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Donald Bell,
Senior Editor
August 14, 2008
If music is food for you ear, EQ is the spice that can make bland music more palatable, or spoil a perfectly good song. From a practical standpoint, audio equalization (EQ) is meant to compensate against all the real-world factors working against an ideal listening experience (i.e. cheap earbuds, background noise, small speakers). If the handful of EQ presets on your iPod aren't enough to get the job done, however, the following MP3 players offer a virtual buffet of sound-enhancement options. Each one of these portable audio players include a custom 5-band EQ, dedicated bass-boost controls, settings that restore high-frequency detail, 3-D surround effects, and more.
The Sony Walkman NWZ-S718F (an Editors' Choice) is a notable new addition to this list because it includes an integrated noise-cancellation feature along with Sony's expected assortment of top-tier EQ settings. Another newcomer to our EQ roundup is the Creative Zen X-Fi, which boasts a sophisticated general-purpose audio sweetener dubbed the X-Fi Crystalizer.
For those with moderate to severe hearing loss who depend on EQ to compensate for frequencies they have trouble hearing, the Cowon iAudio 7 offers a powerful built-in headphone amp, a 5-band EQ with definable frequency ranges for each band, and panning controls to compensate for unilateral hearing loss.
| Product name | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $149.95 to $199.95 | $179.95 to $226.99 | $149.99 to $229.99 | $99.99 to $199.99 | $86.95 to $89.99 |
| CNET editors' rating |
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|
|
|
|
| Average user rating | |||||
| Review date | April 11, 2008 | August 08, 2008 | November 07, 2007 | April 07, 2008 | July 19, 2007 |
| The Bottom Line | The sum of the NWZ-S710F's audio enhancement and noise-canceling features adds up to one of the most pleasant and private music experiences you can have for less than $200. | The Creative Zen X-Fi's plastic design leaves a little to be desired, but that doesn't detract from the fact that the player is an incredible value overall: for an extremely competitive price you get a boatload of features and great sound quality. | The Samsung YP-P2 is an excellent-sounding MP3 player that will appeal to those looking for a cool touch-screen interface and stereo Bluetooth capability. | The Sony NWZ-A720 is the best-sounding, best-looking Walkman series yet, and the inclusion of premium earphones adds real value. | The Cowon iAudio 7 beats the industry heavyweight iPod Nano in price, features, battery life, and sound quality. The user interface could use some refinement, but all-in-all this is a very impressive MP3 player. |
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| Features | |||||
| Battery technology | Info unavailable |
Lithium ion |
Lithium polymer |
Info unavailable |
Lithium polymer |
| Digital player (recorder) |
WMA Protected WMA (DRM) PCM MP3 AAC |
WMA WAV ADPCM Audible MP3 AAC |
WMA MP3 |
WMA Protected WMA (DRM) PCM MP3 AAC |
WMA FLAC ASF WAV Ogg Vorbis MPEG 1 Audio MPEG 2.5 Audio MPEG 2 Audio MP3 |
| Software type |
Drivers & Utilities |
Drivers & Utilities Creative Centrale |
Drivers & Utilities Samsung Media Studio |
Info unavailable |
Cowon jetShell Cowon jetAudio |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | Info unavailable |
3.3 in x 0.5 in x 2.2 in |
3.9 in x 0.4 in x 2 in |
2 in x 0.4 in x 3.7 in |
1.4 in x 0.7 in x 3 in |
| Color |
Black |
Info unavailable |
Black |
Black |
Silver |
| PC interface(s) supported |
Hi-Speed USB |
Hi-Speed USB Wi-Fi |
Hi-Speed USB Bluetooth |
Hi-Speed USB |
USB |
| Mfr estimated battery life |
36 hour(s) |
Info unavailable |
30 hour(s) |
36 hour(s) |
60 hour(s) |
| Flash memory form factor |
Integrated |
Integrated |
Integrated |
Integrated |
|
