Cowon Systems iAudio M3 Reviews

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Cowon Systems iAudio M3
★★★☆☆
3.2
67.0% of users recommend this
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  • Sound Quality

  • Battery Life

  • Features

  • Value For Money

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Specification for Cowon Systems iAudio M3

Main Features
Memory 16 - 20

Features:
  • iAUDIO M3, AC Adapter, Ext. Kit, Remote, Case, Earbuds, CD, Manual, Line-in & USB Cable, Cradle.
  • Ultra-slim jukebox of 4.8 oz, 4.08 X 2.39 X 0.56 inches body.
  • MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV Player, FM Radio, Voice Recorder, Direct MP3 encoder, USB Portable HDD.
  • Up to 14+ hrs of continuous skip free playback on a built-in rechargeable battery.
  • Sound Effects of BBE, Mach3Bass and 5 Bands EQ. Remote Controller with 6 Lines LCD.
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    Latest Reviews

    “Mine broke. I sent it back. I now know I will never...”

    ☆☆☆☆☆

    written by jonnyhotrod on 27/09/2006

    Mine broke. I sent it back. I now know I will never see it again. The UK company dealing with the return went bust, and Cowon absolutely do not do correspondence. I emailed several addresses many times and they don't have phone numbers. The one reply I had was an automated reply apologising that I couldn't log on to their forum. The advice they included also didn't work.

    Before I bought it I would have loved to have known that, should I have any problems with it, the manufacturers would never ever reply to me.

    I wouldn't have bought it then.

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    “I thought I would say something about my Cowon iAudio...”

    ★★★★★

    written by vikveer on 25/09/2005

    I thought I would say something about my Cowon iAudio M3 MP3 player as I love it, and it took me so long to decide what to buy in the first place. Like the other guy who did a review, I bought the 'brown' version which is lovely - I call it gun metal grey... I think that's what it's called anyway isn't it? Anyway, it's a simplistic minimal design, and when I bought it, it was the slimmest 20GB player on the market, including the iPod's. Not sure if things have changed in that respect over the last year though. iPod seem to be pulling out smaller players with smaller hard disks. I wanted 20GB, so I had to get this size.

    I have to admit that the file management is really aimed at those who want to classify and organise their music as they want it, rather than how iTunes wants it. I don't like the id tag thing - it's too much bother for me to spend the time id'ing all my music. I really wanted something where I can control where is goes onto my player. It's not for those who know nothing about computers as it takes some knowledge and care of the hard disk for the file organisation to be just as you like it.

    I love the way it doesn't matter what files you can put on the hard disk. It takes Word documents and PowerPoint presentations, if you want to transport it around. I do tend to use it for everything. Again, I am not sure if the iPod does that.

    It plays OGG, and several more music files than the iPod plays, with better quality and smaller file sizes.

    It has FM radio!!! I don't think iPod have gone that way, but it certainly hadn't when I bought it. I do get bored with all my own music, and it's great to listen to some new stuff so that I know what I should download next. It comes in useful when you are trying to find out about news and listen to football, if you are on the bus trying to get the pub.

    There is a voice recorder which I am using a lot. Not sure how useful it is to others, but I use it to read out questions for my exam revision. I pause the player, try and answer the question and then play to see if I have got it right or not. It's a quick way to learn if you don't have the time to write notes. I've used it for dictation for my letters, but only rarely to be honest. It's useful for reminders and memos too. For example, when you are in the car and you hear a song that you want to download later, you can't write it down, so instead, you chat to the little gun metal one, and then listen to what you said when you get home.

    The line in was really useful, as I had loads of my music collection on mini disk, and so I could record all of my music on to the player at any quality I wanted. I had to buy a cable from Richer Sounds for 9.99, but the results were really good! I was very impressed. I couldn't face downloading all those songs again.

    I also plug it into my car radio (it needs a line in), or my HIFI with the line out port. I used the same cable as before. No need to spend loads on a silly iPod port, which has speakers that sound terrible, even from bose (that's just my opinion of course).

