[tds101]

Quote:

fail

I agree.

 

[moonsurf]

Interesting..  I am yet to try iphone 4 an extensive listening, but my experiences with 3g and 3gs as that they are superb, not just as phone, but as a MP3 player in general.  At least, they were much better than my sony (forgot the model number. A something) and iriver (HDD one) for my ears.  And, I read that many people like iphone 4 even more than 3g and 3gs.  Have you had a chance to hit the link I had above?  Well, if it's bad to your ears, it bad for you period.  But, just wondering where you are coming from.
 
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i9000_galaxy_s_vs_apple_iphone_4-review-500p6.php
 
 
Quote:

The iPhone 4 sounds truly horrible in most cases - the top end is "tizzy" and there's almost no useful bass end.  There is quite a lot of white noise when not playing anything (it's actually really noisy!).  In common with EVERY Apple product I've tried (and reviewed), it promises a lot, costs a lot, but delivers very little and very poorly.  Get a Galaxy S - it's better in EVERY way!

 

[grokit]

I doubt mictester has ever heard or reviewed any "i" device. Winner for the most trollish first post ever though.

 

[Pokefan]

Quote:

I'm probably getting an iPhone 4 shortly, and from all my listening experience w/iPods and such it never sounded THAT BAD!!! iPods tend to be a bit shallow in the bass dept, but they're pretty clean sounding. W/the new iOS 4 software the presets are even acceptable. It's not custom, but it's do-able. Saying the iPhone sounds that bad is a mediocre attempt at trolling.

You can set up a custom EQ for songs if you go to View > Show Equalizer in itunes. It will embed the EQ setting to the song and then you can load it back to your device. Sucks that you can't do it on the go but it's better than nothing. If you have a custom EQ setting that you like across the board just select all and then set your EQ.

 

[tds101]

@moonsurf: I agree the troll is way off base, but most of us are in agreement when a Sony A Series is concerned - it's 1 of the best sounding DAP's made. The iPhone and touch do NOT sound better than it,......the iPhone and touch are just better convergence devices. TBH I'll most likely be getting a new iPhone by the end of the year, but I'll keep my Cowon & Sony devices for major listening - the SQ on them makes them well worth keeping. That's the 1 thing wrong w/an iPhone/touch - they sound good, but not Sony, Samsung, or Cowon good.

 

[tds101]

Quote:

You can set up a custom EQ for songs if you go to View > Show Equalizer in itunes. It will embed the EQ setting to the song and then you can load it back to your device. Sucks that you can't do it on the go but it's better than nothing. If you have a custom EQ setting that you like across the board just select all and then set your EQ.

No, the custom setting only applies to the iTunes software, and doesn't work on a iPhone/touch. Read:
 

iPod: About the Equalizer

 

Notes

• iPod does not use custom equalizer settings made in iTunes.
• You can't create custom equalizer settings on iPod, or transfer custom settings to iPod.
• Turn EQ off if you don’t use it. Equalizer is a feature that uses your iPod battery more quickly. If you don’t use EQ, your iPod will play tunes longer. Adding EQs to playback uses more of your iPod processor, since they aren’t encoded in the song. If, however, you’ve added EQ to tracks in iTunes, you’ll need to set EQ to “flat�? in order to have the effect of “off,�? because iPod keeps your iTunes settings intact.

 
C/O Apple Support
 
And another thread concerning the same comment:

 

iPod Custom EQ - Yes, it CAN be done!!!

 
We go through this every now and again,.....

 

[the diode]

I like the sound from my iPhone 4. I am currently using my SE530s but cant wait to get my JH-13s in so I can enjoy much more. I hope that I can find an amp that I like to go with it well. I have a iBasso D10 and have a TTVJ Slim on the way.

 

[Pokefan]

Thanks. All of that reads pretty confusing though.
 
