iPhone 5 - Thorough Measurements

As usual by cortesy of the skilled folks running Goldenears:

http://goldenears.net/board/index.php?mid=GR_Mobile&document_srl=2456504

Terrific performance with slight step back in output impedance (Which now is 3.27, where iPhone 4 has 0.97 and iPhone 4S has 1.9).

Motorola never does well output impedance wise.

Just a quick glance at gsmarena graphs and you won't find any Motto with a flat fr even if for those loaded graphs a pair of dynamic AKGs is used
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Achmedisdead 

Well, I have no illusions or expectations of it being my reference audio player...lol. If I do listen to it on-the-go, I plug in Sennheiser PX90's, which are not exactly the highest-fi either.....but it serves the purpose. Generally though in that circumstance I'd use my RB'd Clip Zip though, which is a definite upgrade fro the phone. 

 

Back on topic though, do you suppose these iPhone 5 measurements will pretty much be the same for the Touch 5?

Historically speaking iPod Touch has been similar...but with higher output impedance:

iPhone 3GS - 2 ohms / Touch 3G - 7 ohms

iPhone 4 - 0.97 ohms / Touch 4G 3.74 ohms

iPhone 4S - 1.9 ohms

This time around it could be different though. Time will tell.

I took the time to make a little chart that assess the loss of linearity caused by the output impedance of several idevices when paired with my armature iems:

Shure SE420 -            Signal Linearity Loss (in decibels)

iPod Classic 7G -                    0.97
iPhone 4S -                            0.42
iPhone 5 -                               0.84

Westone UM3x -

iPod Classic 7G -                    1.24
iPhone 4S -                             0.52
iPhone 5 -                               0.84

Shure SE535 -

iPod Classic 7G -                     2.49
iPhone 4S -                             0.61
iPhone 5 -                               1.76

When output impedance is above 2 you'd better be careful when choosing balanced armatures (On the SE535 linearity begins to be audible. In that case by steep dip on the 5K region).

As an armature lover i'd take iPhone 4S over iPhone 5 any day even if resolution on the 5 is almost bit perfect (which reminds me that people calls digital to the sound that lacks of harmonic distorion)
 

According to my math, Markus Kraus graphs and subjective impressions it seems that actual output impedance could be 3.8 versus the 3.27 measured by goldnears. Not a big difference but it's worth noting.

I've emailed Goldenears for a double-check. Cause doin' the same math for iPhone 4/4S and TF10's the values matched perfectly Goldenears' assessment of their output impedances.