Ipod sound quality

Road Runner

I've been reading stuff that says that Ipods are some of the worst sources that can be used for any system - clearly worse than CD - and I'm trying to figure out if it's true. Based on everything I can piece together, it seems like they're about as good a source as you can get provided that a lossless format is being used for the music. And even then, a lossy format can still be used, it just has to be a lossy format that doesn't make any audible difference. The only thing that seems to make it a worse source is that some models may have an amplifier that doesn't have a flat frequency response but even that could theoretically could be taken care of with some EQ controls. I think the reason why so many people love to bash them is because usually the headphones that are used with them are pretty weak, but that doesn't matter if you're hooking them up to your stereo.

AudioFilet

The 4th & 5th generation Ipods have the best sound, due to the high quality Wolfson DAC used. But there are still problems with it. If you want the best possible sound from your Ipod, make it an Imod, send it to these guys:

http://www.redwineaudio.com/iMod.html

Road Runner

If they claim it does all this, then that sounds like baloney:

Tighter, more articulate bass (not necessarily more bass quantity… but much improved bass control and definition)

A richer, more seductive midrange

A less flat and more expansive imaging (the soundstage needs to open up and become more 3D… more wide, more deep, and with a better sense of height in recordings that offer this level of resolution).

Improved transients/dynamics

More detail retrieval and overall transparency

Superior treble extension and sweetness, as well as better decay of long held notes and delicate harmonics

AudioFilet

Yeah, that there sounds like a bunch of marketing hype. I would be willing to bet there would be some improvement though. Especially when using a set of high end monitors, like the Shure line of IEM's.

phuz

Road Runner wrote: »

If they claim it does all this, then that sounds like baloney:

You might be suprised with what a few caps and an opamp can do.

Road Runner

Here's something from Wikipedia about the lack of bass:

The third generation iPod had a weak bass response, as shown in audio tests. The combination of the undersized DC-blocking capacitors and the typical low-impedance of most consumer headphones form a high-pass filter, which attenuates the low-frequency bass output. Similar capacitors were used in the fourth generation iPods. The problem is reduced when using high-impedance headphones and is completely masked when driving high-impedance (line level) loads, such as an external headphone amplifier. The first generation iPod shuffle uses a dual-transistor output stage[citation needed] rather than a single capacitor-coupled output, and does not exhibit reduced bass response for any load.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod