If you want a tough and great sounding MP3/FM player, this is the one!
Written: Jun 08 '03
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Pros: Superb sound, solidly built, dynamic software, vibrant LCD display, good FM reception, long battery life.
Cons: Ear buds do not fit well.
The Bottom Line: If you're looking for a great MP3/FM player that delivers from start to finish, look no further.
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| squid235's Full Review: Cowon Systems iAUDIO CW200 (128 MB) MP3 Player |
The need....
I wanted a portable MP3 player that could hold a adequate amount of music to fit my lifestyle. I travel a lot and when I'm home I work out at the gym a few days a week. In addition, I wanted to incorporate a "motorcycle sound system" with the addition of small speakers in my helmet. I decided that a small and rugged MP3 player with a flash memory would be the best choice. My challenge was to find one that could receive radio.
The hunt....
I shopped at four electronic stores and several websites for an MP3/FM player. I spent a couple of hours researching the different models and prices. Finally, I narrowed my choices down to two: iRiver and iAudio. After more research, I decided on the iAudio CW200 for the following reasons:
The final solution...
I was swayed with the concept that the iAudio CW200 128 is built around a dedicated MP3 chipset that doesn't play anything but MP3's. Most MP3 players out there use software to convert MP3, WMA files, etc, to a useable audio output format. The iAudio chipset dedicates all its resources to decoding MP3 format only, theoretically producing a clean and vibrant sound. The overall design of the player and it's carrying apparatus seemed well thought out and durable. It boasted an aluminum case, an additional carrying case that wraps around it, an armband, a necklace, as well as a belt strap. FM reception is important to me and I'd hoped that it would be acceptable. Also, I had never listened to music with ear buds before, but I figured that I could purchase other headphones if I didn't like them.
The CW200 took about a week to arrive from amazon.com. It came with a "quick install guide" and a users manual that were both simple to read and easy to follow. The software was everything the company had promised - powerful and simple to use. The AAA battery installed with no problem, and the battery door locked shut with authority. The plastic USB port cover pulled away from the unit when raised, but stayed attached to the chassis for later reengagement. After installing the included software and attaching the provided USB cable, I was set up and ready to download music. The whole process took around 5-10 minutes. I didn't know it at the time, but JetShell (part of the software package) can not only upload and download the music to and from your player, it can also change the CDA format of your CD's to MP3 format so you can transfer your favorite CD's to the player! I connected the player with the provided USB cable and loaded around 25 songs right away including some large Metallica songs. The small player took them easily, with a little room to spare.
The built-in equalizer gave me sound options such as rock, jazz, classic, etc. I picked the jazz setting. This provided a crisp high and mid-range sound, afterward I jacked up the bass and DB (dynamic bass) settings. The player allows you to set your own equalizer settings from scratch with "user mode", but I didn't need to. Coupled with 95 dB signal to noise ratio, the player delivered dynamic sound that was both clear and pleasing. In the display, the names of the songs and the artists, or FM station are shown. You can program 12 station presets in its memory if you don't feel like searching for a radio station over the entire spectrum. Overall the FM receiver works great, though reception is not flawless. The VR (voice-recording) setting is a nice additional feature. According to JetAudio, using the voice-recording feature will provide approximately 9 hours worth of recording! If you like, you can even record off of the FM radio stations.
The ear buds work and sound well enough when I am just sitting around listening to music, but I don't like them because they don't stay put. I have since bought some clip-on headphones that work better for me.
There's a couple of options that I haven't needed to try yet, but its already clear to me that at $159.99, the player isn't cheap, but in my opinion it's well worth it!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 159.99
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Epinions.com ID:
squid235
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Reviews written: 1
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