Excellent review. Good that you let people know AAC files are played on this as well as the D. I love the D but I agree that the GUI requires a learning curve to figure out. Dont hear the hiss in the D but being a senior citizen that part of my hearing sensitivity is pretty much behind me.At some point I will probably pick up the D2. Really annoying that Cowon players come without a case or screen saver like the Fiio. Cases in the states for the D are 35 dollars which is crazy.
Could you list any cases you find on here? All I see is the blue one for 35 and another company selling similar cases on youtube for 128 dollars--thats nuts @@FauxtakuLounge
Thanks,Im thinking I might return my Plenue D and wait for my tax returns and then perhaps get the D2.Its hard to accept anything in this audio world when you know something better is already available. Have you taken a look at the limited things out on the Fiio M11. Looks promising but to me it seems like a pretty large device to call portable. Might be great for a home DAP setup but not enough released yet on its sound signature.
@@FauxtakuLounge Hey man how is it going? Care to give me a hand? Can't make up my mind between the Sony Walkman A55, Cowon Plenue D2 and ibasso DX120. This is what i'm expecting: Sound Quality Build Quality(Software and Hardware) Reliability(I'd like to use it for at least 3 years before any malfunction) Wonder if you can tell me anything else about the pros and cons of these players. According to what I read the only issue with the Plenue D2 is the screen and UI. I could say the same about the DX120. Sony has a very good and reliable UI but I'm not sure if it sounds as good as the first two. Besides its power output is kinda pathetic. Any sugestion?
I agree that EQ, perhaps, is something that might best be adjusted whilst playing music, but filter, stereo, playback, device, and other settings should be able to be adjusted outside of the play screen.
Fauxtaku, would you rather use Cowon Plenue D2 or Astell & Kern AK240 for your everyday listening? I mean based on soundquality, size, battery, UI, easy of use. Thanks :-)
Ted Timmis indeed but wired headphones will always sound better than those using Bluetooth. The plenue has great battery life which extra features would only eat into.
Ken Brickley The sound quality of Bluetooth headphones has become outstanding and the convenience factor is huge. In the near future, wired headphones will be the exception.
@@tedtimmis8135 its not so much about that as it is about battery life, these dap devices usually have quiet poor battery life and adding a bluetooth function will only diminish that further.
My only DAP ( and sound reference) is a sony nw A35 that I use with Mee pinnacle P1 (50ohms) and I do not know if I buy PD or PD2 since the latter costs 150 dollars more. As for the output power I guess that the PD has enought to handle the Pinnacle P1 ( with acentuated bass) and will not need a balanced cable , but what I do not know if there is a noticeable, an important improvement in the audio quality with this new Dual DAC cs43131 in the PD2 to pay the difference . I will apreciate your and all opinions .Thanks for these review!
I respect a great deal your reviews Sir...What audio player would you buy under $600 if you were in the market for one ??? what would be the top two options ?? I hope you don't mind me asking you this question, I know little and there are too many choices, and I'm very confused. I like refined music, and the ipod touch I have is a joke. I just want it to listen my music with my Bowers & Wilkins P7 headphones.Please please please....
Let me try an unusual question here. I'm looking for an audio player that can play the 'full spectrum of sound' as it was described to me. Basically I have tinnitus and I'm doing tinnitus retraining therapy. This means I have to listen to white or pink noise for eight hours a day but I must be able to hear the white or pink noise at ultra low volume. I have an old IPOD Touch 4th generation that doesn't cut it, I can't hear the white/pink sound long before I've got to the bottom of the sound range on the IPOD. Can this Plenue D2 do it? Also I need to pair this with some quality earplugs that can also play ultra low sounds (must be earplugs as do not need noise cancellation as I must be able to hear ambient/environment sounds). I was looking at the Sony XBA-N1AP, do you know if those would do the job? If not can you recommend any other? I really hope you can help as I'm clueless when it comes to audio stuff.
I've been using my D practically everyday for almost 3 years. It has been paired with the SE846 from day one. I have never experienced any "hiss" maybe you had a faulty unit.
It hisses. The thing is that certain people are susceptible to hiss and others are not. I am extremely preoccupied by it. And the D hisses a lot more than the D2 or most DAPs on the market today and from its time and before.
@@FauxtakuLounge I think you are presenting the device as though it has an inherent hissing issue for people who are "sensitive". I have been prone to hissing in other players, but this certainly is not one of them.
