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View Full Version : mp3 players: iAudio X5L (a review)


ragnarok_2012
07-10-2006, 03:07 PM
Hey guys!

I've been wanting an mp3 player for awhile now. Recently, I made my decision and purchased an iAudio X5L (30 GB). I've got a pretty mixed review, and thought this would be a good place to mention it.

Good points:

*no DRM (though there's a firmware update to give you DRM). I can move files onto the system and back off it again.

*battery life: it offically lasts 35 hours (though cnet says it's more like 27).

Bad points:

*no itunes

*earbuds: the two earbuds are of unequal length. One is almost twice the length of the other. I've contacted them about this and it's apparently a fad in Asia.

*quality control: something about the player seems to corrupt files that I place on it. There are electronics beeps and skips on my tracks. Deleting and reinstalling the file sometimes works. Sometimes it doesn't.

There is a video player, but I haven't had a chance to play with that yet. I imagine that as mp3 files accumulate I'll have to skip through A LOT of material to get to where I want to go. You can make playlists, thankfully, though I've been too busy to play around with that function yet.

I picked this up via NewEgg, and they won't take returns on this product. So I've been going through Cowon. They don't have a phone number. Instead, you IM them.

I've instant messaged them today, and they've been pretty helpful. I've sent in a repair request, and am currently reformatting the player and trying to update the firmware. If it works, great. If not, then hopefully I'll be able to get the player repaired quickly and without too much hassle.

I do have to pay the shipping fee if it comes to repairing the bloody thing.

If I had it all to do over again, I'm half tempted to just bite the bullet and buy an iPod. At the very least, I'd have purchased it through Amazon. It would have cost slightly more, but I also probably would have been able to get it replaced quickly and without paying a shipping fee.

Anyway, I just wanted to get all this off my chest.

Ontir
07-10-2006, 04:32 PM
Bad points:

*no itunes

*earbuds: the two earbuds are of unequal length. One is almost twice the length of the other. I've contacted them about this and it's apparently a fad in Asia.

NO iTUNES!?!?!

The earbuds thing must be so you can share with a friend.

ragnarok_2012
07-10-2006, 06:43 PM
I've tried reformatting and installing the firmware update (as I was advised to do by tech support). Didn't help.

I'm going to try it again, on the theory that I might not have gotten the firmware update to install. It's supposed to say "firmware updating" and that never happened.

In a couple days, I should get the information from Cowon (the company that makes the iAudio X5L) that will allow me to send in this bloody thing.

And though I realize Spike-X will gloat, it would have been much simpler to have bought a bloody iPod.

Oh, and Ontir? Good point re: the earbuds.

Spike-X
07-11-2006, 02:07 AM
No gloating from me, man. It sucks when something you've spent so much money on turns out to be defective.

Send it back to them, and insist on a refund.

ragnarok_2012
07-11-2006, 02:20 AM
NewEgg says on their site they don't do refunds or exchanges on the product.

I guess I could contact the manufacturer and ask for one. But that seems unlikely to me.

I really don't want to order anything from NewEgg.com again, and I certainly don't plan on ordering anything built by Cowon.

If I had ordered it via Amazon, I could have simply exchanged it. No muss, no fuss.

I've reformatted the player and updated the firmware. Still no improvement. I hope that they honor their commitment to repair my player, and I hope it doesn't take very long.

ragnarok_2012
07-21-2006, 09:28 PM
I thought I'd update.

The player is at the manufacturer. I've been playing e-mail tag with them, because they say that the player is fine.

I've politely told them everything I've gone through so far, and suggested that it would be cheaper for them to send me a new player.

If the player worked to my satisfaction, it would be a nice piece of hardware.

And they certainly aren't giving me any reasons to feel loyal to their brand.

Spike-X
07-21-2006, 09:46 PM
From everything you've told me about this, the player most certainly is *not* fine. They need to send you either a new player, or a full refund.

ragnarok_2012
07-21-2006, 09:57 PM
From everything you've told me about this, the player most certainly is *not* fine. They need to send you either a new player, or a full refund.

What I'm aiming for is a new player to replace the one I've purchased.

Failling that, they will see no more of my business.

I could have gotten a 30 GB iPod for less money and hassle.

DonC
07-22-2006, 09:36 AM
NewEgg says on their site they don't do refunds or exchanges on the product.


As soon as you saw that you should have left their website and looked for that model somewhere else.

ragnarok_2012
07-24-2006, 10:18 PM
As soon as you saw that you should have left their website and looked for that model somewhere else.

No argument.

meethraa
07-24-2006, 10:34 PM
On the earbuds, it's so that the longer cord will go behind your neck.

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/4888/budspq9.jpg

ragnarok_2012
07-25-2006, 01:47 AM
On the earbuds, it's so that the longer cord will go behind your neck.

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/4888/budspq9.jpg

Were those earbuds manufactured by Cybus Industries? :D