[LeDave]

Hey everyone. I have the iPad 4. Does anybody know of any good apps out there that will improve the sound quality on the iPad? Things like equalizers and such and what settings do you use for optimal sound caliber? What have you done on your iPad to improve sound besides a good pair of headphones.

 

[ender323]

iPads I've used, iPhones, etc...I've never been a fan of EQ. It just degrades the sound to my ears. Unless you have a serious imbalance in frequencies with your headphones that you don't care for, it probably won't help. If you're OK with spending some money, though, the iPad can use an external DAC through the apple CCK, which is pretty awesome to me.

 

[LeDave]

iPads I've used, iPhones, etc...I've never been a fan of EQ. It just degrades the sound to my ears. Unless you have a serious imbalance in frequencies with your headphones that you don't care for, it probably won't help. If you're OK with spending some money, though, the iPad can use an external DAC through the apple CCK, which is pretty awesome to me.

Yeah I figured, I tried all the EQ settings on the iPad and all made it sound worse than when it was not on. I did take a look at external DAC's, I have my eye on the E11 or E12 with a Lightning to 30 pin adapter and a Fiio L9 cord.

 

[goodvibes]

I doubt an E11 improves it unless you need the juice.

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

Yeah I figured, I tried all the EQ settings on the iPad and all made it sound worse than when it was not on. I did take a look at external DAC's, I have my eye on the E11 or E12 with a Lightning to 30 pin adapter and a Fiio L9 cord.

The E11 and E12 ar not DACs......they are amplifiers. 

 

[ender323]

Quote:

The E11 and E12 ar not DACs......they are amplifiers. 

Yeah, just to clarify-the E11 and E12 are DACs-A lightening to 30pin+LOD setup lets you bypass the internal amp, but it relies on the DAC in the lightening adapter, so I'm not a fan. If you use Apple's Camera Connection Kit (I think they have one for Lightening) and get an DAC/amp (FiiO E7, E07K, E17 are some examples) and plug in over USB, you will get much better SQ.

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

 If you use Apple's Camera Connection Kit (I think they have one for Lightening) and get an DAC/amp (FiiO E7, E07K, E17 are some examples) and plug in over USB, you will get much better SQ.

"Much better" SQ is debatable....the DAC in the current iDevices is pretty good already.  If you spend a bunch of cash on a CLAS/ HP-P1 or something in that vein, then maybe you could say "much better". 
 
I'm not saying this to bash FiiO at all...I am a happy FiiO customer several times over.....I'm just saying the new iDevices themselves already perform pretty well.

 

[Standard]

No offense, but I don't think an IPad could really qualify as a "portable" device. As for the sound quality, I've heard it's about the same as an IPhone. Not stellar if you ask me, but still decent if you're not into audiophile expectations.

 

[ender323]

Quote:

No offense, but I don't think an IPad could really qualify as a "portable" device. As for the sound quality, I've heard it's about the same as an IPhone. Not stellar if you ask me, but still decent if you're not into audiophile expectations.

It can be portable. Easily put in a back pack, messenger bag, or a larger purse. Certainly more portable than a laptop, and as some people already use one as a laptop alternative, it may be easily in reach.
 
Quote:

"Much better" SQ is debatable....the DAC in the current iDevices is pretty good already.  If you spend a bunch of cash on a CLAS/ HP-P1 or something in that vein, then maybe you could say "much better". 
 
I'm not saying this to bash FiiO at all...I am a happy FiiO customer several times over.....I'm just saying the new iDevices themselves already perform pretty well.

Understood. I was referring to "much better" as compared to the DAC in the lightening adapter if you were to use that as a line out method. I would expect a decent boost, but not super dramatic change between the iP5 DAC and a FiiO.

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

 
 
Understood. I was referring to "much better" as compared to the DAC in the lightening adapter if you were to use that as a line out method. I would expect a decent boost, but not super dramatic change between the iP5 DAC and a FiiO.

Oh, I see. Yeah, I have no idea what kind of DAC could be in that Lightning adapter. 

 

[ender323]

Yeah. I wonder if anyone has opened one up to find out. But I figure, its really tiny, and available cheap enough to put in a cable. It's probably crap.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Goldenears has a player app, Accudio, that has custom EQ profiles for each head/earphone to put their response closer to flat. However...
 
1) not all head/earphones have a profile on the archives
 
2) any DAC and Amp you use with the iPad need to be close to flat/transparent enough otherwise the EQ might actually make it worse
 
3) if you're not using any other hardware, and assuming your earphones have a profile in the archives, the question then is whether
a. the iPad distorts driving that headphone
b. if the iPad will have other issues, like hiss on low impedance IEMs
Note : I have the Senn CX300 and Mee M6P for use away from my main system, and they're both good enough out of the iPad.
 
4) the UI is crap. The resolution was meant for the iPhone, some album art it reads but then at some point it doesn't display it anymore, etc. I prefer "basic" UIs, but that doesn't mean I tolerate faulty or anything that makes my iPad look like I'm playing an NES emulator.