Hi all. I have now had Plenue D2 for 3 months 2 points to lock the player first set up player to go on sleep mode..then set button lock on so when you are in play mode just turn screen off ( not sleep) this turns screen off also button lock ,when screen turned back on this also re sets buttons so they now work...2 yes it’s a bit jerky when scrolling but if you use the little bar on the right of the screen it works reasonably well ( not as good as a creative labs zen though) setting the sound is very good 3presets to work with and loads of installed presets. Also if you load same LP /CD to player and card they show on player and it plays same song twice. All in All I would buy this player again very happy with it
Thanks for the review, not many around for those kind of players. I'm thinking about getting this or the Plenue J. If you have tried the J, can you compare them?
For an budget and good audio , the slow UI is not something can be questioned and complain about, extreme good music is priceless for Music lover even though the price is way out of expectation. Unfortunately i believe i am a audiophile and capable of hearing tier 1 level Audio but I will try set my foot on a much suitable level before i climbing up to the top, Really unsatisfied about my smartphone Audio even though it has some decent audio grade spec.
No man, no audio system should be that slow, unresponsive, and show display sheering. The audio quality is great, but so is the audio quality of many players. First and foremost, a dedicated music player must be great for music playback. It is assumed that the audio quality is good. And it has to be.
As for SQ, whichever tests best without hissing is the one I’ll back. But for preferences I actually don’t prefer better testing equipment per se. I love the sound of an iPhone 4, for instance. The warmth of a wolfson DAC? Can’t forget it.
Can anyone give me a brief update on their usage of side buttons over this much time? Do they wear quick? or are they as powerful as the thging itself? I hate touching touchscreens and avoid whenever I can.
Stage really depends on how you listen and for what. I’ve met a bunch of people that consider stages wide when the stereo is almost joint. And I’ve met the opposite. I hear in the middle, where a bit of joint stereo or crossfires is important, and therefore think the D2’s incredible stereo separation something of an impediment. I don’t comment much on this because it is personal. Despite personal feelings about what constitutes stage, you can adjust stereo parameters with the D2 to match preferences. Therefore it can match your preferences.
Oh hey, this one was winged from my notes. People seem to prefer me talking with them as it were rather than reading a script. I will finish a script and publish a short review at ohm image but the long form review will go to headfonics.
Hi have sorted out all i did was formated both ex & internal using windows, I have since re formated useing guiformat .. by formatting you do not format core of player this is protected..I must say that the operating system is rubbish but I now play music that i have scipped by on my Creative Labs vision m also the jack plug is in the right place for me I agree that it should have a C fitting
Planing to buy a D2, do you think it is a better and safer buy than those chinese dap that are releasing, like Fiio, Shanling, Hiby. There are so many models, i just want to buy a good dap that sound good. The first generation D got tons of review and D2 sound better but now there is so many new dap, should i still consider Cowon? I also have LG G7 phone and you mention D2 is only tiny bit better than normal good phones. Maybee there is no sound quality gain at all.?😊
Hiss is a matter of a few things: 1: noise in the output Circuit 2: sensitivity of output devices (headphones, speakers, etc.) 3: your ears The D has 1 more than is typical. 2 and 3 are up to the user. I listen to low volumes as my ears are pretty sensitive. And the D hisses white a bit through sensitive earphones.
@@FauxtakuLounge im using Sennheiser Momentum headphones and I'm 54 so my hearing isn't what a younger persons would be also a life working in engineering with ear protection but still noise.
Fix the UI & touch, change the port to usb type-C, slap a Bluetooth in it to have some useful feature like BT-DAC and it will be perfect DAP. Hopefully in D3
The Cowon V has the same Cirrus DAC chip and considerably cheaper than the Cowon D2, the D2 is getting into FIIO X5 III territory with its 260-300p pricetag .. Your saying the D2 is outperforming the Onkyo?
RMAA and my amateur setup isn't the end word on anything, but it consistently reports performance in general terms. Check out the links at ohm image, linked above in the D2 RMAA test. The D2 outperforms the DP-S1 in hardware tests, if only barely, and not in every single test. It hisses as little as the DP-S1, and apart from a horrible and slow UI, and lack of wireless anything, the D2 is my new metric, for testing outboard hardware.
