On test: Cowon Q5W (40GB)
The idea of carrying a lot of equipment around in order to enjoy audiophile sound quality and stunning music should not be something dismissed out of hand. The sheer pleasure that can be had from adding a decent pair of noise-cancelling headphones and a portable headphone amplifier to your setup is incredible to behold.
But you have to draw the line somewhere; bigger isn't always better, after all. And that's the feeling I got when I first clapped eyes (and hands) on Cowon's 'luxury' personal media player (PMP), the Q5W. Though extremely solidly built, with a metal body that feels as if it's armour-plated, this player is just too heavy at 380g to go anywhere but a briefcase or bag. I carried it in a sturdy inside jacket pocket on more that one commute and felt distinctly uncomfortable with my jacket insistently tugging at my left shoulder. Compared to the more pocket-friendly Archos 605 WiFi or Cowon's own A3, it's a beast.
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