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What's up with the Ipod touch line-out?

post #1 of 13
5/30/11 at 9:25pm
Thread Starter 

I recently got one of those SendStation pocketdock things that allows you to utilize the ipod's line out since I wanted to forgo the whole cable thing

 

Well, the thing works fine, but to me the line-out sounds like crap (actually, in this case I think another 4 letter word would be more appropriate). I've read that the line out is supposed to be an improvement over the headphone out, but i don't see it. Actually, I prefer the headphone out

 

I also noticed that I have to turn my amp all the way up for it to reach an acceptable listening volume. Is the line signal really that weak?

 

I'm using the third generation of the touch (64gb) connected to a modded Creek OBH-11SE that I have laying around and Alessandro MS2 headphones

 

Anyone else found this to be true or is it just me?

 

 

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post #2 of 13
5/30/11 at 10:12pm

Something must be wrong. The line-out signal should be about the same as max volume on headphone-out.

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post #3 of 13
5/31/11 at 6:39am

I started out with Sendstation LODs... they suck to tell the truth... even with a Fiio E5 back then, changing to a proper LOD made a HUGE difference~

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post #4 of 13
5/31/11 at 6:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ClieOS View Post

Something must be wrong. The line-out signal should be about the same as max volume on headphone-out.



With the iPhone, and I'd assume the touch too, I think it is max volume on the headphone out.  Dock cables for my iPod Classic don't work with the iPhone and when I bought a new cable, it sets to volume to max on my Classic and iPhone.  Unplug the cable and the volume goes back down to the previous level.

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post #5 of 13
5/31/11 at 11:20am
Thread Starter 

Hmm, so I'm probably just going to return the SendStation dock even though it wasn't that expensive. The sound quality just doesn't do it for me

 

I don't think anything is wrong with it, it's just the signal is weak. I have to turn my amp up nearly twice as high as when I'm running it from my cd player

 

I think the headphone out is decent enough, so I'm just going to stick with that

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post #6 of 13
5/31/11 at 11:47am

I've read that the line out, as well as full volume headphone out, puts out 1V.  That's the standard for line out and should be what your CD player outputs as well.  Maybe your player puts out more than the standard. 

 

I had an old Sendstation with USB and line out that I liked.  Unfortunately, I didn't work with the iPhone so I gave it to a neighbor.

 

I'm also of the opinion that most portable amps have too much gain and don't add much for low impedance, high sensitivity headphones.  The reason most people perceive and improvement with a portable amp is that they are listening louder with the amp than straight from the headphone jack of the portable.   Up to a point, louder will always sound better.  I've tried quite a few portable amps, both ones I've owned and at meets, before I gave up on them.  I never found one that I could play at my listening levels.  They were all to loud an minimal volume settings.

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post #7 of 13
5/31/11 at 1:53pm
Thread Starter 

Hmm, well, that's odd. Actually, I have two CD players that when I change between them don't have to touch the volume on the amp. But when I plugged the ipod in the sound was very faint, almost muted until I turned it way up. The highs and lows sound rolled off quite a bit.  Maybe I'm just too used to listening to my home CD players which are, unsurprisingly, far superior to the Ipod

Quote:
Originally Posted by scompton View Post

I've read that the line out, as well as full volume headphone out, puts out 1V.  That's the standard for line out and should be what your CD player outputs as well.  Maybe your player puts out more than the standard. 


 

 

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post #8 of 13
5/31/11 at 4:49pm

They probably are putting out a higher level signal than the line out standard.  Higher levels always sound better.  If you turn up the volume so the output from the amp with the iPod matches the output of the amp with the CD players, does it still sound muted?  Try turning the volume up higher with the iPod and see which sounds better.  

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post #9 of 13
5/31/11 at 7:13pm
Thread Starter 

I did try turning it all the way up. It only gets better to a certain degree, but overall the sound is lacking in dynamics and just very average. I know it's not fair comparing it to an full blown cd player, but I was still expecting a little bit more.

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post #10 of 13
5/31/11 at 10:20pm

U shouldn't even be able to adjust your volume, or if u can, it should be affecting the line-out. I had a Sendstation before and don't recall having this problem. Faulty maybe? A proper line-out should give you maximum volume... you'll need an amp to control the volume.

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post #11 of 13
6/1/11 at 2:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by justanut View Post

U shouldn't even be able to adjust your volume, or if u can, it should be affecting the line-out. I had a Sendstation before and don't recall having this problem. Faulty maybe? A proper line-out should give you maximum volume... you'll need an amp to control the volume.


Unfortunately, the IPhone and Touch don't really have a line out. Old iPod line out cables don't work with them and new cables set the volume to 100%. Unfortunately, they do the same thing to my old iPod Classic. Adjusting the volume adjusts the "line out" level. This actually sounds fine in my rig.
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post #12 of 13
6/1/11 at 3:05am

They do... you just have to buy the line-out-docks that many Audio shops are selling these days or DIYers too. My cables works from the iPod Video to the iPod Touch gen 1 to the iPhone 4... 
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by scompton View Post



Quote:
Originally Posted by justanut View Post

U shouldn't even be able to adjust your volume, or if u can, it should be affecting the line-out. I had a Sendstation before and don't recall having this problem. Faulty maybe? A proper line-out should give you maximum volume... you'll need an amp to control the volume.




Unfortunately, the IPhone and Touch don't really have a line out. Old iPod line out cables don't work with them and new cables set the volume to 100%. Unfortunately, they do the same thing to my old iPod Classic. Adjusting the volume adjusts the "line out" level. This actually sounds fine in my rig.


 

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post #13 of 13
6/20/11 at 9:53am

Are there any line out cables/docks around the $50 mark that will be better than the Sendstation? Recommendations would be a huge help. I'm using an iphone 4 and a touch 4G

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