@@FauxtakuLounge DO YOU THINK IT WORKS WITH 400GB??? OR WHERE I CAN ASK THIS? AND HOW DO YOU COMPARE THIS DAP WITH THE SONY NW-A55 OR LG SMARTPHONE V30-40... THANKS A LOT!!!
@@FauxtakuLounge I was hoping to hear that :) Now the D2 is really interesting. Didn't have a Cowon since the J3. It's time to change that. Thank you very much
Very good review! I am interested in buying one. I also consider buying the Chord Mojo. Connecting the Chord Mojo to my Samsung smartphone and i like the app Usb audio player pro(UAPP) I had a Cowon M2 some years ago and i remember that when tweaking the equalizer the sound was very good. Would the Cowon D2 have better soundquality then the smartphone with a Chord Mojo?? Where i live they cost the same money. I like that the Cowon D2 is small and powerful with good batterylife. And most important thing is sq Cheers!
Oh, man... three D2 is great. But unless you have a bad MOJO with a hissy output it simply won’t beat the MOJO except at the extremes of volume. It also does balanced which unmodded MOJO does not do. Truth be told, unless you’re listening at ear destroying volume levels, the D2 is probably only better than a good smartphone in its ability to delineate stereo.
@@FauxtakuLounge hi. So you mean D2 is only tiny bit better than good smartphone. I have the LG G7 with quad dacs, so i guess it not so much better if i listen to a normal volume. Why are you comparing D2 to AK380 or AK SP1000?? Do you think D2 can match the sound quality of AK totl models? I dont get 100% what you are comparing in the video when talked abou AK dap, is it sound quality it is about? Planing to buy a D2 so please give some mlre detail about AK380 or SP1000. Thanks
@@FauxtakuLounge Hm, I think if I'm going to spend over $210, I'm going with Sony's NW-A55 despite it's proprietary cable that I'll lose in two months. Currently impossible to find a fair hi-res DAP under $200 without a horrible UI/UX/software regression compared to using a phone.
I have had the Plenue D for over two years now with a number of headphones and IEMs, and I simply cannot hear the "Hiss" you say is so prominent. I am not calling you a liar, it could well be that your hearing is a lot more sensitive than mine, or that, having reviewed so many of these devices you are especially sensitive to what you refer to as "Hiss". Maybe my Plenue D is just a golden sample - who knows. The GUI does the job and I will take the minor shortcomings of that for the massive battery life of the device. Speaking of battery life, I am sure that you are aware that every time you charge your device which has a non replaceable battery you are deteriorating that battery. When the non-replaceable battery finally gives up the ghost then your device is a brick. Thus the life expectancy of my Plenue D is a multiple of that of other players For instance, if I only have to recharge my device once a week instead of once a day then the life expectancy is seven times higher. The Plenue D also has an incredibly low self-discharge rate. If I put away the Plenue D fully charged for a month or so without using it and then plug it in to top it off it does so in a few minutes (this is a test I deliberately conducted) whereas nearly every other device I have has a much higher self discharge rate. Before buying the Plenue D I looked at reviews with regard to the GUI and thought, "Is it good enough?". I would say it has a "Meh" GUI and a legendary status battery life. I will take that any day over a fantastic display and a craptastic battery life and a device with a high self discharge rate reducing the life-expectancy of the device and playing time per charge. I agree to a certain extent with @matt giunta that is it annoying that the Plenue D does not come with a screen protector and I didn't take the device out and about with me until the screen protector I bought arrived (screens with scratches on them drive me NUTS). I got a lovely little leather case for my Plenue D, which allows me to access all of the functionality of the screen and the buttons, was not really all that expensive and let's face it, who likes the "better than nothing" cases that come with something like the FiiO anyway? I cannot claim to be an audiophile, so for me the music sounds utterly fantastic, and a lot better than what I get out of my Galaxy Note 5 for instance (yes I have an "old" phone, because I take care of my shit and if it ain't broke, I don't chuck it away).
Its the exact same player with bluetooth support and volume wheel, I love it tho, it sounds so much better than old Plenue D and the battery life is better too by a lot.
I only have 200GB cards but I’m sure a 512GB would work. My 200GB cards worked in an original AK100. Spec lists regarding external storage are guidelines or guesses at best based on what is available to market at the time the DAP is on sale.
Okay, I'm new to this. If I plug it in can I just drag my audio, does it organise automatically into albums with artwork? I've used allavsoft to download some music from Spotify, so all my music is already labelled.