To me:
 

• iPod does not use custom equalizer settings made in iTunes.
• Turn EQ off if you don’t use it. Equalizer is a feature that uses your iPod battery more quickly. If you don’t use EQ, your iPod will play tunes longer. Adding EQs to playback uses more of your iPod processor, since they aren’t encoded in the song. If, however, you’ve added EQ to tracks in iTunes, you’ll need to set EQ to “flat�? in order to have the effect of “off,�? because iPod keeps your iTunes settings intact.

 
Those two seem to contradict each other, maybe it's just me. There's go to be a way around this some how though.
 
Both of these seem to say it's possible. Does any one REALLY know if this works or not?
Set custom EQ
iPhone EQ
Quote:

No, the custom setting only applies to the iTunes software, and doesn't work on a iPhone/touch. Read:
 

iPod: About the Equalizer

 

Notes

• iPod does not use custom equalizer settings made in iTunes.
• You can't create custom equalizer settings on iPod, or transfer custom settings to iPod.
• Turn EQ off if you don’t use it. Equalizer is a feature that uses your iPod battery more quickly. If you don’t use EQ, your iPod will play tunes longer. Adding EQs to playback uses more of your iPod processor, since they aren’t encoded in the song. If, however, you’ve added EQ to tracks in iTunes, you’ll need to set EQ to “flat�? in order to have the effect of “off,�? because iPod keeps your iTunes settings intact.

 
C/O Apple Support
 
And another thread concerning the same comment:

 

iPod Custom EQ - Yes, it CAN be done!!!

 
We go through this every now and again,.....

 

[moonsurf]

I agree to certain extends of sony players.  And, that's actually I got my sony player at the first time.  But, when I compared my sony and iphone 3g (iphone 2 right), the sound quality was about par.  Someone who likes warm sounds or with cold analytical phones must have preferred sony by a wide margin.  But to my ears, 3g sounded better.  Many people compared my 3g and sony concluded 3g was better.  It's possible that some of my phones was warm side that people preferred 3g.  But, even with my PFE, 3g sounded with much more clarity and neutrality. Still I must admit that I have to give bass to sony for it extends very well.  Again I forgot my sony's model number but it was A something..   I got it more than a couple years ago.  Oh.. another thing.. Sony may sounds better at MP3 files, but at least my sony sucks at wav files.  I mean it plays ok, but doesn't sound too different compared to mp3 files.  Where as with 3g and lossless or wav is wonderful.  However, 3gs sounded even better.  Just to my ears

  
 
Quote:

@moonsurf: I agree the troll is way off base, but most of us are in agreement when a Sony A Series is concerned - it's 1 of the best sounding DAP's made. The iPhone and touch do NOT sound better than it,......the iPhone and touch are just better convergence devices. TBH I'll most likely be getting a new iPhone by the end of the year, but I'll keep my Cowon & Sony devices for major listening - the SQ on them makes them well worth keeping. That's the 1 thing wrong w/an iPhone/touch - they sound good, but not Sony, Samsung, or Cowon good.

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

 
 
Something they didn't fix is the large volume steps.

I just posted this in another thread.
 
Quote:

  Your problem is easy to fix. Go into Settings > iPod  > Volume Limit. Drag the bar to reduce the maximum volume. I suggest that you start by trying it at the half way point. Exit and return to listening to your iPod. A click on the volume buttons will now swing the actual volume by half the amount as before. You can fine tune the extent of the swing by adjusting the Volume Limit slider.

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

To anyone of you who get the new iPhone 4 - bless you all!! I can't wait till Sept so me and the Mrs can get ours. And the fact that the SQ is improving (no more distortion while using the EQ? EXCELLENT!!!) is a godsend. Plus, the fantastic battery life really makes the smexy beast a real winner!!!!
 
Enjoy

I haven't read this whole thread so apologies if this was already mentioned. The end of EQ distortion is part of OS 4 and now applies equally to the iPhone 3GS (and perhaps to other iPhones also.)
 
How it works is that the overall volume level is lowered so that the most boosted frequency is still at its original volume. This is very effective to solve the prior doistortion problem. I still don't use EQ though.
 

