DAP Review

Cowon Plenue R

GUI.

One thing you can find in common with many Plenue DAPs is the graphic user interface which doesn’t vary too much between Cowon models. I guess it’s one of the advantages of the closed OS with the same processor/controller where you can keep consistency in interface between different models and put more focus into the sound tuning and the exterior design. Of course, there will be variations driven by features, such as Bluetooth and the filters associated with a new DAC in PR, but overall interface is similar to PM2 and P2, thus a reason I was able to re-use parts from my other Plenue reviews here.

Before getting into the User Interface, let me first bring up the quality of the display. I know some might find 480×800 resolution to be not the greatest, but for displaying artwork and other elements of the GUI it was just perfect. It’s not the highest resolution but, for example, the analog needle of level meter display wasn’t choppy and looked pretty convincing. I personally never put too much emphasis into the display quality unless I’m planning to watch videos, movies, or play games.

When you turn the power on (boot up was 9sec, though I only have about 20GB of songs loaded and the scan always performed at the start), the DAP starts in the main playback screen where you will find a clear layout with a very efficient interface. Starting with notification bar, upper left corner will show you icons corresponding to playback modes and selected dsp effects, in the middle there will be a current time (I forgot the last time I’ve seen a time displayed on non-Android device), and upper right corner will have a volume level, gain setting (IEM – low, headphone – high), “B” indicator when balanced HO is connected, and a battery indicator, though I wish it would show a numerical value of the remaining capacity.

Right below notification bar there is an icon which takes you to Music Selection screen. In there you can navigate up to the top level to select between Folders, Favorites, list of All songs, sort by Artist, Album, Genre, view Cue/SACD, and New. Under each selection, you have another icon which brings up either Add to favorites (a song or a folder) or Search using a touch-keyboard with a full alphanumeric search. Next to Music Selection screen icon, you have the area for artist and song name with a scrolling text. To the right is Playback Setting icon which I will talk about separately. I know, it sounds like a lot, but everything is very intuitive and easy to figure out without a need for a manual.

The main screen with an album artwork occupies upper half of the screen, and if there is available lyrics, you will notice a corresponding icon in the upper right corner. Clicking on the album/song art will zoom in to provide you with a more detailed info view about the song format, and while scrolling down from there you will see all the corresponding tags. Underneath the album/song art, you have quick shortcut icons to enable/disable Looping, enable/disable Shuffling, and a choice to play a Single track or tracks from a current Folder or to play All tracks. Below it is a playback control Play/Pause and Next/Prev touch buttons to skip or forward through the track. Also, you have a scrub bar to fast forward/back through the track to a desired point by swiping through it, and this scroll bar will be either below or above playback buttons depending on the selected skin. All the way at the bottom, you have L/R channel level meter in either analog needle dial or digital bar displays.

There are quite a few customization options to change the skin of the GUI where you can switch between analog or digital level meter, including turning it off, as well as 6 different skins which affect the layout and graphics of the touch controls. Going back to Playback Setting you will find a plethora of other shortcut options, such as Setting, Adding current track to favorites, selecting JetEffect DSP effects, Replay a selection of the track (lets you select start/stop marker), Activate auto rotation (normal view in a portrait mode, tile view in a landscape mode), show time elapsed or remaining, set the track skip interval, set Rewind/Fast Forwards speed, Bluetooth On/Off, Skip the silent part of the beginning and the end of the track, Select a level meter, and Select a skin. Last, but not least, you can select Headphone mode On (high gain) or Off (low gain). Skip the silent part actually activates a flawless Gapless playback.

In Setting you have access to select a specific JetEffect preset or to modify your own user preset, Music setting with many options already described in the shortcut Setting menu above. The only addition here is a DAC filter roll-off where you have a choice of Normal, Low Latency, High Attenuation, and Asymmetric FIR. Display setting has a selection of Language, Brightness, and a number of User Presets (from 4 to 16), and option to show the song change. Timer for a sleep timer, auto off, auto display off, and to set the actual time in notification bar. Bluetooth Setting to turn the BT on and pair up and scan for wireless headphones. System setting with selection of multi-function button assignment (music play screen, browser, settings, or volume), button lock, lock screen (on/off), Multi wheel, L/R Balance, LED (on/off), USB mode (MSC or MSC/DAC), USB DAC power (internal battery or PC/Smartphone), database update, loading defaults, formatting internal memory, and Info.