As far as I can tell, it just doesn't always get album covers. I have no idea if this is a fault of files whose album covers are added later against ones that are baked in, or something else.
@@FauxtakuLounge Thanks for the reply I appreciate it. That's a bit of a shame. Music feels a little incomplete without the artwork 😂. Can I add it manually maybe using copy trans manager? I also have to ask just for an opinion, do you believe it's worth it. Is the sound really good? I've used an external dac (hipdac) and the sound was amazing on my laptop, it created a sound stage and I could hear every instrument and the vocals where so powerful, it was beautiful, I almost cried. It was like I never heard Fleetwood mac before...Is this similar in sound? I need to know if the price is worth it, I've seen a few on eBay second hand cheaper so that helps. Cheers.
Excellent review. Good that you let people know AAC files are played on this as well as the D. I love the D but I agree that the GUI requires a learning curve to figure out. Dont hear the hiss in the D but being a senior citizen that part of my hearing sensitivity is pretty much behind me.At some point I will probably pick up the D2. Really annoying that Cowon players come without a case or screen saver like the Fiio. Cases in the states for the D are 35 dollars which is crazy.
I’m also looking at cases now as I really really like the D2.
Could you list any cases you find on here? All I see is the blue one for 35 and another company selling similar cases on youtube for 128 dollars--thats nuts
@@FauxtakuLounge
By the way, the original Plenue D case works fine, but the top of the D2 sticks out a bit. @@mattgiunt
Thanks,Im thinking I might return my Plenue D and wait for my tax returns and then perhaps get the D2.Its hard to accept anything in this audio world when you know something better is already available. Have you taken a look at the limited things out on the Fiio M11. Looks promising but to me it seems like a pretty large device to call portable. Might be great for a home DAP setup but not enough released yet on its sound signature.
@@FauxtakuLounge Hey man how is it going?
Care to give me a hand?
Can't make up my mind between the Sony Walkman A55, Cowon Plenue D2 and ibasso DX120.
This is what i'm expecting:
Sound Quality
Build Quality(Software and Hardware)
Reliability(I'd like to use it for at least 3 years before any malfunction)
Wonder if you can tell me anything else about the pros and cons of these players. According to what I read the only issue with the Plenue D2 is the screen and UI. I could say the same about the DX120. Sony has a very good and reliable UI but I'm not sure if it sounds as good as the first two. Besides its power output is kinda pathetic.
Any sugestion?
Great review, you touched all the important little details and pointed faults. I like it.
This was really helpful; thanks! On the plus side, I found a new reviewer to follow. On the down side, my wallet may not forgive you for this.
Oh, hey, I'm glad it was helpful.
Regarding gapless playback. Go into display settings and turn off "Show song change".
Gapless playback will be perfect.
It is good that you can't go to settings without playing songs, you can adjust sound while music playing
I agree that EQ, perhaps, is something that might best be adjusted whilst playing music, but filter, stereo, playback, device, and other settings should be able to be adjusted outside of the play screen.
Fauxtaku, would you rather use Cowon Plenue D2 or Astell & Kern AK240 for your everyday listening?
I mean based on soundquality, size, battery, UI, easy of use.
Thanks :-)
The AK240's interface is WAY better. SQ favours the D2. So does battery life.
No WiFi, no Bluetooth, No Way! I can’t believe they still make DAPs without these features. Excellent review. Thank you!
Ted Timmis indeed but wired headphones will always sound better than those using Bluetooth. The plenue has great battery life which extra features would only eat into.
Ken Brickley The sound quality of Bluetooth headphones has become outstanding and the convenience factor is huge. In the near future, wired headphones will be the exception.
@@tedtimmis8135 its not so much about that as it is about battery life, these dap devices usually have quiet poor battery life and adding a bluetooth function will only diminish that further.
Great review dude
Many thanks.
My only DAP ( and sound reference) is a sony nw A35 that I use with Mee pinnacle P1 (50ohms) and I do not know if I buy PD or PD2 since the latter costs 150 dollars more. As for the output power I guess that the PD has enought to handle the Pinnacle P1 ( with acentuated bass) and will not need a balanced cable , but what I do not know if there is a noticeable, an important improvement in the audio quality with this new Dual DAC cs43131 in the PD2 to pay the difference . I will apreciate your and all opinions .Thanks for these review!
Can D2,D3 be a bluetooth reviver ? (BT-Dac?) 🤔
I still love my Cowon J3 ;)
Does it support Replay Gain ?
