[Sittler27]

I recently picked up an 80GB iPod Classic and a pair of Shure SE210s.

I've ripped all my music to FLAC from original CDs, and then converted the FLACs to 320Kbps MP3s using LAME.

My question is:
Could I spend less money (let's say, on the headphones), and get the same sound quality?

 

[rockin_amigo14]

If you want great quality for cheap, the key is ignorance. Get some cheap things that have a good reputation.

ex: Zune 30gb + Crossroads X3. Can both be had new for probably around $250, and sound very good together.

I, for one, spend most of my money on the source, as I believe that's what can make the most difference.

 

[Sittler27]

So the Zune 30GB sounds better than the iPods?

My main home audio RIG for music is:
Onkyo TX-SR705 AVR (in Pure Audio mode)
Paradigm Monitor 7s

This is fed by my HTPC which houses all FLAC files ripped using EAC from the original CDs. Sounds really good via optical cable from my onboard audio.

My main reason for buying an iPod was to get a docking station that would allow me to just have the iPod there using a remote, but I think because the iPod plays MP3 only (I re-ripped all my FLACs to 320kbps MP3s using LAME), and the connector from the docking station is analog, that I'm probably going to get much poorer audio from the iPod/docking station rig than from the HTPC FLAC rig.

That being assumed, then I won't need an 80GB iPod, just something like an 8GB Nano to carry my most critical music for travelling and jogging. Thus, it would be nice to have some nice ear phones, but again my most critical listening will be through my Paradigms.

Any opinions on all of this is welcome.

 

[rockin_amigo14]

iPods support their own kind of lossless, ALAC (i believe that's what it's called)

you may want to try that?

 

[Sittler27]

So can you convert FLAC to the ALAC and retain the losslessness?

 

[rockin_amigo14]

yes

 

[Sittler27]

And will it sound better than 320kbps MP3s ripped from those same FLACs with my portable rig? (iPod Classic & Shure SE210s)?

 

[davidr2287]

Of all the ipods, I wouldnt recommend the ipod Touch if your looking for good sound quality. I recently traded my Archos 605 30 GB for it, and the archos clearly sounds better than the touch(and the archos sound quality aint much too brag about). Even listening to apple lossles sounded worse than listening to 128kbs mp3 on the archos.

So the source you use really does make a difference

 

[yslee]

Err... nope, I don't think so. Biggest difference probably starts from the 'phones, then the source. Touch may not be great, but it's not night and day as some people make it out to be.