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So....no one on this ENTIRE forum has compared their iMod to their PC Soundcard?

post #1 of 43
3/30/07 at 10:36pm
Thread Starter 
I'm really shocked. Hard to believe none of you have compared your iMod to the sound quality you get from your PC SoundBlaster sound card. Of all the things I'm dying to know it's this.

If any of you have, simply put, which one sounds better? I seriously doubt even an Imod can sound better than a SoundBlaster sound card. In fact I'll bet $100 dollars on it.
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post #2 of 43
3/30/07 at 10:46pm
Well... doesn't X-fi elites and some various other X-Fi products also use a Wolfson DAC? I would assume that the sound is at least within the same realm. Imo EMU 0404 USB will beat the crap out of it ;p
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post #3 of 43
3/30/07 at 10:46pm
to me, a stock ipod sounds better than my soundblaster live! soundcard, so i imagine an imod sounds even better. some even say that it can compare to some entry level audiophile CDPs, which i do believe. don't quite believe the dubious claims of it being as good as $1000 dacs though, i'm not THAT crazy.
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post #4 of 43
3/31/07 at 11:23pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Icarium View Post
Well... doesn't X-fi elites and some various other X-Fi products also use a Wolfson DAC? I would assume that the sound is at least within the same realm. Imo EMU 0404 USB will beat the crap out of it ;p
Yeah, I am hearing good things about the E-MU line of cards. I wonder how the iMod stack up to it?
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post #5 of 43
3/31/07 at 11:31pm
To be honest, once I got my iMod, I ceased to bother comparing and searching for a better sound. I ceased feeling the need to. If anything can sound better than my setup right now, it wouldn't make a world of difference to me because I wouldn't be able to tell.

I've got an iMod connected to a Xin Supermini IV and some Ety's, and everything that I had longed for in my setup is there. I assume most others with the iMod are in a similar boat, thus the lack of comparisons.
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post #6 of 43
3/31/07 at 11:44pm
I don't know because my sound card sucks. However, I believe the high end sound card should be better than Ipod in term of SQ.
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post #7 of 43
4/1/07 at 1:26am
i can definately hear more detail & better soundstage etc etc from my imod compared to my Chaintech AV710 (which uses a fairly decent wolfson dac for the rear outs as well)
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post #8 of 43
4/1/07 at 1:58am
Anyone have a Mac Powerbook ot Macbook to compare the iMod out to? It's not just the DAC, but also the internal laptop amplifier that may make a difference in this case. I am asking because I'm thinking about the iMod, but wherever I will use the iMod, I will also have my computer.
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post #9 of 43
4/9/07 at 1:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by D_4_Dog View Post
i can definately hear more detail & better soundstage etc etc from my imod compared to my Chaintech AV710 (which uses a fairly decent wolfson dac for the rear outs as well)
even with the "Perfect bit, true 48Hz" trick?
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post #10 of 43
4/9/07 at 3:12pm
I did a balanced level A/B test with an aiff file on my unmodded iPod's line out and my home CD player playing the same song. I couldn't detect any real difference between the two. If it sounds as good as my CD player, I'm just going to subscribe to the theory, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

See ya
Steve
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post #11 of 43
4/9/07 at 5:01pm
Send me and imod and i'll compared it for you.
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post #12 of 43
4/9/07 at 10:53pm
I compared my onboard sound card at work to the USB/DAC functionality of my Corda Aria when I had it. The Aria trumped it pretty easily (didn't pay attention to how, and didn't much care). I did a rapid comparison of the Aria w/ USB/DAC to the Aria being fed by the iMod with low (<20) hours burn-in, and they sounded eerily identical. Since then the iMod has only improved (and fairly dramatically) and it might only be up to 150 hours. With 50 more hours to go until recommended burn-in, I'd say the iMod would blow an onboard (or Soundblaster) card right out of the water.

I'm using the iMod/SuperMacro IV to drive my W2002 right now just to see how it sounds; I can't stop listening! In relative terms, I think I can safely say that the iMod sounds 10,000 times better than an average sound card. Can I please have $100 now? I'm feeling generous actually. I will let you keep it so you can invest in an iMod.
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post #13 of 43
4/16/07 at 6:45pm
hold on a second there.

ok.

The X-Fi Elite pro IS in the iMod "territory". This is ONLY based on some VERY short term evaluations as I just received my iMod today. If you use audio creation mode and run the digital coaxial into a dac like a fully modded zhalou 2 I would say they are different but both very damn good sounding. My iMod isn't even burned in yet though so...

The iMod is THE portable reference atm. It has a neutral, blacked out background which will do wonderful with a good amp.

The X-Fi at least falls short b/c out of it's analogue out, it's not in the same league as an iMod. With an external dac it is but then it's not just the sound card. However, given the costs are about the same for an iMod vs a sound card + dac it's pretty even.

Have fun lugging a pc or even laptop around with you vs an iMod brick which fits in your pocket.
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post #14 of 43
4/17/07 at 8:17pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by spacemanspliff View Post
hold on a second there.

ok.

The X-Fi Elite pro IS in the iMod "territory". This is ONLY based on some VERY short term evaluations as I just received my iMod today. If you use audio creation mode and run the digital coaxial into a dac like a fully modded zhalou 2 I would say they are different but both very damn good sounding. My iMod isn't even burned in yet though so...

The iMod is THE portable reference atm. It has a neutral, blacked out background which will do wonderful with a good amp.

The X-Fi at least falls short b/c out of it's analogue out, it's not in the same league as an iMod. With an external dac it is but then it's not just the sound card. However, given the costs are about the same for an iMod vs a sound card + dac it's pretty even.
Interesting post. Thanks for the comments.

Quote:
Have fun lugging a pc or even laptop around with you vs an iMod brick which fits in your pocket.
Have fun with only 60Gb of music
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post #15 of 43
4/17/07 at 11:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by isamu View Post
Have fun with only 60Gb of music
There are bigger ones if you reely need the extra space.
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