I can not connect to audible manager with the Cowon Plenue D2 ... audible tech support couldn't do it either. and they spent 8 hours trying.
Does the D2 have replaygain or only other DAPs you reviewed like the Q1 and DPS1? Wondering how they compare.
Cowon plenue D3 is out :D
I respect a great deal your reviews Sir...What audio player would you buy under $600 if you were in the market for one ??? what would be the top two options ?? I hope you don't mind me asking you this question, I know little and there are too many choices, and I'm very confused. I like refined music, and the ipod touch I have is a joke. I just want it to listen my music with my Bowers & Wilkins P7 headphones.Please please please....
I lost my D2, does make sense to upgrade to more expensive Plenue player with JetEffect 7?
Let me try an unusual question here. I'm looking for an audio player that can play the 'full spectrum of sound' as it was described to me. Basically I have tinnitus and I'm doing tinnitus retraining therapy. This means I have to listen to white or pink noise for eight hours a day but I must be able to hear the white or pink noise at ultra low volume. I have an old IPOD Touch 4th generation that doesn't cut it, I can't hear the white/pink sound long before I've got to the bottom of the sound range on the IPOD. Can this Plenue D2 do it? Also I need to pair this with some quality earplugs that can also play ultra low sounds (must be earplugs as do not need noise cancellation as I must be able to hear ambient/environment sounds). I was looking at the
Sony XBA-N1AP, do you know if those would do the job? If not can you recommend any other? I really hope you can help as I'm clueless when it comes to audio stuff.
Yes it can.
I've been using my D practically everyday for almost 3 years. It has been paired with the SE846 from day one. I have never experienced any "hiss" maybe you had a faulty unit.
It hisses. The thing is that certain people are susceptible to hiss and others are not. I am extremely preoccupied by it. And the D hisses a lot more than the D2 or most DAPs on the market today and from its time and before.
@@FauxtakuLounge I think you are presenting the device as though it has an inherent hissing issue for people who are "sensitive". I have been prone to hissing in other players, but this certainly is not one of them.
Well, it hisses. I’m not the only one to motive it. It is about the only thing I dislike about the original.
Is there now level up player for SQ in similar price range?
You very briefly mention gapless. Was that for gapless playback? Hoping that this has very little to no delay between tracks. Thank you.
Yes, that is in regard to gapless playback.
Hi all. I have now had Plenue D2 for 3 months 2 points to lock the player first set up player to go on sleep mode..then set button lock on so when you are in play mode just turn screen off ( not sleep) this turns screen off also button lock ,when screen turned back on this also re sets buttons so they now work...2 yes it’s a bit jerky when scrolling but if you use the little bar on the right of the screen it works reasonably well ( not as good as a creative labs zen though) setting the sound is very good 3presets to work with and loads of installed presets. Also if you load same LP /CD to player and card they show on player and it plays same song twice. All in All I would buy this player again very happy with it
Thanks for the review, not many around for those kind of players. I'm thinking about getting this or the Plenue J. If you have tried the J, can you compare them?
The Plenue J hisses a lot. Not nice next to the D2.
How good is the Cowon P2 to other DAP's you have heard?
For an budget and good audio , the slow UI is not something can be questioned and complain about, extreme good music is priceless for Music lover even though the price is way out of expectation.
Unfortunately i believe i am a audiophile and capable of hearing tier 1 level Audio but I will try set my foot on a much suitable level before i climbing up to the top, Really unsatisfied about my smartphone Audio even though it has some decent audio grade spec.
No man, no audio system should be that slow, unresponsive, and show display sheering. The audio quality is great, but so is the audio quality of many players. First and foremost, a dedicated music player must be great for music playback. It is assumed that the audio quality is good. And it has to be.
1.- Is MOJO better than D2 in sound quality?
2.- Which DAP is best for you according to the sound quality?
The D2 tests better, but it doesn’t get as loud. I went through three mojo units.
As for SQ, whichever tests best without hissing is the one I’ll back. But for preferences I actually don’t prefer better testing equipment per se. I love the sound of an iPhone 4, for instance. The warmth of a wolfson DAC? Can’t forget it.
@@FauxtakuLounge Thank you! It would be great if you have the Nano IDSD ifi for a future comparison!
Can anyone give me a brief update on their usage of side buttons over this much time? Do they wear quick? or are they as powerful as the thging itself? I hate touching touchscreens and avoid whenever I can.
