SSD in iPod and trick to make sound quality really outstanding

Finally, I managed to find iPod Video in desired condition (anything better than ragged ones) and replaced internal storage with 64GB SSD ones. I notice significance difference in sound quality but I could hardly say it's really that good for counting as improvements. I made some research and finally unlocked this.

1. Download iPod Wizard 1.3 from http://www.getipodwizard.com/download.php

2. Open iPod Wizard using "Run as administrator"

3. Set "Edit Mode" to "iPod" and click on "Load iPod Firmware" button

4. Click on "Tweaks" Inside there, select "Disable caching" and click on "Apply Tweaks"

5. Finally, click on "Write" and then "Eject" to see dramatic improvements of sound quality

The reason why disabling caching improves sound quality is because the reduce of hardware I/O latency by removing disk cache buffer from bit-stream chain reducing induced jitter effects improving performance in audio playback. However, the drawback is possibility of dropout during playback (which is rarely be found) and increased power consumptions.

Since SSD has no moving coil and consumes lower power so making SSD always active without buffer will consume only additional 0.5W or less per hour. You can try this tweak in normal iPod though but improvements of this tweak in SSD is far greater than ones without tweaking.

P.S. This tweak works on normal iPod firmware only. If you're Rockbox users, you don't need to apply this tweaks. However, the improvements of sound quality could even rival against Rockbox :)

It's the opposite. Caching brings latency from buffer and that's even more jitter. If you ever heard of discman with buffering to prevent drop out from vibration, improving buffer length will degrade the sound making it less airy and less transparency.

RAM is better but ssd -> ram and ram again is less than ssd -> ram alone. Buffer is something needed when ones cannot work right without it. If you use normal hdd, it needs buffering to store music files so iPod don't need to spin harddisk all the time. It has pros and cons though. For SSD, the issue is resolved as SSD doesnt spin and doesn't consume that much power when operated.

Sighs. Did you actually try to compare between normal iPod Video and SSD with this tweaks side by side? If you use decent headphone or portableamp+good cable, you should be able to notice. There're also couple of computer audiophile replacing hdd to SSD and get dramatic changes in SQ.

Then all CD transport should sound the same, powercord should make no difference yet they all do. I use Esoteric's transport and DAC and heard most hiend rigs in market so I can guarantee that digital signal isnt that accurate. Some even claim that putting iPod on tip-toe improves SQ.

It does but not all. That's much I can say before the topic get carried away. Whether SSD on iPod improves SQ or not, it saves battery and become faster.

Well, I understand the logic behind that but reality isn't what we think it is. If you use low-end equipments, you have one idea, higher ends bring up more experiences and knowledge behind for making it closer to ideals. Fundamental knowledge tells us what it should work from design but doesn't describe how everything works. You don't need to believe it but just realize that no one knows everything.