 

[CoryGillmore]

A buddy of mine can sell me his iPod video 5.5 80gb. Do you guys think that there would be a SQ improvement over my iPhone 4 setup? I would pair the iPod video with my SR-71a. Does the iPod video 5.5 have a better line out than the iPhone 4? Would it be better to use the 80gb ipod as my main portable rig and keep my phone on my hip? Does anyone have both to compare? I realize I could have it converted to an imod in the future but I'm talking about a stock ipod 5.5 vs an iPhone 4 using an amp.
 
Plus, it would be great to take all the lossless audio off of my phone and free up space for games and apps and such. My 32 i4 barely hold all my music and all the other stuff an iPhone should have on it. It would be great to use the ipod as my primary music player and free up some space on the i4. So long as the ipod 5.5 was better or at least on par with the i4's line out SQ.

 

[CoryGillmore]

Quote:

I just did some basic comparison between the iPhone 4 and my iPod 5.5g thought I'd share some thoughts~
 
Used amp and lod as per my sig. Same volume set for all tests. Tested using TF10s.
 
1. Unamped Test, the iPhone 4 actually sounds better than the iPod, straight out of the headphone jacks.
2. The iPhone seems to differ only very slightly amped and unamped.
3. Test with amp, the iPod 5.5g definitely sounds better than the iPhone 4.
 
Sound quality ranking iPod+amp > iPhone+amp >= iPhone w/o amp > iPod w/o amp.
 
With my current setup, I'd say don't bother amping the iPhone~ hardly any difference... instrument separation is still all camped up with hardly any depth. Soundstage's fine though.
 
Stick to iPods at least for a more enjoyable music listening experience (within the "i" family that is...)

Can anyone else confirm this?
 

 

[madams5000]

I can't talk to the 5.5 comparison, but can talk a little about hp out vs lo and instrument separation. It is true that the instruments do get crowded a bit out of the hp port, but using um3x and t3 on lo opens them right back up for me. I'm actually getting a little spacial separation I'm not used to with the um3x using lo as well. Nothing that is earth shattering, but more than I'd heard through my 3g. I find either way of listening to the phone very enjoyable, but line out is more pure. Using my IE6 I seem to like the hp out better. There's maybe a not quite flat output of the hp port (higher on bass end) that gives a pretty warm sound with them. I assume that is part of why the instrument separation is mudded up is because the low and low mid might be a ltittle elevated.
 
Quote:

Can anyone else confirm this?
 

 

[H22]

Well I broke down and bought an iphone4 . Intact I am posting this with it so please bear with the spelling errors (small touch screen still getting used to it).

My initial thoughts were that it sounded pretty good through my TF10's, but the highs were a very tinny on some tracks. But the TF10's are kind of tinny up there anyway so I don't want to put that all on the iPhone.
After a few hours of play though the highs seem to be sounding more natural.
Overall I like the signature, sounds bright to me,heavy mids, but not in a bad way, the low end sounds like i think it "should" (more on that later).
Just plugged my E3X's into it, while not as "fun" as the TF10's they are a more neutral phone but are much more subdued (dark) on the high end. These sound good to me as well, highs are still there but more natural and less sparkly, mids are forward with these as we'll, but in a nice "live" kind of way.
The lows to me are good with these also.

So far I like the sound, but I want to A/B it against my sonyX and rockboxes sans clip.

What I don't like: the EQ still sucks. Now I find I don't really want to use it as much as I do with my other players, but I am spoiled with the X's and the RBclip's EQ's. Some trace I just wanna pump the low end (bit of a bass head) and with this player it just doesn't hold a candle to the over players. Bummer,cause I do like he sound and the UI is by far the best. Overall I am not dissapointed at all (except the EQ....) I
Think apple did a commendable job, weather by chance or not. It-could still be (and should be) better, my rockboxed clipplus is simply stunning for what it is, and he Sony has it's own very nice sound and very nice EQ. But at this point I am almost ready to put the iphone4 up there with these two in terms of un-EQed SQ, if not possibly better, but figure the EQ into the equation and it gets more complicated.