In my opinion, JetEffect 7 DSP effects is the crown jewel of Plenue DAPs. You get a total of 66 presets with 50 pre-defined ones and 16 user-defined. Furthermore, you have access to 10 Band EQ where each band has 3 selectable values: 63/76/92, 112/135/164, 200/240/290, 350/430/520, 620/750/910, 1.1k/1.3k/1.6k, 2k/2.4k/2.9k, 3.5k/4.2k/5.1k, 6.2k/7.5k/9k, 10.9k/13.2k/16k. You can adjust every band by +/- 12 steps and select bandwidth (Q) of each frequency as normal, wide, or narrow – turning this EQ into Parametric EQ.

Next you have BBE+ effects with BBE exciter/enhancer in 10step adjustment, Mach3Bass 10step bass adjustment, 3D Surround 10step adjustment, and MP on/off harmonic-compression restoration effect. There is also Chorus effect which you adjust in 10steps and can select between 3 chorus, 2 unison, and 3 flange types, and Reverb effect adjustable in 10steps where you can select Chamber, Room, Club, Hall, Auditorium, Cathedral, Stadium, Canyon, or Long reverb types.

Some people might not be familiar with Chorus and Reverb effects, but anybody who ever dabbed into a music production, mixer decks, PA system or even Karaoke machines will know that these effects make music sound more Live, add an expanded dimension, make sound less dry. Of course, you are welcome to experiment, but usually the sound engineer who mixed and mastered the song already applied these effects, so you can skip it. But precise EQ adjustment or surround sound tweaking or adding bass are all very useful. BBE enhancement is derived from a popular hardware sound processing equipment to add more sparkle and excitement to the sound, and MP really opens up the dynamics by restoring the sound envelope, especially the transient of the attack.

Bottom line, aside from PM2 and P2, I never tested another DAP with such high level of Setting and Customization options, and never came across another DAP with so many quality DSP effects that sound relatively natural and realistic. You can tweak it yourself, but many will probably jump right into the provided 50 presets, though I have to admit that I enjoyed PR sound enough to keep JetEffect off versus PM2 where in some pair-ups it was a necessity. I know that audiophile purists might not like the idea of DSP effects, but the quality of JetEffect 7 and how they transform even average quality headphones into TOTL sound quality can’t be dismissed. It’s a real deal.

Page 3: Sound analysis, Comparison, Pair up, Other connections, and Conclusion.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

55 thoughts on “Cowon Plenue R”

  1. Great review, I really like your informative and spot on reviews.
    Silly question, with Bluetooth, will the PR hook up and player with the BT audio player in the car? Thanks, God Bless, Wayne

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    1. Good question, Wayne. It will depend on BT protocols supported by your car stereo. For example, if you can connect your phone to stream audio from a phone to your car speakers, by the same token using PR as a your source – I don’t see why it can’t stream audio to your car stereo, if it’s supported.

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      1. Thanks!
        I have the PM2, love it. Do you think the new 400 GB microSD will work in it?
        God bless,
        Wayne

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  4. One more question! I’ve been looking at other DAPs and I came across the AK70 MK2. Thoughts on that? Which would you go for in terms of audio performance compared to the Plenue R. Thanks again!

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  5. Sorry, I have another question! Going through your review again, I noticed you didn’t mention anything about sorting songs by playlists. Was it overlooked? Is there an option to access playlists that I’m not aware of? Thanks again!

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    1. PR gui is identical to PM2 and P2, and I literally nearly copy and paste it, but maybe something got lost. Yeah, you can tag songs as favorites and also create custom playlists.

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    1. I don’t have access to ZX300, but that thought crossed my mind, would be a good comparison. Maybe after I’m done with WM1Z review, I can ask Sony for ZX300 review sample. Or perhaps, in a few month when I attend CanJam NYC, I will take a listen to ZX300 to evaluate it there.

