ipod sound quality
Discussion
Currently in the process of loading up my new '160Gb' Ipod classic (christmas pressie from Mrs Toy 
) Problem is i dont think sound quality from the ipod is as good as from my old Sony HD3 walkman. Or is it my imagination?
Sound has a slight harsh edge, as if the input was to high from recording ?
Trouble is now i'm tuned in constantly listening for it.
Am i being paraniod or do others find the same? Hate to think the 30 odd Gb i've now loaded isnt right.
) Problem is i dont think sound quality from the ipod is as good as from my old Sony HD3 walkman. Or is it my imagination? Sound has a slight harsh edge, as if the input was to high from recording ?
Trouble is now i'm tuned in constantly listening for it.
Am i being paraniod or do others find the same? Hate to think the 30 odd Gb i've now loaded isnt right.
Have you converted the files from an already lossy format (ATRAC?) to another losy format or changed the bitrate while loading them into iTunes? This will effect the sound quality.
I have an HD1 which plays 256bit ATRAC files taken from high quality vbr WMA files (not WMA lossless) and think it sounds pretty good, but I've also listened to various iPods with high quality files and though they were fine too.
Have you tried ripping a CD directly with iTunes and putting that on the iPod?
I have an HD1 which plays 256bit ATRAC files taken from high quality vbr WMA files (not WMA lossless) and think it sounds pretty good, but I've also listened to various iPods with high quality files and though they were fine too.
Have you tried ripping a CD directly with iTunes and putting that on the iPod?
Some files have been converted from atrac but then a lot is newly imported. (256 bitrate)
To be fair i think the sound is slightly better on newly imported tracks but maybe i'm being overly critical.
Not using the ipod headphones but some decent ones, (not sure of make tho.)
To be fair i think the sound is slightly better on newly imported tracks but maybe i'm being overly critical.
Not using the ipod headphones but some decent ones, (not sure of make tho.)
Edited by R TOY on Wednesday 19th January 23:31
No, it isn't as good as Walkman quality. Even with lossless conversion and Sennheiser 200s, it just doesn't seem to have that presence that a good Walkman did through a pair of MDR-40s. Then again, it seems like you have to pay quite a bit to get any digital reproduction better than final generation analogue tape.
Zad said:
No, it isn't as good as Walkman quality. Even with lossless conversion and Sennheiser 200s, it just doesn't seem to have that presence that a good Walkman did through a pair of MDR-40s. Then again, it seems like you have to pay quite a bit to get any digital reproduction better than final generation analogue tape.
I'm guessing the 'Sony HD3 walkman' is an mp3 player not a tape or cd player.Tape was mostly iffy anyhw a good compressed digital file will be better.
I'm risking sounding like a vinyl type obsessive, but tape was... different. Nowadays many digital sources are compressed / companded artificually, whereas on tape it was as noisy as hell but ironically had a greater dynamic range.
Would I go back? Probably not, but unless you have heard the sound from a Pro Walkman or a Nakamichi Dragon, you haven't heard what tape could really do. No portable mp3 player I have used comes anywhere near the Pro Walkman's sound quality.
Have you tried a small portable headphone amp? They do make a considerable difference.
Would I go back? Probably not, but unless you have heard the sound from a Pro Walkman or a Nakamichi Dragon, you haven't heard what tape could really do. No portable mp3 player I have used comes anywhere near the Pro Walkman's sound quality.
Have you tried a small portable headphone amp? They do make a considerable difference.
Zad said:
I'm risking sounding like a vinyl type obsessive, but tape was... different. Nowadays many digital sources are compressed / companded artificually, whereas on tape it was as noisy as hell but ironically had a greater dynamic range.
Would I go back? Probably not, but unless you have heard the sound from a Pro Walkman or a Nakamichi Dragon, you haven't heard what tape could really do. No portable mp3 player I have used comes anywhere near the Pro Walkman's sound quality.
Have you tried a small portable headphone amp? They do make a considerable difference.
I think Nakamichi tape decks were, by and large, noiseless IMHO. Personally I would bet that even a DR2 or 3 would give an iPod a run for it's money.Would I go back? Probably not, but unless you have heard the sound from a Pro Walkman or a Nakamichi Dragon, you haven't heard what tape could really do. No portable mp3 player I have used comes anywhere near the Pro Walkman's sound quality.
Have you tried a small portable headphone amp? They do make a considerable difference.
Sadly tapes aren't too convenient in this day and age but then my records aren't too convenient either
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