The X9 is no exception. Dont expect changing the music during your workout. Youll have to stop, cool down, take really good aim while operating the very poorly calibrated touch screen and remember what goes where in this menu. Which renders useless all the additional apps (notes, games) even more useless.
For Mac users quite a problem: You better go through a Windows machine deleting all the (hidden) Mac OS Ghostfiles from your music folders first, before copying them to a Cowon. Otherwise Cowons crash or change to Korean. Nasty? Like Hell it is.
But as with previous Cowons you dont care. Because you didnt buy the X9 for its ease of use, or Because it is sleek, weighs nothing and impresses the girls and boys around you. First of all, no one outside of Korea knows Cowon. Posers go buy anything that looks nice with signature headphones and starts with an i or at S. One buys the X9 for three reasons and three reasons only:
1. Incredible, crisp, detailed sound Which can be fine-tuned. Even your MP3s will sound like never before due to Cowons unique MP3 processing routines, Which Can Be Adjusted in the X9, too.
2. Because you have or plan to spend more on audiophile headphones than on the player itself for the best music experience - Which almost never Means buying famous musicians signature gear.
3. Battery Life. Other than previous Cowons I had, the X9 can be used for days on end and still want to surprise you because battery is down by just a notch.
With the right headphones and quality audio files your X9 might Easily outperform your home entertainment system. There is literally no other valid reason to buy any Cowon player. Why the X9? Because it has a longer lasting battery life than its brethren and competition.
5+ Stars for sound.
5+ Stars for batterylife.
3 stars for ok Manufacturing (casing is ok but cable has a Cowon specific plug instead of mini USB, where do I get replacements?)
2 stars for usability (if the display which Smaller That would be 0 stars, at least, there are physical hold, play / pause, volume and forward / rewind controls too off-screen)
= 4 stars for at unrivaled, long lasting sound in a really awful packaging.