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      1. Thank you very much for your feedback. I’m torn between PR and ZX300. For design and battery strength, ZX300 is superior, but for performance I’m not so sure. I have tested ZX300, the sound is natural, clear with bright sound stage but somehow I found it quite flat. I currently have PD so I want to move up. The sound of Cowon always gives me pleasure instead.

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  7. I have PR myself. I tested ZX300 not long ago. From my memory, ZX300 is bright with good sound stage, bringing the feeling like “sparkling”. I’m familiar with the sound of Cowon (here is the D) which is warm and smooth to the ears. Actually I tested Cowon P2 and got jaw drop =)) . P2 is heaven but the price is … hell. So I think of getting PR instead of P2. The problem is: I have not tested the PR yet.

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  8. My Plenue R arrived today and yeah, you are right with the sharp edges on the corners. Gladly i also ordered the leather case which will be delivered soon.

    Do you know the exact dimensions for the screen protector? I think i will buy a larger one and cut it myself to fit it on screen but it would be great if i don’t have to cut it. I don’t find the protector or screen dimensions on the official products.

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      1. Thank you, well i guess i will wait for the case to arrive^^
        I transfered all my music collection and have he following issue:
        When using the matrix browser (with album cover arts) most are not visible. I use this order structure: Artist -> album title -> song name. Files are either mp3 or flac for each album. In my flac albums I stored the cover art as cover.jpg to make sure its correctly shown and when i choose from one of the albums that have no art in matrix bowser the cover art is still shown on the music screen itself…
        I owned a J3 before so i thought having a cover.png in a flac album folder would be enough, what am i doing wrong?
        I restarted the player and also toggled the db update in system settings but its still the same. I will check my files again.

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      2. I only browse by folders, not even paying attention much to proper sorting or album art. So, I wouldn’t be the right person to ask about it 🙂 Try to ask this question on head-fi in Plenue R or any Plenue threads. The gui and os is identical across all their Plenue daps.

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      3. Hey 🙂 I wanted to let you know that i fixed the problem myself and want to let you know about the solution so others who might read your review get it too.

        The solution is to embed the cover art into the flac files themselfes (as a tag) with programs like mp3tag.

        So they changed the matrix browser using the cover.jpg of the same folder to Tags-only.
        ^-^

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  10. Hey it’s me again 🙂
    Last week i got my new pair of headphones, the sennheiser momentum 2 wireless and now i face a little volume issue: Once connected via bluetooth the volume is so much lower than compared connected via cable. Do you face the same problem?
    My guess is, that the “headphone mode” on plenue r is not working on bluetooth. Even if i toggle it nothing changes volume wise.
    And before you might ask: yeah i raised the headphone volume to max^^
    Oh and my case arrived today after 2 whole months. Very good quality and it came packaged in a black box like the plenue does. Time to take the dap out! 😀
    Greetings Ratchet ^-^

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  11. Hello!
    I’ve just purchased this player and was unpleasantly surprised of it’s power output. I used Sennheiser HD380 Pro Audio-Technica ATH-700 and M50X and the sound volume was too quiet in any mode. I’ve increased it to maximum and could hear people talking.
    Fiio X5 and Cowon X9 didn’t have that problem.
    Do you have any ideas how to fix it?

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    1. though PR is not the most powerful DAP, it still has a ton of power to drive even demanding headphones. If you can see from my review, on 3rd page, I have different pair up examples and the volume level I had. Do you have any of these headphones to confirm it? Another thing, make sure Headphone Mode is on (it’s the high gain mode). Plus, if you bought EU unit, they sometime add a volume cap to make it quieter. I think when you first start the DAP it ask you about your region? Double check all that. But as an example, my hardest to drive headphones (open back 470 ohm ATH-R70x) – I was able to drive it with volume set to 120/140 without a problem.

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      1. Thanks for a lead! I’ve resetted the device and chose Non-European English and it works as I thought it should!

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      1. Thanks for the reply. Currently looking at a few daps the space is quite competitive at the moment.

