Having lost that drive, I chose to i9 of the same brand that enjoys flattering critics everywhere - completely usurped IMHO - and that does not have a touch screen that (annoying winter, the unreadable summer, fragile and voracious energy all year). I guess the positioning range of the two models is quite similar therefore comparable. I bought both at the same price pretty much.
- In three years, the storage capacity has been doubled to four - from 4 to 8GB or even 16GB - but of the battery together, at least on the model I own, was divided by three or four . The cowon i7 could turn a 60aine hours without flinching or more while charging my i9 halving 12aine after hours and decreases more quickly after. The quality of the battery has dropped sharply.
- Finish: also down sharply as we move from the polished metal at medium quality plastic. The location of the headphone jack is not very convenient, as it is on the bottom of the player. Positioned on top, as on the i7 (...), is more practical in my humble opinion.
+ Weight: decreasing, although 100 g instead of 150 or 200 do not seem decisive in this case
- Ergonomics: it is a matter of taste but the default interface seems to have lost capacity settings. For example, I have not managed to set the time of passage of the info-tags (sometimes long) on the new model while former proposing. The i9 is suitable for short titles, in short! Last thing, the mini touchpad has no more notches as the i7, the surface is as flat continuously scrolling can he be blinded, the reader deep inside the pocket ...
- Audio settings: the supplied equalizer is inconvenient to use. The setting interface instead now provides a plethora (20 or 30 ...) of preset audio environments, some labeled BBE or bearing evocative names ("Maestro" ...) However, the changes they bring the audio frequency response does not seem obvious to the ear.
- Audio quality: what more subjective? I have not tried all the audio modes, but the tonal color of music is quite widely "synthetic" for my taste, so it could be further neutralized (equalizer ...) on the i7 model. Are FLAC codecs used on the i9 poor quality? If I compare with a recent Samsung androphone that integrates natively (the Samsung overlay) FLAC Codecs, then the result is really not in favor of Cowon, yet specializes in Audio decoding.
- Transfer rate from the capabilities of USB 2.0, it is rather on the 1.0, so no improvement over time. The USB connector must be chosen by Cowon relatively cheap. Too bad.
+ Other features: some users will be happy to play video files (on a 2 inch screen) or download games in Flash. Last thing, the book manufacturer i9 player in a "green" packaging and directly as recyclable (mini) flowerpot: very ornamental for contemporary aesthetes and deeply inspiring for the faint hearted ecology or recycling, but without interest for others.
In summary, the Cowon iAudio i9 player is a product for the undeserved reputation. I guess i7 now "vintage" must tear on the used market ...
**** Update **** March 2012
I learned from writing this review that the Samsung Galaxy S smartphone (1st generation only) was provided with an excellent chip DAC Wolfson, strong reputable brand of Hi-Fistes. This goes unnoticed because the preinstalled driver samsung android alas takes very little of his abilities. Simply yet to change Rom (or simply "rooter" the smartphone) to make full use at the headphone output the native interface of the DAC Wolfson: the result of listening is so much better and no possible comparison médiocrissime a player like Cowon i9. The few amateurs of embedded Hi-Fi are unanimous and they are probably right: Galaxy S + "Voodoo Sound" is the winning combination. Even the breath reducer FM emerges greatly improved. Only the battery capacity remains for the Cowon in summary, and even it does not stand in front of other devices of the Korean brand, so if you want to listen to music "lossless" with unmatched quality, forget Cowon; on the other hand, if you would only listen to MP3 music sampled more or less strongly and without much dynamic (ex. pop, rock etc.), why spend so much in the Cowon?