How's the sound stage of the d2 compared to original D and others?
Stage really depends on how you listen and for what. I’ve met a bunch of people that consider stages wide when the stereo is almost joint. And I’ve met the opposite. I hear in the middle, where a bit of joint stereo or crossfires is important, and therefore think the D2’s incredible stereo separation something of an impediment. I don’t comment much on this because it is personal.
Despite personal feelings about what constitutes stage, you can adjust stereo parameters with the D2 to match preferences. Therefore it can match your preferences.
Thanks. When is your written review is up?
Oh hey, this one was winged from my notes. People seem to prefer me talking with them as it were rather than reading a script. I will finish a script and publish a short review at ohm image but the long form review will go to headfonics.
I have formated Plenue D2 no menue now how can I re-install?
Hi have sorted out all i did was formated both ex & internal using windows, I have since re formated useing guiformat .. by formatting you do not format core of player this is protected..I must say that the operating system is rubbish but I now play music that i have scipped by on my Creative Labs vision m also the jack plug is in the right place for me I agree that it should have a C fitting
I own the Plenue D, it doesn't hiss on my Sennheiser Momentum 2 and Shure SRH 1440.
Those aren’t sensitive enough to decipher hiss.
@@FauxtakuLounge I've used DT 990 with it.
@@wsmcke The DT990 won't hiss with it either. It requires sensitive earphones or really sensitive portable headphones.
@@FauxtakuLounge You think the Cowon Plenue D2 might be superior to the ibasso DX120?
@@FauxtakuLounge I can't make up my mind between these 2.
Or
Should i go for the Sony Walkman A55?
Planing to buy a D2, do you think it is a better and safer buy than those chinese dap that are releasing, like Fiio, Shanling, Hiby. There are so many models, i just want to buy a good dap that sound good. The first generation D got tons of review and D2 sound better but now there is so many new dap, should i still consider Cowon? I also have LG G7 phone and you mention D2 is only tiny bit better than normal good phones. Maybee there is no sound quality gain at all.?😊
No comment
I’ve had a plenue d for over a year and I hear no “hiss” when do you hear this, are you ramping up your headphones.
Hiss is a matter of a few things:
1: noise in the output Circuit
2: sensitivity of output devices (headphones, speakers, etc.)
3: your ears
The D has 1 more than is typical. 2 and 3 are up to the user. I listen to low volumes as my ears are pretty sensitive. And the D hisses white a bit through sensitive earphones.
@@FauxtakuLounge im using Sennheiser Momentum headphones and I'm 54 so my hearing isn't what a younger persons would be also a life working in engineering with ear protection but still noise.
Those aren’t particularity sensitive headphones. You’re fine. Enjoy.
Fauxtaku Lounge So are you talking very high end phones when talking about the hiss.
No, not very high end, just sensitive.
DO YOU KNOW IF THIS DAP WORKS WITH 256 GB OR 512 GB MICRO SD? THANKS!
It works with 200GB cards so perhaps it also works with 256GB cards.
@@FauxtakuLounge THANKS A LOT!!!
Fix the UI & touch, change the port to usb type-C, slap a Bluetooth in it to have some useful feature like BT-DAC and it will be perfect DAP. Hopefully in D3
ruclips.net/video/4DF79WLesTQ/видео.html
Can D3 be a blutooth reciver? 🤔
@@黃敏誠-p2g not sure about it, mate. Only know that they now have Bluetooth
The Cowon V has the same Cirrus DAC chip and considerably cheaper than the Cowon D2, the D2 is getting into FIIO X5 III territory with its 260-300p pricetag .. Your saying the D2 is outperforming the Onkyo?
RMAA and my amateur setup isn't the end word on anything, but it consistently reports performance in general terms. Check out the links at ohm image, linked above in the D2 RMAA test. The D2 outperforms the DP-S1 in hardware tests, if only barely, and not in every single test. It hisses as little as the DP-S1, and apart from a horrible and slow UI, and lack of wireless anything, the D2 is my new metric, for testing outboard hardware.
The V only has a single dac and a slightly lower output compared to the d2. The D2 is a great little DAP.
Is this compatible with M3U playlist files ?
How does this compare to zx300 in terms of sq? Currently own zx300 and quite interested in cowon plenue d2. Hope you could give some inputs.
