[DunninLA]

rolloff means that as the bass gets lower and lower, for example under 60hz, the bass output of the player gets less and less.

It is another way of saying it sucks at low bass (20-40hz).

 

[synaesthetic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramstryke /img/forum/go_quote.gif can someone describe rolloff? Sorry < newb.. I'm guessing I've heard it but didnt think anything of it..

Bass roll-off in DAPs is usually caused by low-quality, small microfarads DC blocking capacitors on the headphone output. These are necessary, since they prevent DC voltage from creeping out into your headphones and blowing the drivers.

However, if the capacitors are too small, and your headphone impedance is too low, you wind up creating a high-pass filter with a corner frequency somewhere in the bass, resulting in rolled-off lows.

I've never encountered a DAP that did not have this problem. The Sony players absolutely have this problem, they just compensate for it with a naturally bassy sound.

 

[ramstryke]

hmm.. cant say that i've noticed.. guess I need to hear it to know it...

 

[synaesthetic]

Well, even older Sony PCDPs that have plenty of room to put output caps large enough to keep the bass from rolling off, never seem to have them.

Keeping production costs down I guess, using a 220uf instead of 470uf.

 

[onurrus]

What about any other options like Iriver clix2 or Sansa clip.I use iriver clix+ and it sounds very sweet and warm.

 

[shigzeo]

the reason you may never have noticed is that most players do not have quality caps or instead of using two caps, use only one. a handful of players actually use dual caps and while not perfect, at least suffer one issue less: bass roll off.

my sony, and ipod shuffle 1g absolutely do not roll off with low ohm phones. i have tested both with my ears and with computer equipment and even with 16ohm phones, the path nearing 20hz is completely linear.

with most players, that path starts a downward hill about 100hz to become inaudible even at -20db at around 30hz.

with enough roll off, all you get is boom, where the bass is faster rather than the nice trembly rumbly bass that creates definition and space.

edit: if the clix sounds good for you then don't worry. it was not for me. the sansa has good performance for bass roll off but suffers a small stage compared to nearly any maligned ipod out there in the last 4 years.

 

[ramstryke]

what i meant though, is that i dont even know what to listen for to determine if it is indeed rolling off haha.

kinda like that scratch on your car that you dont see til your friend tells you and then u cant stop seeing it...

 

[shigzeo]

well, if that happened to my bike: dammit. (i don't have a car). by the way, i see that avatar frequently... fotm? haha

 

[SOUNDinterpreter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by toughnut /img/forum/go_quote.gif on S638 with UM2, i can only hear noticeable hiss when i crank the volume to 20/30 with no music, faint hiss at 10/30. on D2, even 5/40 i can start hearing hiss. Maybe UM2 is less sensitive than SE530? Anyway, updated the score for S638 Navigation. Actually once u get hold of the control, it's quite easy. Too bad u cant adjust the scan speed like D2. FF/RW in a song is very slow.

wow 20/30? i usually use my um2's with my a728 volume set at 5/30...7 max.

 

[Nailzs]

Of the 3 DAP's I have, even my Sansa that's Rockboxed, none sound better to me than my D2, especially with the Jet Effects to configure.

 

[shigzeo]

well sound is a personal opinion: not sound quality but sound preference is. the d2 technically hasn't the sound quality of the sony but that does not mean that it sounds worse to you. i was not a fan and sony is not my favourite sounding player but i do like it quite a bit.

 

[toughnut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOUNDinterpreter /img/forum/go_quote.gif wow 20/30? i usually use my um2's with my a728 volume set at 5/30...7 max.

Just for testing, no music played. I will be deaf if i'm listening at that volume. Max i can go currently is 15/30 with triple.fi, normalizer ON.