        The dx200/x7ii are being considered atm as well. From reading your comparison of those they seem to be similar with the dx200 to have the slight edge in sq. Although the dual card slot of the x7ii is a big selling point for me at moment as i don’t use streaming services on portables.

        Will become less of an issue with the 400gb cards become more common and come down in price i suppose. My preference would be similar to yours in gravitating towards neutral daps with the addition of large soundstage.

        Currently using the ak t8iemkii, it03 and pm-3 and while i feel the opus1 pairs great with these my opus1 is faulty unfortunately.

        Either way i’d assume all of the above would be decent upgrade. I’d say i more looking for good synergy with my current earphones/headphones. Decisions, Decisions.

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    1. Pm3 will be harder to drive and the sound is a little more veiled, Xelento and IT03 pair up great, with a sound more V-shaped, PR gives them a good low end emphasis.

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  14. Hey Twister6, didn’t quite know where to ask this so thought I’d post it here. I was wondering if you’ll get the Plenue V to review?

    I’ve had the Plenue R a few months now (purchased partly thanks to this helpful review), and just picked up a Plenue V after curiosity got the better of me. The SQ is impressive. I’ve previously owned the D, P1 and M, and so far after a few hours of listening I’d rate it as the best Plenue I’ve heard. I don’t think it’s just ‘new toy syndrome’ talking either! I haven’t heard the P2 or S.

    So I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on the V if you’re getting one? Obviously I still have plenty of burn-in to do on mine, but will put a review up on head-fi after a few weeks of familiarizing myself with it better.

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    1. Sorry, I have no plans to review Plenue V, was hoping for their next flagship, but haven’t heard anything about it yet. But here is a thing. If you have both PR and PV and hear them the same – that’s all that matters! We all hear things differently due to a different hearing level, not everybody has a golden ear, and also it will depend on IEMs/headphones you are using. If you have a warmer/smoother/bassier headphones – they are not going to pick up details or soundstage cues as good as more reveaing headphones. I probably won’t get a chance to test/review PV, but if you are enjoying it – you are the final judge of it! 😉

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      1. Great, thanks for the reply. I’m hearing the V as more detailed and with a fuller low end than the R, wish I had a P2 to compare. So yeah sounds great to my ears and puts a grin on my face 🙂

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    1. Not a big fan of x5-3, too warm, smooth, and flat dynamics of the sound. So, PR is definitely an upgrade. Plus, you gonna love Jeteffect DSP effects in PR, awesome transformation of the sound.

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  16. Hi T!
    Thanks for your review which helped me to make up my mind for R 7 months ago. Since you’ve mentioned that P2 leads R in different respect but the gap is small, do you think it’s wise to upgrade to P2? I don’t have the opportunity to listen to P2 but the price of P2 has dropped quite a bit after the birth of MK2.

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      1. That’s what I was wondering, too. I will just wait for the next version of S then.
        Thanks again for the advice!

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  17. Hi Twister,
    Thanks for such detailed review!
    Can you tell, how about synergy with Westone’s Universals like UM Pro 30/50 and W60?

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    1. It has a great synergy since its signature is more neutral revealing which brings up more details from a smoother tuned Westone’s. Though it works great single ended, I personally have a preference for PR balanced output with Westone’s to push soundstage a little wider.

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  19. Pingback: Cowon Plenue L DAP – Twister6 Reviews

  21. I have the R partly based on your recommendation. I have been happy with it however it has one major flaw. It does not take a 256 GB card. When I first got it I picked up a 256 GB card and it work just fine. After that I bought four more, none of them work. I tried to contact Cowon they were completely unresponsive. So I tried to contact the seller they did get back to me they told me to use a smaller gigabyte card. So I purchased a 128 GB card it works just fine. I’ve since bought six other 128 GB cards they have all work just fine. I bought five 256 GB cards and only the first one work. The others would not accept the file or if it did many times it would just shove it into a unknow category not able to read the artist name or track name or album name. So because of that I am thinking of getting the Hiby 5. Have you heard this player yet and how would you compare it to the R. Thanks, love your reviews.

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