The ZX300 is far easier and nicer to use, the D2 sounds better gets louder, and measures better. The D2 also lacks all wireless functionality.
@@FauxtakuLounge hmmm. Interesting. Been thinking of selling my dap for pure sq improvement. Thanks for the inputs.
@@FauxtakuLounge does this mean more power=better sound or better dynamics?
Cowon plenue D has much better sound quality.
HOW MUCH CAPACITY OF MICRO SD SUPPORT THIS DAP???
I have no idea. But I use 200GB with no problem.
@@FauxtakuLounge DO YOU THINK IT WORKS WITH 400GB??? OR WHERE I CAN ASK THIS? AND HOW DO YOU COMPARE THIS DAP WITH THE SONY NW-A55 OR LG SMARTPHONE V30-40... THANKS A LOT!!!
Hi,
how would you describe the main sound character: bright, neutral or warm?
Neutral and barely warm- I guess.
@@FauxtakuLounge
I was hoping to hear that :)
Now the D2 is really interesting. Didn't have a Cowon since the J3. It's time to change that. Thank you very much
Is this compatible with a 3 ring 3.5 jack? I have a small hope that it might compatible with the 3 button cable controller.
I'm afraid not.
@@FauxtakuLounge than Fiio M9 stays at it seems, hope it doesn't sound to bad comapre to Cowon D,J or Cayin n5ii :)
Can it drive akg k702?
Hi can you compare Cowon plenue d2 vs AK sr15 or Fiio m11 just sound quality.
I don't think that will happen. I don't have any but the D2.
Thanks
what earphones are you using in the video
Largely Audio Technica CK10 and Sony MDR-EX1000.
Does the plenue R sound better? hope u can do a shootout among the cowon players
I just got in a Plenue of sorts but haven’t opened it yet. If it is the R I will be able to follow up here. Have a great new year.
@@FauxtakuLounge cool, look forward to your review on the R. Have a great 2020!
Very good review!
I am interested in buying one. I also consider buying the Chord Mojo. Connecting the Chord Mojo to my Samsung smartphone and i like the app Usb audio player pro(UAPP)
I had a Cowon M2 some years ago and i remember that when tweaking the equalizer the sound was very good.
Would the Cowon D2 have better soundquality then the smartphone with a Chord Mojo??
Where i live they cost the same money.
I like that the Cowon D2 is small and powerful with good batterylife. And most important thing is sq
Cheers!
Oh, man... three D2 is great. But unless you have a bad MOJO with a hissy output it simply won’t beat the MOJO except at the extremes of volume. It also does balanced which unmodded MOJO does not do. Truth be told, unless you’re listening at ear destroying volume levels, the D2 is probably only better than a good smartphone in its ability to delineate stereo.
@@FauxtakuLounge hi. So you mean D2 is only tiny bit better than good smartphone. I have the LG G7 with quad dacs, so i guess it not so much better if i listen to a normal volume. Why are you comparing D2 to AK380 or AK SP1000?? Do you think D2 can match the sound quality of AK totl models? I dont get 100% what you are comparing in the video when talked abou AK dap, is it sound quality it is about? Planing to buy a D2 so please give some mlre detail about AK380 or SP1000. Thanks
Measurably the D2 is better than those DAPs, and it hisses a lot less than the SPM1000.
Can you compare it to any Shanling player in the market?
I’m afraid that I don’t have any shangling players in my studio nor do I know anyone that has one to loan.
And would it sound better than xdp 300r?
It measures better but whether it sounds better for you is up to you.
Is there too much hiss with se846? For that's my goto earphone.
As little as any player out there. If you find the SE846 to hiss with the D2 there is no player that won’t hiss with it.
As little as any player out there. If you find the SE846 to hiss with the D2 there is no player that won’t hiss with it.
As little as any player out there. If you find the SE846 to hiss with the D2 there is no player that won’t hiss with it.
@@FauxtakuLounge thanks for your help.
Can you sell me some old DAPs??
can you delete directly from D2?
Yes, you can.
where the fuck is the settings screen????
can someone tell what the fuck this thing is ??? what would you use it for? im so confused!
I'm confused, too.
Damn I would have gotten this if the screen scrolling wasn't so choppy.
The R2 is great. The Shanling Q is also great.
