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ipod classic audio quality unbearably bad

post #1 of 49
9/12/10 at 1:21pm
Thread Starter 

I just ordered the newest ipod classic since there were rumors that it would be discontinued soon and because I wanted a large capacity player, which seems to be a dying breed these days. However, the audio quality is completely lacking. Even compared to my iphone and my old beat up sansa clip that I use in the gym (which sounds amazing), the ipod falls flat. I'm using w3s. Is there any way to make these sound better, perhaps with an inexpensive amp of some sort? Thanks

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post #2 of 49
9/12/10 at 1:37pm
What's wrong with the sound? Are you getting distortion or driving the amp into clipping? What EQ setting (if any) are you using?
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post #3 of 49
9/12/10 at 2:42pm

Interesting comment squid_shank, I have a 6th Gen iPod Classic and I am quite happy with it. I have read the 7th Gen is better so your comment is surprising. Wonder if your unit has some eq as suggested by Uncle Erik?

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post #4 of 49
9/12/10 at 5:23pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Erik View Post

What's wrong with the sound? Are you getting distortion or driving the amp into clipping? What EQ setting (if any) are you using?


there is distortion, especially on the low end, at any volume. i rarely turn it above 50%. everything just sounds flat and shallow, sorry i don't know how to describe it better. I've tried most of the EQ settings to no avail. I don't know what clipping means.


Edited by squid_shank - 9/12/10 at 5:24pm
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post #5 of 49
9/12/10 at 6:26pm
Clipping is when your headphones demand more power than your amp (in ths case, the iPod's internal amp) is capable of delivering. When clipping happens, you'll usually hear noise in the low end because bass demands the most power. In that case, an amplifier can help.
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post #6 of 49
9/12/10 at 7:08pm

That's interesting. What headphones are you using? If anything, I thought the iPod was fairly powerful. Perhaps it's a voltage problem (i.e. headphone impedance is high).

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post #7 of 49
9/12/10 at 9:40pm

I have a 5.5g Ipod (upgraded to 240 gb hard-drive), and I've owned the classic 6 gen (twice... long story)

and I HATED the 6g. Terrible SQ compared to my 5.5g. My 5.5 still sounds amazing, even

when compared to other newer ipods, and my iphone 4.

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post #8 of 49
9/12/10 at 9:48pm

I have the 6.5g, or 7g classic (160GB), and it does sound worse than my nano, but I don't think it's that bad

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post #9 of 49
9/12/10 at 10:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by semisight View Post

That's interesting. What headphones are you using? If anything, I thought the iPod was fairly powerful. Perhaps it's a voltage problem (i.e. headphone impedance is high).


w3's, they are only 30 ohms

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post #10 of 49
9/12/10 at 10:06pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by yliu View Post

I have the 6.5g, or 7g classic (160GB), and it does sound worse than my nano, but I don't think it's that bad


i'm just not happy with them because i can't hear the sound i love from my iems, it makes it boring to listen to them

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post #11 of 49
9/12/10 at 10:24pm

i have the latest gen classic and must admit i am very pleased with the sound, my ety's are quite revealing and I find nothing to complain about with the sound at all. not distortion, no hiss, just a nice involving sound, There seems to be no difference in sound quality between it and my 2nd gen itouch, in fact if anything it may be a little more dynamic than the touch, but hardly worth commenting on!

 

i do use my ipod with an amp and Lod though so that may make a difference. I use no eq. Just lossless. If i use anything less than lossless i find the music lacking in feeling and energy, the player then does indeed sound listless.

 

Are you lossless or using compressed files?

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post #12 of 49
9/12/10 at 11:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by squid_shank View Post




w3's, they are only 30 ohms



What's the efficiency of those? You'll find the measurement in Decibels or dB. That's a better way of judging headphones than impedance. IEMs are usually highly efficient, so they're a lot easier to drive. Big drivers in headphones need more power to drive a big (relatively) voicecoil. IEMs are tiny by comparison and need a lot less power.
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post #13 of 49
9/13/10 at 2:46am

I was a bit disappointed in the last revision 160GB classic after hearing the positive reports. At the time i thought the 2nd Gen Touch sounded much better. 

 

Now I think it sounds ok. Now I think everything sounds ok. My 2nd gen nano with 192 AAC, classic, touch, 5.5 video- they all sound the same to me now-  the sansa Fuze is still piece of crap though- i think it has a virus. I found my 1st gen shuffle the other month- it sounds ok, but the battery is dead. 

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post #14 of 49
9/13/10 at 4:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by leveller1642 View Post

Now I think it sounds ok. Now I think everything sounds ok. My 2nd gen nano with 192 AAC, classic, touch, 5.5 video- they all sound the same to me now


It seems that you caught some apple disease from your classic  another lost soul...


Edited by penartur - 9/13/10 at 4:23am
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post #15 of 49
9/13/10 at 6:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by squid_shank View Post

w3's, they are only 30 ohms


My bad, I should've remembered that from your earlier post. Yeah, that is odd. It's not as if those are particularly hard to drive.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Erik View Post

What's the efficiency of those? You'll find the measurement in Decibels or dB. That's a better way of judging headphones than impedance. IEMs are usually highly efficient, so they're a lot easier to drive. Big drivers in headphones need more power to drive a big (relatively) voicecoil. IEMs are tiny by comparison and need a lot less power.


Well they're triple driver IEMs so efficiency tends to run high and impedance quite low. Amazon quotes 107dB/mW, which sounds about right.

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