Is the iPhone 3GS A Good Enough MP3 Player?

I owned the 3gs, and the sound quality was nice. (for a phone :P) but i wanted more. I bought an mp3 player.

why not buy yourself one?

Cowon

Sansa

Sony

in that order, you choose anything is better then an ipod

Be skeptical and demand proof by asking to listen for yourself. You might save yourself money. I think the iPhone 3GS and the Clip+ sound just as good on all sorts of headphones, if not better, than those Cowons and Sonys (even the X series). Moreover, if you turn off the EQ, the iPhone has better measured performance. For example, the Cowon players still have a blocking capacitor on their headphone amplifier's output stage, and that results in weak bass on low impedance 'phones. Apple fixed that problem on the iPods years ago. The Sansa Clip/Clip+/Fuze have lower output impedance, and that sometimes results in a more uniform frequency response. That's about the only technical spec where the Sansas best the iPhone 3GS. The Clip+ and the original Fuze are reasonable purchases--you can find them refurb for $25-$35, if you want backup.

If you need a flexible equalizer download EQu and Equalizer from the app store (total cost: $6). You might find one of them usable. For a real improvement in sound quality, spend the money on better headphones. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by yuriv 

Be skeptical and demand proof by asking to listen for yourself. You might save yourself money. I think the iPhone 3GS and the Clip+ sound just as good on all sorts of headphones, if not better, than those Cowons and Sonys (even the X series). Moreover, if you turn off the EQ, the iPhone has better measured performance. For example, the Cowon players still have a blocking capacitor on their headphone amplifier's output stage, and that results in weak bass on low impedance 'phones. Apple fixed that problem on the iPods years ago. The Sansa Clip/Clip+/Fuze have lower output impedance, and that sometimes results in a more uniform frequency response. That's about the only technical spec where the Sansas best the iPhone 3GS. The Clip+ and the original Fuze are reasonable purchases--you can find them refurb for $25-$35, if you want backup.

 

If you need a flexible equalizer download EQu and Equalizer from the app store (total cost: $6). You might find one of them usable. For a real improvement in sound quality, spend the money on better headphones. 

+1. It's funny how people throw suggestions based on myths and marketing instead of the measured performance.

The iPhone 3GS overall performs better than the Clip and far far more better than any Sony or Cowon.

The lastest iPhones (3GS and 4) have very good measurements.

I personally prefer the iPhone 4 to the Cowon S9. The latter sounded awfully digital to me. The iPhone was more full bodied (still thin), had a more coheent soundstage IMHO, and better bass control.

But the main thing to consider is synergy, that is to say how your headphone's sound signature will match your player's sound signature.

Example : the Earsonics SM3 is warm and full-bodied. So it works well with the Cowon S9.

Ex 2 : the ESW10 has a strong emphasis on the upper mids (the "head" sound of vocals). The iPhone 4 also has a slight emphasis there. I felt it was too much : bad synergy.

So think of it as a "system" : headphones + player.

Frankly, I wouldn't sweat on changing your player if it is for something in a similar category (Apple, Sansa, Sony, Cowon). Your iPhone 3GS is already excellent in this category.

What you can do : 

- change your headphones

- change your player for something substantially better (example : Hifiman players like the HM-601). You'll benefit from a better DAC section (the electronic part that converts a digital signal made of 0 and 1 into an analog electrical signal) and a better amplifier section (the part that is responsible for turning this "weak" signal into a stronger one). It doesn't have to cost a leg (the HM-601 is at 259 dollars).

- amplify your iPhone 3GS.

Improving the amplification is IMHO worth it only if you have high quality earbuds / in ear headphones or if you're using good supra-aurals (ESW10, DT 1350, etc.).

Of course it becomes mandatory for bigger headphones.

So what I'd do, if you want to retain a portable setup : 

- ditch your MP3, go for lossless files, if you can. Search for the best pressing of an album (example : the MFSL version of Sea Change by Beck is frankly better than the usual retail version). Not enough emphasis is given IMHO to the importance of recording quality.

- change your headphones for high quality IEMs or supra aurals.

- change your player for one with a substantially better DAC section

- finally care for amplification.

In that order.

These are my opinions, of course do listen to more experienced head-fiers.

The iPhone 3GS has a good sound quality (I tried it with my SM3, it sounded great ;) )