@@FauxtakuLounge Hm, I think if I'm going to spend over $210, I'm going with Sony's NW-A55 despite it's proprietary cable that I'll lose in two months. Currently impossible to find a fair hi-res DAP under $200 without a horrible UI/UX/software regression compared to using a phone.
review the cheap fiio m3 pro please
It is possible but we will see.
I have had the Plenue D for over two years now with a number of headphones and IEMs, and I simply cannot hear the "Hiss" you say is so prominent. I am not calling you a liar, it could well be that your hearing is a lot more sensitive than mine, or that, having reviewed so many of these devices you are especially sensitive to what you refer to as "Hiss".
Maybe my Plenue D is just a golden sample - who knows.
The GUI does the job and I will take the minor shortcomings of that for the massive battery life of the device.
Speaking of battery life, I am sure that you are aware that every time you charge your device which has a non replaceable battery you are deteriorating that battery. When the non-replaceable battery finally gives up the ghost then your device is a brick.
Thus the life expectancy of my Plenue D is a multiple of that of other players
For instance, if I only have to recharge my device once a week instead of once a day then the life expectancy is seven times higher.
The Plenue D also has an incredibly low self-discharge rate.
If I put away the Plenue D fully charged for a month or so without using it and then plug it in to top it off it does so in a few minutes (this is a test I deliberately conducted) whereas nearly every other device I have has a much higher self discharge rate.
Before buying the Plenue D I looked at reviews with regard to the GUI and thought, "Is it good enough?".
I would say it has a "Meh" GUI and a legendary status battery life.
I will take that any day over a fantastic display and a craptastic battery life and a device with a high self discharge rate reducing the life-expectancy of the device and playing time per charge.
I agree to a certain extent with @matt giunta that is it annoying that the Plenue D does not come with a screen protector and I didn't take the device out and about with me until the screen protector I bought arrived (screens with scratches on them drive me NUTS).
I got a lovely little leather case for my Plenue D, which allows me to access all of the functionality of the screen and the buttons, was not really all that expensive and let's face it, who likes the "better than nothing" cases that come with something like the FiiO anyway?
I cannot claim to be an audiophile, so for me the music sounds utterly fantastic, and a lot better than what I get out of my Galaxy Note 5 for instance (yes I have an "old" phone, because I take care of my shit and if it ain't broke, I don't chuck it away).
The D sounds great. It just doesn’t sound good next to the D2. And yes it gets better battery life but not what is advertised.
I have the D. The D lacks in details and is rolled off. I prefer my Hiby R3 way more in all ways.
already have D3
review it!
Its the exact same player with bluetooth support and volume wheel, I love it tho, it sounds so much better than old Plenue D and the battery life is better too by a lot.
Unnecessarily expensive
Its 2019 and it only Supports 128GB card. what a Joke.
Mine seems to get on well with 200GB cards.
@@FauxtakuLounge Do you have 512GB card to test? I'll buy this player in a heart beat if it supports it.
I only have 200GB cards but I’m sure a 512GB would work. My 200GB cards worked in an original AK100. Spec lists regarding external storage are guidelines or guesses at best based on what is available to market at the time the DAP is on sale.
Only thing hurting it from being #1. Combine this with sennheiser HD 660s then balance cable and your mind will explode.
Did anyone have any luck with a 512GB microSD card?
The Cowon D was a joke. No real DAC chipset.
Cowon D vs Cowon D2 vs Sony NW A55?
Sorry mate, I haven't the NWA55.
Ok $$$$$$$$$$
u r idiot
U Mad Br0?
Okay, I'm new to this. If I plug it in can I just drag my audio, does it organise automatically into albums with artwork? I've used allavsoft to download some music from Spotify, so all my music is already labelled.
As far as I can tell, it just doesn't always get album covers. I have no idea if this is a fault of files whose album covers are added later against ones that are baked in, or something else.
@@FauxtakuLounge Thanks for the reply I appreciate it. That's a bit of a shame. Music feels a little incomplete without the artwork 😂. Can I add it manually maybe using copy trans manager?
I also have to ask just for an opinion, do you believe it's worth it. Is the sound really good? I've used an external dac (hipdac) and the sound was amazing on my laptop, it created a sound stage and I could hear every instrument and the vocals where so powerful, it was beautiful, I almost cried. It was like I never heard Fleetwood mac before...Is this similar in sound? I need to know if the price is worth it, I've seen a few on eBay second hand cheaper so that helps. Cheers.
Does it have external speaker?
This is Fauxtaku's other channel. It doesn't.