narrowed it down to cowon d2 and iriver clix

maclen · 08-07-2007, 15:52

I've been reading this forum and have been impressed with the knowledge of the participants and their assistance with people considering the cowon d2.

I've been looking for a non-ipod music player for a few months and have read everything possible concerning the two products. Sometimes I think that the internet provides too much information, since I have noticed lots of conflicting information (not here but mostly in product reviews). I have been leaning towards buying the d2 because, above all, I want the best sounding player that is available, and the d2 seems to have the best specs in this regard. However, I have a few questions (sorry if these have already been answered):

1. I am a newbie when it comes to music players so I am not familiar with all the formats. Currently, I rip cds to my pc and use the wmplayer 11, at a bitrate of 192. I read somewhere that the d2 will not autosynch with the wmplayer. Is this true?

2. I have read much conflicting information as to whether the d2 is compatible with music subscription services like urge and rhapsody. (I know the iriver is because it is listed as a compatible device for both services.) Do you know if the d2 is compatible with urge and rhapsody for downloading and "to go" (unlimited) services?

3. I have read that as long as the album art is ripped to the wmplayer, it will show up in the d2. However, I have also read reviews that you simply get black squares for album art. Which is true?

4. In the world of electronics, where planned obsolescence is the norm, a product that is a year old is likely to be replaced. Would you wait for a replacement for the d2? How do you think the iaudio7 compares?

5. Lastly, people seem to be having problems with cowon firmware (e.g., incompatability, one upgrade is a downgrade for something else). Is this a big problem?

Thanks very much for you help. It's much appreciated.

Tac21 · 08-07-2007, 18:04

Nowadays it seems like everyone is doing that (sreach Clix" next time). Alright, Let me see what I can asnwer...

1. pretty sure ANY DAP works with WMP11's autosyncing feture, so thats a given

2. it can and will work, the D2 is one of those few players that are able to switch to MSC (freedom) and MTP (what your looking for, syncs with subserption serivces) and I've read that the D2 DOES work with the urge.

3. black sqares for album art? if it doesn't work, you'll see the standard cowon picutre, and you can always custom the picutres by saving the album art itself and renaming it either "cover" for the whole folder, or name it by it's file name for an indival music/cover album deal. OR you could use a third party software to edit the ID3 tag all together

4. as much as I fear it... realsed in feburary and seeming like its getting the phase out treatment already, the D2 is more then likly here to stay, its cowons most popluar player since the X5 and is constantly getting updated (however latly some of us are waiting alittle long for the next firmwire after 2.50 as I type this) so I don't think its too much of an issue.

5. hmm... couldn't say for sure, but I hear stuff too. my personal problems go to the radios crummy reception, its lackluster recording (it get quieter in FM... why?) and a few other bugs like not saving renamed ID3 tags, the disapearence of bookmarked and DPL files, to text bookmarking even though it says it does.

and I'm not even gonna get started on the utilites since I've yet to try them BUT, as much as I have (in the past and on this post) bashed the player for its bugs, It still does one hell of a job at what it does. I know they will work it out

hope that helps. sorry for the crummy spelling.

maclen · 08-07-2007, 19:54

Tac21, thanks for the informative and quick responses. Even though I realize the sonic limitations of a music subscription service, I think I would want the flexibility to use one. Despite what you say, URGE and Rhapsody, for example, don't appear to support the D2 for downloading individual songs. It appears that you can use their sites for song organization, but that's all. Thanks again.

Tac21 · 08-08-2007, 21:20

damn, thats a real shame, since I remember Cnet telling us that the two players that the urge suport are clix and D2.

Blame urge on that one, if they want people to subsirbe to their serivce, they should really think twice about portable media player support

08-07-2007, 15:52	#1
maclen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Hawaii Posts: 67	narrowed it down to cowon d2 and iriver clix I've been reading this forum and have been impressed with the knowledge of the participants and their assistance with people considering the cowon d2. I've been looking for a non-ipod music player for a few months and have read everything possible concerning the two products. Sometimes I think that the internet provides too much information, since I have noticed lots of conflicting information (not here but mostly in product reviews). I have been leaning towards buying the d2 because, above all, I want the best sounding player that is available, and the d2 seems to have the best specs in this regard. However, I have a few questions (sorry if these have already been answered): 1. I am a newbie when it comes to music players so I am not familiar with all the formats. Currently, I rip cds to my pc and use the wmplayer 11, at a bitrate of 192. I read somewhere that the d2 will not autosynch with the wmplayer. Is this true? 2. I have read much conflicting information as to whether the d2 is compatible with music subscription services like urge and rhapsody. (I know the iriver is because it is listed as a compatible device for both services.) Do you know if the d2 is compatible with urge and rhapsody for downloading and "to go" (unlimited) services? 3. I have read that as long as the album art is ripped to the wmplayer, it will show up in the d2. However, I have also read reviews that you simply get black squares for album art. Which is true? 4. In the world of electronics, where planned obsolescence is the norm, a product that is a year old is likely to be replaced. Would you wait for a replacement for the d2? How do you think the iaudio7 compares? 5. Lastly, people seem to be having problems with cowon firmware (e.g., incompatability, one upgrade is a downgrade for something else). Is this a big problem? Thanks very much for you help. It's much appreciated.

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08-07-2007, 18:04	#2
Tac21 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 439	Nowadays it seems like everyone is doing that (sreach Clix" next time). Alright, Let me see what I can asnwer... 1. pretty sure ANY DAP works with WMP11's autosyncing feture, so thats a given 2. it can and will work, the D2 is one of those few players that are able to switch to MSC (freedom) and MTP (what your looking for, syncs with subserption serivces) and I've read that the D2 DOES work with the urge. 3. black sqares for album art? if it doesn't work, you'll see the standard cowon picutre, and you can always custom the picutres by saving the album art itself and renaming it either "cover" for the whole folder, or name it by it's file name for an indival music/cover album deal. OR you could use a third party software to edit the ID3 tag all together 4. as much as I fear it... realsed in feburary and seeming like its getting the phase out treatment already, the D2 is more then likly here to stay, its cowons most popluar player since the X5 and is constantly getting updated (however latly some of us are waiting alittle long for the next firmwire after 2.50 as I type this) so I don't think its too much of an issue. 5. hmm... couldn't say for sure, but I hear stuff too. my personal problems go to the radios crummy reception, its lackluster recording (it get quieter in FM... why?) and a few other bugs like not saving renamed ID3 tags, the disapearence of bookmarked and DPL files, to text bookmarking even though it says it does. and I'm not even gonna get started on the utilites since I've yet to try them BUT, as much as I have (in the past and on this post) bashed the player for its bugs, It still does one hell of a job at what it does. I know they will work it out hope that helps. sorry for the crummy spelling.

08-07-2007, 19:54	#3
maclen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Hawaii Posts: 67	Tac21, thanks for the informative and quick responses. Even though I realize the sonic limitations of a music subscription service, I think I would want the flexibility to use one. Despite what you say, URGE and Rhapsody, for example, don't appear to support the D2 for downloading individual songs. It appears that you can use their sites for song organization, but that's all. Thanks again.

08-08-2007, 21:20	#4
Tac21 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 439	damn, thats a real shame, since I remember Cnet telling us that the two players that the urge suport are clix and D2. Blame urge on that one, if they want people to subsirbe to their serivce, they should really think twice about portable media player support