[Sparky191]

I had an early Classic 160, and it was just average sound wise. That and the laggy interface made me sell it.

 

[Sparky191]

Pity because the capacity was great. There was talk a while back that they'd changed it, but I wasn't convinced.

 

[fratey]

How much better is it than the Classic 80GB? I got really angry when listening to my old 80GB because the sound quality was absolutely terrible, it pissed me off every time.

 

[djselbeck]

I don't think it is better at all. I'm not so happy overall with the soundquality. I just think that my nokia 5800 sounds better(more natural and less noisy). It is a pity that no other company builds players with 160gb

 

[3602]

Quote:

I don't think it is better at all. I'm not so happy overall with the soundquality. I just think that my nokia 5800 sounds better(more natural and less noisy). It is a pity that no other company builds players with 160gb

This is the first time in my life that I hear "my phone sounds better than a dedicated player". Thanks, you just made the rest of my day.
That said, sound quality out of the headphone jack is indeed mediocre. What you need is a line-out, and a very good portable amp to go with it (jude has an iQube with it). I have a HeadRoom Portable Micro with it and for me, portable sound doesn't get any better.
Oh, and for the line-out cable? Get the cheapest one. Don't ask why.

 

[djselbeck]

Yeah it sounds funny perhaps but you nokia phones also use dedicated audio components so this is not unrealistic. And Yes I could use a headphone amp but it is to big for my pocket.

 

[grokit]

They don't call it the 5800 "Music Phone" for nothing

 

[grokit]

Even better if you just use it as a transport, which is probably the best use for the older 160GB version as the SQ of the iPod itself doesn't matter at all that way. Wadia, Onkyo, and Audio-Technica all have transport interfaces to use the iPod with a separate DAC/amp.
 
Quote:

This is the first time in my life that I hear "my phone sounds better than a dedicated player". Thanks, you just made the rest of my day.
That said, sound quality out of the headphone jack is indeed mediocre. What you need is a line-out, and a very good portable amp to go with it (jude has an iQube with it). I have a HeadRoom Portable Micro with it and for me, portable sound doesn't get any better.
Oh, and for the line-out cable? Get the cheapest one. Don't ask why.

 

[andersen]

Another big thumb up to the 7th gen ipod 160.
Connected with a quality LOD cable to my HP amp,as a source, it is on par with my shanling cdp (tried abx-ing). It's headamp stage is decent too,  my etymotics sound just as good direct from the ipod as through external amp. Can drive my big denons (d2000) nicely, but in that case i can see the improvements listening with external amp.
Still have 2 niggles: 1. my ipod refused to play about 5%  of my mp3's, I needed to rerip those cd's (very annyoing) 2. too low max volume (due to EU regulations?)

 

[Podtweaker]

Quote:

Even better if you just use it as a transport, which is probably the best use for the older 160GB version as the SQ of the iPod itself doesn't matter at all that way. Wadia, Onkyo, and Audio-Technica all have transport interfaces to use the iPod with a separate DAC/amp.
 

 

Are you sure the Onkyo & Audio-Technica docks also have digital out ? While they may sound good you will still be using the DAC inside the Ipod & it will remain a DAP rather than a "transport" unless you can access the digital signal to a DAC of your choice. Wadia, could really upset the hierarchy of hi-end portable alternatives if they entered the market with a LOD digital out to portable DAC/headphone amp combination. They've already started the ground work with the Transport dock. Why not just put whatever is in the dock into the DAC/amp unit?(I've been debating starting a whole seperate thread on this; The problem is the item may end up being as expensive (or more) than the HM 801 or other alternatives)
 

 

[d.g]

Quote:

Are you sure the Onkyo & Audio-Technica docks also have digital out ? While they may sound good you will still be using the DAC inside the Ipod & it will remain a DAP rather than a "transport" unless you can access the digital signal to a DAC of your choice. Wadia, could really upset the hierarchy of hi-end portable alternatives if they entered the market with a LOD digital out to portable DAC/headphone amp combination. They've already started the ground work with the Transport dock. Why not just put whatever is in the dock into the DAC/amp unit?(I've been debating starting a whole seperate thread on this; The problem is the item may end up being as expensive (or more) than the HM 801 or other alternatives)
 

The Onkyo is a genuine digital out from the ipod Podtweaker - was looking at them myself recently.

 

[grokit]

All three of the models I mentioned bypass the iPods' DAC and amp; not sure if the Audio-Technica has a digital output but it definitely takes the digital signal out of the iPod for external processing in its own DAC/amp. The Onkyo does indeed have a digital output similar to the Wadia.
 
There's no such thing as a LOD "digital out", except in the case of the iPad with the camera adapter. So far all of the LOD's for the iPod/Phone just bypass the amp, not the DAC. It's a good idea, though.
 
Quote:

Are you sure the Onkyo & Audio-Technica docks also have digital out ? While they may sound good you will still be using the DAC inside the Ipod & it will remain a DAP rather than a "transport" unless you can access the digital signal to a DAC of your choice. Wadia, could really upset the hierarchy of hi-end portable alternatives if they entered the market with a LOD digital out to portable DAC/headphone amp combination. They've already started the ground work with the Transport dock. Why not just put whatever is in the dock into the DAC/amp unit?(I've been debating starting a whole seperate thread on this; The problem is the item may end up being as expensive (or more) than the HM 801 or other alternatives)
 

 

[Podtweaker]

Quote:

All three of the models I mentioned bypass the iPods' DAC and amp; not sure if the Audio-Technica has a digital output but it definitely takes the digital signal out of the iPod for external processing in its own DAC/amp. The Onkyo does indeed have a digital output similar to the Wadia.
 
There's no such thing as a LOD "digital out", except in the case of the iPad with the camera adapter. So far all of the LOD's for the iPod/Phone just bypass the amp, not the DAC. It's a good idea, though.
 

 

Yes, sorry I know one does'nt exist . I was refering to a new cable/connection (maybe integrated w/ the DAC/amp) that would have to be engineered from the ground up by R & D at Wadia. (Yup, that woud cost us. As I mentioned, it might not be cost effective, so no-one has gone this route, yet) (It's just that it sure would be a hell of a lot easier for many of us if we could have state of the art Ipods with an aftermarket addon rather than search for other DAPs.(that we have to order from out of country & online) (yea, I'm getting old!)
 

 

[SimD]

Just dropping by to say I think the iPod Classic (2009) sounds fantastic with my JH 5 Pros.
 
Picked one up last week with my next MBP and have to say, it far exceeds my expectations. I have an old iPod 5th gen (60 gig) which had horrible sound quality compared to the current one! This one sounds so full and warm, compared to the 5th gen which I found to be shrill and dull sounding.
 
Compared to the iPhone 3G, they're about even, which makes me happy as I love the sound of my iPhone! Now I have the SQ with all the storage I need! Yay!
 
Just to recap. iPod Classic 160GB (2009) + JH Audio 5 Pro = Fun, lush, warm and foot-tappingly good sound!

 

[ChadHahn]

I want to chime in and say that I have the 2009 160 GB and am loving it.  I had the 80 GB 5.5 and saw the 160GB at a pawnshop so I bought it.  When I first filled it with music (ALAC) I compared a track on both iPods while listening through my Shure SE420s.  I thought that the 5.5 G was slightly better but only slightly.  Since I liked the fact that the 6.5 held twice as much music more than the slight increase in SQ of the 5.5 I'm now listening to the Classic.
 
By the way, I guess this is my first post.  I've been coming here for some time and thought I was a member, but I guess I wasn't.
 
Hi,
 
Chad