iPod Classic... DAC and output stage info from Vinnie of RWA - Page 14

What if Marc H is actually HiFivoice? If I've checked my references clearly (pretty sure I have), the two are one and the same. He's really thorough that way - posting the same msg in two fora (forums if you want to bastardize the english language) that are heavily interested in 1) iPod's; and 2)Sound quality. He's even gone as far as posting on a third site (just to cement his notoriety in iPod 6g history ) - the hifivoice blog...

Aren't I such a sarcastic prat?

X2...if I can only figure out a way how to come up with the dough and get the fiancee's ok with it ... would installments be possible...

Yes, I am Marc, nothing to hide there. Hifivoice is the name of my website.

I try to give the issue attention in forums where people might be interested in sound quality (and hope the message reaches Apple as much as possible). There is an overview of the forums I know of on my web page, and I've just extended it with new links.

Marc a.k.a. Hifivoice

So,Marc is really built up his names in the communities very fast, urr like wild fire.
( Hifivoice
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 15)

well, I wanna buy an ipod touch as soon as it gets here but I'm a bit confused now about the SQ.

So I went to the local apple store with my brand new Futuresonics FS1's and plugged them into the new 6G ipod classic. There was some dance music on it like Earth wind and fire - boogie wonderland and some of that stuff.

I must say it sounded pretty good to me. I don't know if it's the earpieces that did it but it didn't annoy me. It shure could be better but it was fine to my ears. Good highs, bit recessed mids (the way I like it) and a good present bass. The bas wasn't very well defined or deep but average.

The one thing that I did notice is that the UI is a complete disaster. It was like it just didn't respond. For example: when playing a song, I pressed menu to go back to the menu but it just didn't do anything for at least 3-4 seconds. I mean, that's certainly no apple style. I'm working on a macbook now an it's one hell of a sweet machine and I just couldn't belive they come from the same manufacturer. The ipods UI was just very slow. It looked nice and coverflow was pretty nice but it was just a damn slow thing to handle.

I'll still be waiting for the ipod touch then....... Hope it's coming soon

greetz

Did they have more than one unit on display that you could try? My 80g classic is very responsive. From startup to transition between screens, it shows no lag whatsoever.

There is an update that fixes slowdowns in the UI, likely not applied to the display model. My next post (typing now) will expound on the sound.

iTouch vs 5.5G ipod, no mod - this is not a lossless vs 320kbps VBR mp3 discussion.

I find the sound is pleasing through the headphone jack, but just like the 5.5G 80gb, it loses if you compare it to an iRiver optical out into an iBasso D1 DAC/AMP with the same 320kbps VBR files. Sorry, but I am hard pressed to hear the difference between lossless and 320kbps files on the same DAP. To me the point of the DAP is to carry many albums more easily than a few CD's. Yes, when I want the most accurate I pull out the CD player, and I can hear an improvement with concentrated listening, but 320kbps VBR are sooo close that for all intents and purposes I don't need lossless on my DAP to enjoy the music.

HEADPHONE JACK: VOLUME: Right now my iTouch is driving my HD600's at 100% volume with no distortion to a normal listening level, but to play loud with HD600's it needs an amp. It does drive my HD600's slightly louder than my 5.5G 80gb does. My 2G ipod nano would distort trying to drive these headphones to normal listening levels, at least the last time I checked. The touch will likely drive Shure E500's to damaging levels.

SOUND STAGE: with live recordings is a little bit compressed vs 5.5G (while the iRiver H140 improves on both). The touch's stage is more immediate and forward, having some of the spacial cues I hear with other sources, but everything seems closer, like being on stage and sitting at the piano instead of in the 1st row. ONE KEY ISSUE with the touch, I can't place the string bass in Jazz at the Pawnshop - it should be clearly to the rear left stage as with the 5.5G ipod, but I can't clearly put it on the stage when listening the touch.

SOUND and BALANCE: The touch is quick and punchy, and it is brighter and more detailed than my 5.5G 80gb. It sounds very different with AB comparison to my 80gb via headphone jack. The 5.5G 80gb has less treble, a hump in the upper mids, but a wider sound stage. Listening to the 5.5G you don't say, "hmmm this has a upper mid humps and rolled off highs", till you compare it to something else like the touch.

Via headphone jack, the iTouch may be more suited to Rock, Electronic, and other non-live music.

SWITCHING TO LOD to iBasso D1: SOUND STAGE opens up on both, but the iTouch does improve a lot more than it should. I think I like the touch better than the 5.5G 80gb with same dock, amp and program material I wasn't expecting that. Shouldn't it be closer my friend's 6G classic that I tested before?

So, I moved on to listen to the Tord Gustavsen Trio in stead of Jazz at the Pawn Shop. Same thing, I like the touch better via LOD than the 5.5G via LOD. I can clearly place the string bass where it belongs now,

SOUND BALANCE makes up for a still slightly narrower sound stage now, since the stage has at least improved vs headphone jack. Everything seems more detailed (tactile) and brighter - Cymbals and snares don't sound as dull. Bass is quicker.

iTouch wont replace my iRiver optical or especially a CD player optical to iBasso's DAC, but it does give my 5.5G a run for the money via headphone jack, and beats it via LOD till I get it iModded.

No, I was saying put a mini optical TOSlink line-out in the iPod itself, not in a dock. Where to put it? Do what Apple does in all of their computers -- make the audio line out/headphone port a combo analog/optical port.

Stereophile or Audiophile magazine reviewed one (MSB iLink http://www.msbtech.com/products/iLink.php ) and felt it was as good as ANY digital source with lossless material, even vs the original CD.

I was all ready to want one till I saw the price

HeadphoneAddict,
I totally agree with your assessment of the Touch SQ! A few here have been giving it a bad rap, but I don't agree with them at all.

I actually haven't read any comments about the Touch yet - I'll have to drop by the Source forums and take a look. It's good to have some confirmation that what I am hearing isn't just me, but that others can hear the same thing.

I have plenty of DAP's. But, I bought the touch for the web-browser and wide screen multi-media capabilities so that I can sell my Nokia 770 internet tablet. The missing mail app on the Touch isn't a big issue because all my pop mail can be accessed via a web interface.

The additional feature of Wi-Fi iTunes store was nice - I downloaded a KT Tunstall album in 256K AAC non-DRM right from my bed last night, and could listen to it right away without trudging to the family room to sync with the iMac.

I know....It is a really neat device!

Thanks for taking the time to document your findings on the iTouch sound.