iAudiophile.net Forums - Cowon Z2 launched in Korea

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- Cowon & iAudio News (http://iaudiophile.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=76)

- - Cowon Z2 launched in Korea (http://iaudiophile.net/forums/showthread.php?t=40293)

Mh, the Z2 is in my opinion a nice looking and sleek player with some interesting features despite the hopefully orgasmic audio quality:

- WLAN support and with it the possibility to fetch emails and perhaps use VOIP

- HDMI makes it interesting as a storage device for a movie or two

- Eco friendly packaging (the best feature ever introduced...) :-D

But there are some drawbacks:

- Battery life is not that good (I think its still mainly an audio player cause watching movies with a 3,7" screen could cause some serious eye-cancer over time)

- Still not sure what to think about Android (IMO it doesnt use its resources aka battery well enough and Ive always the feeling not to be in control about the system...Perhaps it would be better for Cowon to develop an own UNIX based OS or use another base instead of Android)

Ok, so overall I guess its cause of the mentioned drawbacks not a device for me and Im looking forward for the next evolution...*cough* Cowon J4 with focus on audio capabilitys *cough*

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill726 (Post 325839)

@Alex@lin: Not to burst you're bubble, but the OP had a link to the same pictures and info in his first post. Even still, we appreciate you're intentions.

EN , I saw Kize didn't copy all the pictures so I did it for everyone to browse conveniently . Check their attribute and You'll find them link to http://product.cowon.com . [yes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDarkSide (Post 325830)

Really, the Z2 is just being released, but your asking if they were both released at the same time,...too funny!!![blink]:P[laugh]

I'm not asking that, re-read what I wrote again. I asking if the Z2's hardware is newer than the D3's. Websites say the D3 uses Telechip TCC8900 and the Z2 uses Telechip TCC8803.
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=cpu&id=...lechip_tcc8803
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=cpu&id=...lechip_tcc8900
According to above links, the chip was release on the same year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakebite2 (Post 325844)

Then be specific. And knowing Cowon, like we ALL do, it's most likely an older "sound" chip. Cowon are notorious for doing things like that.

yes, but that older chip could sound better. until one audiophile tests it we can't be sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lupu_de_balta (Post 325847)

yes, but that older chip could sound better. until one audiophile tests it we can't be sure.

Older doesn't mean it sounds better. And an "audiophile" testing it just means it'll be raised to mystical levels of bullshit. A user review will suffice, as well as some RMAA testing with the eq and sound effects off. We're all qualified to do this here on iaudiophile.net,...I'm just too lazy to do the RMAA testing,...and my sound card is crap!

Quote:

Older doesn't mean it sounds better.

wish people would read properly.

Quote:

could sound better

Please resize or thumbnail those pics.

Thank you.

One feature im going to love.... Streaming my HD movies from my server x}

P.S. I do believe that the older chips are the better ones...My x5 was much more rich/louder than the J3...with the same eq settings. I tweaked, and tweaked, and I couldn't get it to match up with x5. Still sounded great, but I liked the x5 alot better.

It should be adequate for everyday use now. Hopefully it won't be as painful as the D3 on usability out of the box. But still, no Market app officially available .
Will have to wait for first reviews before giving it a shot. Especially in the battery department.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enzyme (Post 325851)

wish people would read properly.

I didn't need to reread it, so I guess YOU couldn't comprehend either? [thumbdwn]

Next time we need to say anything to anyone in this thread about the sniping back-and-forth it will be a Warning.

