 iAudio X5 60 GB Multimedia Player Black home electronics. |
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iAudio X5 60 GB Multimedia Player Black
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List Price: $349.99
Features
• 60 GB portable multimedia player with bright color screen
• Compatible with MP3, WMA, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, and MPEG-4 media
• Onboard sound processing includes BBE Sound enhancement, BBE Mach3Bass
• FM radio receiver with station presets; radio and voice recording, line-in recording
• Internal battery provides up to 14 hours continuous playback |
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iAudio X5 60 GB Multimedia Player Black description
Sturdy, versatile, and remarkably compact, given its voluminous storage capacity, iAudio's X5 portable multimedia device is sure to be a hit. The 60 GB audio/video player and recorder can store about 15,000 songs (4 minutes each, 128 kbps) in a nearly unparalleled choice of formats, from MP3 and WMA to linear (uncompressed, CD-quality) WAV files, Egg Vorbis files (which sound a bit better than MP3 for files of comparable size), as well as FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec, compressed but designed for 1:1 encode/decode). The X5 can recognize up to 4,000 folders and 20,000 individual files, and its super power-saving circuit provides up to 14 hours continuous playback on a full charge. Coolest of all? You can import photos taken from most digital cameras and view them on the player's 160 x 128-pixel, 260,000-color TFT LCD thanks to OTG ("on the go"), the player's USB host feature. (Certain digital cameras are not supported; see www.iaudio.com for compatibility.) Create your own logo or download logos from the iAudio web site. You can also set a picture of your choosing as wallpaper. The player also offers FM radio listening and recording (with one-touch tuning presets), audio recording through either a built-in microphone or analog line-in input terminals, and the ability to read text as well as images--you can even view text, though not images, while listening to music. Use the included JetAudio software to convert various video files to MPEG-4 (up to 15 fps), then enjoy the transcoded video files on the X5. Another program, JetShell, performs CD ripping and file conversion and facilitates music playback. The X5 provides direct encoding, too, by which you can capture the output of an external audio device. This means you connect the output terminal of an external audio device to the recording (input) terminal of the X5 using a bidirectional stereo cable (supplied), letting you load material from components like a DVD player, a cassette deck, a minidisc player, a turntable, or a TV. And, with the unit's built-in, high-fidelity microphone, the X5 can record speech with the quality of dedicated voice recorders--perfect for important meetings, lectures, and notes to self. Onboard sound processing includes BBE Sound enhancement, BBE Mach3Bass, MP Enhance (designed to compensate for sound lost in MP3 compression), a 5-band adjustable equalizer, and 3D Surround (3- dimensional sound that gives the sound a wide sense of space). Other features include: - Up to 12 minutes of anti-shock
- Compatible with Mac and Linux operating systems
- Create and edit playlists directly on the X5; supports M3U playlists
- Clock feature provides alarm for FM recording
- Lyric display
- USB mass storage capability
- Create your own screen wallpaper
- View text files while listening to music
- Light, top-quality Cresyn headphones
What's in the Box
iAudio player, stereo earphones, a subpack, an installation CD (JetShell and JetAudio), a USB 2.0 cable, a line-in recording cable, a USB host adapter, an AC power adapter, a user's manual, and warranty information. |
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iAudio X5 60 GB Multimedia Player Black Customer Reviews
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♥♥♥♥♥
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A Great Player
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Cowon's iAudio X5 is heir to the iRiver player - a high-end, get-out-and-push type of player for people who are fussy about their music, and who don't mind managing it closely. The sound is excellent, and this is the main selling point. Many players are referred to as "portable stereos". This machine truly is. Where the sound on the iPod is extremely good, the iAudio has a clarity and a lively presence that sets it apart. The iAudio boasts some sophisticated audio enhancement technology, but to be honest, the plain sound is so good that you really won't need to fiddle with it at all. With good headphones you can hear the cough of the violin bow, or pick out each of the instruments in the brass section. It's worth ripping your music at a higher bit rate to enjoy the improvement, or to use uncompressed FLAC instead of MP3 or Ogg. Luckily, there's a 60 GB drive for your large, high-quality music files to sit on.
The controls are easy enough to manage, though it does take a little while to get used to them. All the content is organized in a file structure, just like the folders on a computer. When connected to a computer the X5 shows up as an extra drive, so you can copy back and forth easily. You can transfer any type of file you like using the file manager, and if you don't mind using an expensive player as a storage device, you can carry your work files back and forth as well.
For music, the user interface is also file-based, and the X5 does not keep an internal database like the iPod or the iRiver. It will read ID3 tags to tell you what's in the file, though it also appears to ignore Unicode tags. This means that you're confined to albums (or folders), and possibly to file names. So, if you want to follow a particular thread or a particular genre, this means extra work. The best way to listen in a non-album-based way is to compile playlists, either creating them on a computer with programs such as Winamp, or through mastering the somewhat quirky dynamic playlists. (The dynamic playlist function doesn't recurse correctly, so you have to add one album at a time.)
In terms of amenities, Cowon provides a set of software tools you can use to rip and transfer content, though you'll probably have your own favorites, which you can continue to use. Unlike the iPod, you're not constrained in your choice of software. The most useful Cowon utility would be the video converter.
The device itself is attractive, light and sturdy. The external connections are handled by a proprietary (and easy-to-lose) detachable connector block. You might want to order an extra and put it away, in case these things ever turn out to be hard to find. Alternatively, Cowon makes a dock, which is the most convenient way to set things up. It's inexpensive, though it's optional and has to be ordered separately.
The screen is small, but very colorful and pleasing, and you have a choice of what information appears during playback. My personal opinion is that movies belong on a big screen, so perhaps someone else will comment on the video capabilities. The demo looks convincing enough, but again, my interest in iAudio is ... well ... the audio.
I bought the X5 after many (happy) years of iPods, for no other reason than to see what else was out there. It's always good to try something new, and sometimes you're pleasantly surprised when you depart from the norm. The iAudio takes some getting used to, but overall, it's an impressive and enjoyable machine. I like the fact that it's different, and wow - it really does sound good!
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