    I don't know how long iPod's last in terms of battery life, but my M3 goes for about 15-30 hours. However, I do listen to the radio as well, and if I played only the radio on it, then it would last forever as the radio takes no energy at all, so I can't really comment on that.

    There are a number of options for changing the quality of the sound, for example: The equaliser, sleep, fade, random, shuffle, auto time off, and bass controls etc... It's really loads of fun messing around with the characteristics of the sound.

    The support centre is great, and they let us ask for new options and facilities, and then they write new updates and pass them on for free. It's a great little community.

    I never liked the idea that you have to take out the iPod from your pocket to change the song, or change the mood of music etc... I live in London, and taking out an iPod on the street or bus is a bit silly. It would only be a matter of time before I got mugged. I love the way it just stays in your pocket or bag, and you control everything from the remote. I hear it's not for everyone, as some people like to flash around their iPod's.

    I have to admit I was just waiting around for the iPod series to give me all the things I needed it for, but it doesn't seem to be heading in that direction. I am very very happy with the Cowon M3, and I would recommend it to people who are looking for something similar. I am slightly anti iPod now because everyone seems so self satisfied with them, and have a horrible unfounded look of superiority on their faces. I really just wanted to explain that there were other players out there that were very good as well.

    There is a new version of the M3 out with a screen. I don't own one, but I'd check it out if you are thinking about the iPod photo.

    hope that helped

    Vik

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    “After much cogitating and rumination over which player...”

    ★★★★★

    written by jonnyhotrod on 13/01/2005

    After much cogitating and rumination over which player to get, I stumped for the Cowon iAudio M3. I'd very much expected myself to get an ipod but somehow didn't. Not too sure why, maybe it was the 1 year warranty, maybe the reviews of reliability and customer service. Having owned far too much unreliable stuff with support staff very probably trained in guerilla war fare but not particularly suitable for their chosen role, getting good backup was quite key. Reviews seemed to indicate that the Cowon was right up there with the best of them in terms of quality - ok, the headphones would need changing but then with the ipod phones apparently it's quite common to be murdered because they're white. A few tales of failing screens and reluctance to stay on were regaled, but I was reassured by reports of excellent and expedient repair, and besides, it seemed more grumbles were to be found with the competition.

    So I got one, and was at first a tad baffled by the controls, but that soon came. The computer thingy for putting tunes on is easy enough to use - probably a wee bit more spoddy than itunes, but it's not all about being too cool for school. It looks the mutt's nuts too, I opted for the brown colour. It's not brown. It's delicious spangly bronze. The little remote control is great to use once you've cracked it (in the sense that you've worked it out, not that you've broken it) and you can clip it to a bit of your jacket or something. Not sure how it'll fare in the summer when I tend to walk around starkers, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. The earphones aren't the best in the world, but are any of the standard jobbies? You can fiddle with the sound till the cows come home, if you have any, which I don't, and if you should ever manage to run out of tunes, or just simply fancy soothing your hammer and anvil with the sweet tones of Jono Coleman or whoever's purveying the popular beat parade these days, there's a very serviceable FM radio. Somehow managed to turn the recorder on just after I got it and left it next to my bed, charging, while I slept. Freaked myself right out the next morning by listening to my enormous snoring and weird soporific rantings. Mental.

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    Jonnyhotrod's Response to jonnyhotrod's Review

    Written on: 15/09/2006

    I'd love to be able to edit this review but I don't think I can.
    <br/>
    <br/>Anyway. Don&#039;t buy anything from Cowon. That&#039;s my advice. It&#039;ll be fine until it stops working. Then there&#039;s a fair chance you&#039;ll never see it again. And Cowon won&#039;t answer your emails. And they don&#039;t do phones.
    <br/>
    <br/>Just don&#039;t.
    <br/>
    <br/>Ok.

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