Sound quality on SGP 4.2 compared to Cowon?

[av399]

My beloved Cowon J3 is beginning to die on me, and I'm on a search for a new player. I can't afford the Cowon Z2 or the Sony Walkman Z, otherwise I would opt for those. I would prefer the Walkman, but since it has no SD card slot it would need to be 32 GB and it is very pricey. I remembered about the Galaxy Player line, but haven't really heard much about it. The J3 has spoiled me when it comes to sound quality as well I was wondering if the SGP can compete with Cowon when it comes to sound quality? It will mostly be used as a music player and I will pair it with a 32 GB SD card. I also use the Klipsch S4's as my IEMs. Thanks in advance for any help

[CrowdAds]

[mamamia88]

buy one on amazon and then return it if it doesn't suit your needs.

[Zapp]

The Plenue D3 is down to $215 on Amazon. Although you'll have to do without a rear camera, GPS, wifi n , or Google Play, among other things.

I would rate the SQ on my SGP 5.0 as "good", but not great. On the other hand, the SGP 5.0 has a rear camera, GPS, wifi n, Google Play, and other goodies. Take your pick.

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by Zapp

I would rate the SQ on my SGP 5.0 as "good", but not great.

I would agree with that. And like you say, it has its other benefits, one being far better battery life than that D3.

[briant1234]

wow i was actually wonderingthe same thing, on the sgp 5, would apps like jetaudio or poweramp make the sound better? or more similar to the j3?

[steinburger1109]

Originally Posted by briant1234

wow i was actually wonderingthe same thing, on the sgp 5, would apps like jetaudio or poweramp make the sound better? or more similar to the j3?

The only thing I don't like about the sound in my SGP 5.0 is that it makes a bit of fuzz when there is no sound coming out.

JetAudio and PowerAMP both have extensive EQ abilities that should definitely help you tune the sound to be what you want.

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by steinburger1109

The only thing I don't like about the sound in my SGP 5.0 is that it makes a bit of fuzz when there is no sound coming out.

JetAudio and PowerAMP both have extensive EQ abilities that should definitely help you tune the sound to be what you want.

Is that just an IEM thing, or do you hear it with normal headphones too?

[av399]

Hmm, if the I can mess around with the EQ settings more, then maybe I could make it work. Do you know if the 4.2 will ever get ICS?

[Zapp]

Originally Posted by av399

Hmm, if the I can mess around with the EQ settings more, then maybe I could make it work. Do you know if the 4.2 will ever get ICS?

It is extremely unlikely that Samsung will ever update the current SGP models to ICS. There are already more apps available for the current SGP models than you could use in five lifetimes.

So, now I am curious. What specifically can you do with ICS that you
can't do with 2.3.5? Admittedly, at some point new apps won't work with 2.3.5. But the 2.3.5 apps that you have downloaded on your SGP aren't going anywhere. I would say that it would be better to buy a device with 4.2 than not. But devices with 2.3.5 aren't all suddenly going to dissolve into handfulls of dust six months from now. $200 USD is a very modest amount for all the capability you are buying. Just a few years ago, it was over $500USD for a hand held GPS unit, and a crappy one at that.

These aren't fovever devices. Even a top-of-the-line super game playing desk top isn't a forever device. Digital technology continues to move on at a very rapid pace. You get to own the coolest device on the market for about three months before something even cooler is released and knocks your device aside.

[alljokingaside]

apparently, better memory management, for one. Which is something sorely needed on the device since
-the SGP5 only has 386
-for US users, no kernel with an option to enable Linux Swap exists (ie use the SD card as extra RAM), meaning you're stuck with only 386 MB

Additionally, though objectively, your point about the bargain price is valid, relatively, less so since technology (eg smaller, more efficient processors) are being developed exponentially. they could've easily added more RAM, etc. but opted against it to discourage the average user from converting from smartphone to, essentially, PDAs, since that's where the money is. Eg look at the newest SGP with early 2011 specs. adding extra memory, a quicker processor, Jellybean instead of ICS, etc would only cost them a bit more, but would devalue their flagship products (ie smartphones/tablets) by comparison.

I mean, yeah- the SGP is still a bargain. BUT- it's not as big a bargain as it could be. Moreover, something like- i don't know- adding Jellybean with the newest model or simply upgrading their existing products so we wouldn't have to rely on 3rd parties for great, but not-fully-functional (ie camera, hardware acc.) ROMs. I mean, they could at least work on a ICS-friendly camera driver since they easily have that capability.

PS another point- intentionally removing functionality (ie HDMI, the camera, etc) to markets that might take more advantage of them. In Korea (I'm here atm), despite wifi being everywhere, that collectivist mentality, the social convention is to have the coolest tech, ie smartphones, so people flock to it. Plus, they're cheaper so there's more incentive and contracts are easier to break (like in some situations, competing companies will pay the cost to break contract to sign you on to theirs) Like, the SGP market isn't big here. AND tech costs more. So there's a disincentive vs. In the States, cell phone plans are more expensive and contracts are harder to break. Tech is cheaper, etc etc

[brosko]

Originally Posted by Zapp

It is extremely unlikely that Samsung will ever update the current SGP models to ICS. There are already more apps available for the current SGP models than you could use in five lifetimes.

So, now I am curious. What specifically can you do with ICS that you
can't do with 2.3.5? Admittedly, at some point new apps won't work with 2.3.5. But the 2.3.5 apps that you have downloaded on your SGP aren't going anywhere. I would say that it would be better to buy a device with 4.2 than not. But devices with 2.3.5 aren't all suddenly going to dissolve into handfulls of dust six months from now. $200 USD is a very modest amount for all the capability you are buying. Just a few years ago, it was over $500USD for a hand held GPS unit, and a crappy one at that.

These aren't fovever devices. Even a top-of-the-line super game playing desk top isn't a forever device. Digital technology continues to move on at a very rapid pace. You get to own the coolest device on the market for about three months before something even cooler is released and knocks your device aside.

Well said!! I agree.

[scowl]

Originally Posted by Zapp

So, now I am curious. What specifically can you do with ICS that you
can't do with 2.3.5?

For many devices you get better battery life, but my experience is that it's mostly (if not entirely) with standby power usage. That probably doesn't apply to PMP usage. It could be kernel-specific and not tied to ICS.

There are user interface improvements although they may be just newer versions of applications. Things like having the "OK" button being a check at the top of the screen instead of a button on the bottom for some apps is nice since you don't have to retract the keyboard. Editing text is easier since the "pointers" are easier to set and maneuver. The web browser has lots of new features, especially with bookmarks and saving pages for offline use (good for reading on airplanes or away from WiFi access).

I've been using both versions for several months and I don't understand the frothing demand that some have for ICS on their Android devices or the excitement they say they have when they finally get it.

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by scowl

I've been using both versions for several months and I don't understand the frothing demand that some have for ICS on their Android devices or the excitement they say they have when they finally get it.

I think it is just like the people that obsess over their WEI scores in Windows....the horrifying that somebody else might have something better than oneself has, and the overwhelming desire to have the same new thing.

I suppose you could go one step further if you wished and compare it to penis envy....lol.