Cowon iAudio T2 review (2GB)

Any way you slice it, the T2 sounds fantastic. Even the included earbuds output decent sound, though we found them a touch uncomfortable and loathe to stay in our ears. Through our Shure E4c test 'buds, music coming from the T2 was rich, detailed, and warm. Sound was never muffled, there was no discernable background hiss, and the high end was clear and defined while bass was tight and punchy--everything you could ask for in an MP3 player. FM signals also came in clear, with the T2 picking up every station in the area. Our one complaint here is that the volume was considerably lower for FM radio than for digital tunes, and the sound levels would vacillate as we walked around the city, but the latter no doubt was due to varying reception as we moved. The T2 is capable of outputting at an ear-splitting volume, so take heed. The one area of performance where the T2 does not shine is battery life. It's rated for 12 hours, but ran for only 10.5 hours in CNET Labs tests. That's OK for a player this size, but we'd have liked it to be longer.

In the box with the T2, Cowon throws in the proprietary USB cable, a set of lanyard earbuds, a quick-start guide, and a software disc. The latter includes Cowon's JetAudio media player and a separate JetShell music organizer. JetAudio is a fun and useful jukebox, but JetShell is a rather tired-looking app--we wish Cowon would combine the two into a seamless experience.