1st gen in terms of SQ. What do you think I should get. The Cowon S9, or a Sansa Fuze?

[auxiliary]

Cowon S9.

[pseudohippy]

Ive been amazed with my S9, of you want to use flat settings then you will be good either way, but if you like to tweak the music or even just select from a list of presets then the S9 all the way. Im loving bbe viva2 ALOT!!

[Kizune]

The S9's SQ is one of the best I ever heard, and the sound is very customizable (because of BBE+, EQ, etc).
It would be a good choice for you.

[gorgi]

Take the S9. The Fuze has very good flat-sound. I don't know how the soundenhancements sound like.
The S9 has by far the best sound-enhancement technology (Sony does pretty well too). Cowon impressed me with BBE (D2) and they do even more with BBE+ (I love BBE Viva and Viva2)
The S9 comes with great soundquality. I think it sounds extremly good on flat-eq too and the enhanvements A DREAM! The sound is very differtiated, you actually hear where the instrument was placed. Wonderful clear and the bass is very punchy and direct, not as blurry and weak like on the ITouch.
And it comes with three big plusses. The batterylifetime is great. I think +40h of audio and 9h of video are feasible.
The AMOLED screen is very cool, cery clear and colourful and best contrast ive ever seen. Its even better than my laptops display.
I keep my brighntness on level 1 (out of 6) and I think thats enough for scrolling through the music-dictionaries and music. In my opinion its even enough for some movies. On level 6 its really astonishing but it's very good even on lower brighntness-levels.

[dfkt]

Gorgi is right. Sansa have a better flat sound response (especially with low impedance phones), but Cowons have much better sound enhancements (BBE).

[thechungster]

Thanks for the help. I might not use the EQ much though :/

[gorgi]

But its quite simple and imo absolutely worth it. Do you have any big markets near you. If so you could try and see if theres one of those players and try them.

[thechungster]

But its quite simple and imo absolutely worth it. Do you have any big markets near you. If so you could try and see if theres one of those players and try them.
Nope, there are no shops that have them near where I live (I think) There aren't many shops in Leicester that deals with Cowon products.

[Kizune]

But it's very easy to edit and use the EQ.
You only have to use your ears, set some EQ values, and then you got the perfect sound for you and your earphones.

[tirim4]

^FEUTURES! You say cowon players lacks FEUTURES!
How many players out there supports as many codecs as cowon players, without you having to pay a silly little add-son? When the D2 came (before iPod touch and all the wifi stuff) how many small plyers could beat it in feutures?
So for now, sure the iPod touch and new sony touchscreen both got wifi, and sure iPod touch got this awesome app store. But can people like us completley change the UI like flash skins for the S9? Can the iTouch tweak the sound allmost to anythin you want? Can it be used without the hazzle of using a softwere like itunes out of the box? And have you seen the pictures of both players screens in action? AMOLED is truly amazing. Im not saying that S9 got better feutures or that other players lacks them, but you cant say that the S9 (and most other cowon plyers) lacks feutures.

Have you ever compared a cowon player with descent earphones to an iPod? Even me, a non audiophile, can hear a big difference.
I can admit that cowons UI part sucks, but you can't blame theme for bad feutures or braging about their SQ. About DACs, there are allways someone who put cowon players pieces and so on.
Allso, cowon players are allways very customizeable. You can get the sound to sound as you want it to.

[dfkt]

Don't feed the troll.

[NIN2theVoid]

Thanks for the help. I might not use the EQ much though :/

There is more to sound enhancements than just a silly equalizer. Check out Cowon's site, then google BBE, and you will know exactly what these companies do for your audio experience (both have very technical explainations on their site)

[tabv]

I have the Sansa Clip (I have 2) and if the Fuse sounds like it I prefer my D2 over the clip.

The clip has grainy or course sound to it..where my D2 is much smoother and more natural. And that's with both players set flat. But I don't have the S9 yet so I can't compare but I'm sure it has the Cowon sound signature.

The 32gb S9 will be my next player as soon as it comes out.