Thanks for understanding!

look, as i said, as cowon are an idiotic company, i expect anything from them. but as far as it goes, they are one of the first audiophile products designers. also, i don't care how the player will sound without any tweaks. in fact, without tweaks, if it is not as neutral as possible, it will mean that the sound is screwed. also, i want an REAL AUDIOPHILE opinion. why? because, as an audiophile, my hearing goes over the normal limit, and i spend lots of money on headphones. this means that only someone that has lots of headphones, listens to headphones, and can make a difference between the generation of jet effects by hearing them could tell if they are improoved.

i don't think that i want to buy a cowon product for using it without tweaks. it would be useless. like having the last model of the world best car, having the best engine, the best fuel, but driving on bad surfaces, and being afraid of speed. this is what using a cowon without tweaks is.

also, good audio chips are known for being absolute neutral without tweaks.

i just want to ask if any of cowon users, are using his player without tweaks. this is what cowon does at their best. and as it is about a new generation of effects, i just think that they could sound better!....

i never had a player from cowon before i got my j3, but it is the best sounding thing i had. and i had lots and lots of players, from all sorts of manufacturers, irirver, apple, anything. j3 beats them.

if what tk the hedhog said is true, the new z2 could sound better than d3. even than j3. i think i can get used to low battery, and everything if it sounds better.

afterall the cowon products are meant to be audiophile not smartphones. but a smartphone that is audiophile, dude, this is something.

i am not starting a fight here, but as far as it goes, z2 is a new player, anything could be expected, and everyone should have his/her opinion. i am not angry with anyone that does not agree with me. but this is my point. i hope that my point does not anger anybody. i am trying to explain, that normal tests are not really to go with if it comes to tweaks. and i am buying it for tweaks. so i want the opinion of someone that just listens to music, and analyzez it. with the ear. computer are able to go wrong. but human ear is something that cannot mistake.

as everyone taste is different, and REAL audiophile review, is not about good, or not, it is about how it sounds more exactly.

i hope that this is not really restrcited to say, but look over head-fi for examples of an audiophile review. or look at Martin Sägmüller review on j3, from wich i inspired to buy it.
a good review must contain everything about the player, but must have a lot of discussions about sound quality, and hot the tweaks reacts. the chip itself, may not be the best, but the effects could make the chip shine even if it is the worst without them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by doniago (Post 325861)

Next time we need to say anything to anyone in this thread about the sniping back-and-forth it will be a Warning.

Thanks for understanding!

Yes father!!! [cool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lupu_de_balta (Post 325864)

I agree. Cowon is known for their audio quality. I too have gone through TONS of headphones looking for "the one" over the years. spending hundreds on headphones, in-earphones, bose, klipsh, sienhizers (or however it's spelled)

now...you'd THINK that the latest chips would be better, but in the case of J3 Vs. X5 I found that to be untrue....unfortunetly I never got to play a SINGLE song when I had the D3 so I can't say much about that. From the looks of the Specs for z2, I have high hopes...I can finally get a multifunctional mp3 player, with an OS that i'm strikingly familiar with AND with the sound quality that I LOVE (hopfully it's better than J3, X5, and D3 all combined :D ) I've sported my X5 for almost 10 years, and the battery is WORN. so i'm used to having the battery life of almost 5 minutes... it's just what i'm used to. I upgraded the battery a few months back but honestly, I'm just used to having a low batt life. :jamming:

All my android devices (non-radio tablet. my smartphone.) average from 4-10 hours when it comes to music. 20 for any device running android is phenomenal imho. Maybe not for a music player, but definetley for android. [surrend]

For me, my perfect player was D3...but d3 was broken, and just plain unusable. z2 will more than make up for it. [cry]

but I'm happy that cowon still exists...if I was forced to use my X5 for the rest of my life, then....jeeze that would be terrible.[help]my headphone port has become inactive. I fixed the hard disk, the charger port...the CHARGER. the AC adaptor, I did a battery transplant with an old m5L. My x5 is like that OLD 69 mustang. reliable, but needs work.... it's time for me to get my Ferrari now...the z2 is definetley ferrari material...but a LONG way's away from bugatti (100 hr battery life, android 4.0, line out, usb host, 1900x1080 7-10 inch screen. Quad core with no less than 1 gig of ram....and Sound quality that can shatter a glass from 50 miles away.) and it would need to be able to walk, feed, and clean my dog....while getting 50 miles to the gallon...

THAT is the bugatti of cowon XD [devil]