iPod Touch EQ fixed in iOS 4.0

Still no custom EQ?

Well, that one thing prevents me from ever getting an iPod. Well, that and the image I have of Apple as something akin to the Borg collective in Star Trek...

 

I wonder why they cannot implement something like a custom EQ. It is not difficult to do. Perhaps the average user might not be interested in that and therefore Apple prefer to make their DAP:s in 11 different colors and integrated cameras and an endless supply of apps and what have you. Apple seems to focus on putting chic and cool stuff in and then the collective (users) adapt(s) to the word of Locutus...

 

Sorry for the rant. I do not dislike iPod as a DAP, just the company that manufactures it...

I don't really like Apple as a company either - they've changed so much from their roots. But then, like any group with a history of success and failures, it ill behooves them to play by another's rules. I lamented that Metallica went alternative back in the day, that U2 went 'back' to their old style in 2000, and a lot of other things.

 

There isn't a good company on the face of the planet - not even ones who swear they are. 

 

But what I do like is that for the most part - indeed, more so than any other DAP maker I've used - things just work. I've had gapless since 2005 (though I used iPods only from late 2007), very good linear headphone out performance since 2008 (no one else has maintained that across the board), very low amounts of hiss across the board, few headaches - my touch is by far the better player than my Fuze, which as much as SANSA hate Apple, is like a mangled iPod.

 

The EQ sucks though. I've not tested iOS4's EQ yet, but I assume that it will still distort and top out. That sucks but oh well. That is really the only performance issue I have with Apple audio products. Everything else is at least as good or better than the competition. 

I agree that when Apple includes a feature it usually works very well. Something that their competitors not always does very well.

 

Every few months we seem to get a new "iPod killer" which fails to live up to its name. Well, it might not always be the manufacturers that give them that name...

My Sansa View was supposed to be a iPod Nano killer. Well, we know what happened with the View. The firmware is every bit as bad as on the Fuze, if not a few notches worse..

The Cowon S9 was called a iTouch killer, but I cannot imagine the S9 ever outselling the iTouch.

 

Thanks to the dominance of the iPod, Apple can do what they like without worrying about anyone catching up. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since the time when Creative led the race and Apple tried to catch up. I wonder what would have happened if Creative had agreed to Apples proposition to release Creative made DAP:s rebranded with Apple's name.

 

Anyway, back to the EQ. It is good that the EQ has been fixed so that people who want to can use it.

^^ I will have a listen... and since I am putting the finishing touches on my Earsonics SM3 review, the listen should be very pleasurable indeed!

Surprisingly i must confess that i think as well that iOS4 has fixed the EQ presets by cutting insteqd of boosting.Now flat is the louder preset and i think that before it was Rock and this kind of boosted presets. I will do a comparison between my 3Gs on iOS4 and my Classic to know for sure. But i'm 99% sure that the OP is right.

I gotta agree here w/you guys, as the EQ on my touch 64gb doesn't distort any longer. I sometimes use the "Bass Boost" setting w/my V900HD's, and the occasional distortion is gone - sweet!!!

 

Now, if the fantasy of a custom EQ ever becomes a reality I'd be ecstatic. I do agree w/humanafterall though, as uncle steve won't budge when it comes to giving us the 1 thing we truly desire - a custom EQ.

Well, I do think we are on to something. iOS4 lowers the overall volume when EQ is engaged a probable safe 8-9dB, though I've not measured it yet. The good news: I can use the EQ on ANY setting without sizzle. The bad news? There is still too much volume in each volume step. I wish Apple would fix that as sometimes, a volume level of 1 is too loud (honestly).

 

Great find @humanafterall.

Thanks a lot to the OP. I would have not expected any improvement on that area. It always amazes me how quiet is Apple about the sound refinements that are introduced year after year. Quite astonishing.

 

Custom EQ will come one day. Apple registered some kind of virtual touch sliders for this purpose. 

 

For the moment is great this eq fix even if i would have liked a fix for the Classic as well.

I found a noticeable difference in EQ quality with my iPhone 3GS also. It's much better now! I was getting quite a bit of distortion when using the Bass Boost option with the RE0 and its practically gone now. Not even a noticeable drop in quality. Its the only thing i use the EQ for anyway and it works like i would want it to

You know, I applaud Apple for staying quiet on the audio front. Other companies wave this boastful 'audiophile' flag all time time, trapping would-be and dyed in the wool audiophiles while Apple plod along bringing silent upgrades all the time. They HAVE failed on the EQ front till this day, but on the other hand, they bring good performance, gapless playback, low levels of hiss to the mass market, something that no other company has done. I don't like Steve's 'magical' presentations, but I am impressed with my purchases. 

Is it me or have they messed up the Acoustic EQ. It was always a great combination with my IE8. But now the bass is just horribly overwhelming, Bass Boost on the IE8 is on the lowest setting.

 

And in general my IE8 sounds very bad now with my Ipod Touch. Anyone that upgraded to iOS4 experiencing similar problems?