[Aurora]

I hesitated before buying my new iPod Classic (2009) but when i talked with one of my friends who works for apple he told me that the sound quality of the Classic was far beyond the SQ of the new touch so i ended up buying the Classic. The sound quality is awesome, i have over 20 hours of music on it and running out of CDs to copy to it. The interface can be a bit annoying because itsso slow but... WOW, this is the best iPod they ever made in my opinion. (Talking about the SQ)

 

[3X0]

Two 2009 160GBs at my Apple Store sounded different from one another with my JH13s, and more than subtly so.

 

[Aurora]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3X0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Two 2009 160GBs at my Apple Store sounded different from one another with my JH13s, and more than subtly so.

Really? How's that possible?

 

[elfary]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kostalex /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wrote about my comparison of two iPods. You do another comparison with different gear. So there is no wonder you do not hear the things I do. Your comparing the content of 2 different Ipods that had been ripped from a cd. I'm comparing the Actual CD to the lossless ripped version on the Ipod. If it was in the recording, I would hear it. I didn't compare this on some cheap department store rack system. This was compared on a 14k high end system. If a fly had farted in the recording, I would hear it. A test that has been used in the high end community for years is Jennifer Warnes, Famouse Blue Raincoat. A mic was taken outside to record rain drops in the beginning of the track. You will be able to hear this in a system that is very revealing. I have heard multi-thousand dollar transport/dacs that couldn't re-produce the rain drops with clarity. I hear it perfect with the ipod. I'm not saying the ipod sounds exactly like the cd, I'm just not hearing any content that is missing. I'm actually highly impressed with the sound quality that I'm getting from a $250 ipod hooked up to my main system. And this is through the headphone out! My suggestion to anyone thinking of getting the Classic 160g is go for it. It is of an exceptional value. It is perfect for a portable listening device. You can fill it up with roughly 500 lossless albums. On the go this is perfect. How critical do you listen to music with the ipod when at work or on the go? In this listening enviroment you most likely won't pick up on subtle differences that may be between a 5 gen and the 2009 version. I would suggest putting the money into the IEM/ headphones. That's where you will get the biggest sound improvement. For most people I would imagine their critical listening will happen at home in a quiet enviroment. Team the $250 dollar Ipod up with the Wadia Transport or even the cheaper Onkyo when it comes out. So for about $500 you get the Classic 2009 Ipod and Onkyo Transport . Now you add a dac of your choosing either now or later. This combination with the rite dac will give 10k cd players a run for their money. And the nice thing about a transport is it won't matter which Ipod is being used. To me, the ability to retrieve the digital signal out of the ipod is reason enough to consider buying a 5 gen/Imods a complete waste of money compared to the 2009.

I could not agree more with you. I think that the 09 Classic can be easily hated if the user happens to like dirty and bassy sound since the Classic output is really clean, flat and quite balanced.

And i don't have to justify the purchase of my 09 Classic since it has been a gift...

 

[kostalex]

I think that 09 Classic can be easily loved if the user happens to never hear better player since the Classic output is really clean, flat and quite balanced.

Unfortunately, I heard players which are better enough to abandon all the benefits 2009 Classic suggests, including digital output and slim design.

 

[elfary]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kostalex /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think that 09 Classic can be easily loved if the user happens to never hear better player since the Classic output is really clean, flat and quite balanced. Unfortunately, I heard players which are better enough to abandon all the benefits 2009 Classic suggests, including digital output and slim design.

I do have a Cowon Iaudio X5 and iPhone 3GS 32 Gbs. So i have good players to compare to.

Anyway as Streeter uses to say try daps and return em till you find the one that carries bliss to your ears

 

[pez]

Ok, now that I've had more time to sit down and listen to my Shures a bit more, I've come to the conclusion that the bass on these is perfect. I'm not sure that Shures need burn in, but their clarity in the high end and treble is no where near that of my Ety's. The bass though is perfect. I think the perfect IEM to me would be an IEM with the clarity of the Ety's and the bass of the Shures. On well produced albums, the kick drums are just fantastic. The sound stage is also much much better than the Ety's. Maybe I'll be able to find an amp to open up the top end. Overall, I love them for the price I got them for.

 

[Scott_Tarlow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pez /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok, now that I've had more time to sit down and listen to my Shures a bit more, I've come to the conclusion that the bass on these is perfect. I'm not sure that Shures need burn in, but their clarity in the high end and treble is no where near that of my Ety's. The bass though is perfect. I think the perfect IEM to me would be an IEM with the clarity of the Ety's and the bass of the Shures. On well produced albums, the kick drums are just fantastic. The sound stage is also much much better than the Ety's. Maybe I'll be able to find an amp to open up the top end. Overall, I love them for the price I got them for.

Try the TF10 pro.

 

[pez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott_Tarlow /img/forum/go_quote.gif Try the TF10 pro.

Yeah, that was my other thought. I'll have to see if I can manage a trade.

Addition:

The Shure SE530's IMO seem to better suited for well produced CDs. I would say genres such as Rock, Soft Rock, Rap&Hip Hop, and Jazz. I can see it especially well for Jazz. The top end lacks some much needed treble IMO sometimes, but the mid-range is nice and smooth and the bass to me is just plain perfect. I turned on the treble booster on the Classic and it was too much, but it opened up the Shures a lot. I think either I will invest in a good "bright" amp, or maybe go for a trade.

Oh, and their comfort level is amazing.

 

[kostalex]

There were some tips recommendations for improving Shure highs, search head-fi. The main idea is to enlarge inner tube diameter.

RE: amps - try Meier xMove or Headsix. They are not trebly but rather have excellent extention in highs and sound nice with Shures. Or get some amp (iBasso?) with opamp rolling feature to tune the sound.

 

[kostalex]

And probably inline resistor may do the same nice job for highs extention as it does with Etymotics, when converting ER-4P to ER-4S.

 

[pez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kostalex /img/forum/go_quote.gif There were some tips recommendations for improving Shure highs, search head-fi. The main idea is to enlarge inner tube diameter. RE: amps - try Meier xMove or Headsix. They are not trebly but rather have excellent extention in highs and sound nice with Shures. Or get some amp (iBasso?) with opamp rolling feature to tune the sound.

I'll look into those two amps. I was looking at the iBasso, but at the same time, I want an amp that's "all around". I'd really like to use it as a desktop amp too and be able to use it with some full-size cans.

As far as the sound, I actually tried the rubber tips instead of the olives. I love the olives because it makes my Ety's a little punchier and removing some of those piercing cymbals at times. They make the SE530's a little dark and muddy IMO. The rubber/silicone tips take away some of the bloat and darkness and make the bass punchier while still retaining the perfect amount and quality and also open the top end a bit.

 

[Moontan13]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aurora /img/forum/go_quote.gif Really? How's that possible?

Perhaps the EQs were set differently?

 

[ckturtle]

Is it only me, or my imagination, but anyone else hear a change in tone with a change in the screen brightness?

I'm serious, please give it a try and let me know.

 

[ckturtle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kostalex /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think that 09 Classic can be easily loved if the user happens to never hear better player since the Classic output is really clean, flat and quite balanced. Unfortunately, I heard players which are better enough to abandon all the benefits 2009 Classic suggests, including digital output and slim design.

What particular brands/models have you tried in which you felt had clearly outperformed the '09 Classic in SQ?