[Joohunta]

Hi guys i've recently upgraded my iphone 3GS to the 4S, and the moment i plugged them in to my Triplefi.10s/ XBA-4 , everything sounded muddy and unclear to me, unlike to my old 3GS (blew me away, sounded wayyy better than my sansa clip+ and laptop), read up a bunch of articles and it turns out that the audio chip used for the 4S slightly differs from the one used in the 3GS, as it supposedly uses less power to prolong battery life.
 
so the big question is,
 
will a headphone amp solve the issue on the horrible audio on the 4S's side, and sound equally good as an amped 3GS?

 

[noobass456]

3gs uses a wolfsen while 4s uses a s logic that's why. I reckon you got to use an external DAC to bypass the logic in 4s via the line out. Amplifier only amplifies the signal. 

 

[Joohunta]

haha thanks, nope the 3GS actually uses a cirrus logic chip as well, it's the 3G with the wolfsen chip...

 

[noobass456]

Quote:

haha thanks, nope the 3GS actually uses a cirrus logic chip as well, it's the 3G with the wolfsen chip...

Oh, then i have no idea why the sound is different. haha. But u can use an external dac to bypass the chip.

 

[DarkAudit]

Quote:

Oh, then i have no idea why the sound is different. haha. But u can use an external dac to bypass the chip.

From other threads I've seen, I don't think that's the case.

 

[Contraz]

Slightly off-topic, but how is the iPhone 4S sound quality compared to the latest iPod classic?

 

[Joohunta]

classic uses the same chip as 3GS i think

 

[calipilot227]

Quote:

Slightly off-topic, but how is the iPhone 4S sound quality compared to the latest iPod classic?

Not sure about the 4S, but my iPhone 4 sounds significantly better than my 2007-model iPod classic (almost no amplifier hiss, low output impedance)
 

 

[ubercaffeinated]

Quote:

Not sure about the 4S, but my iPhone 4 sounds significantly better than my 2007-model iPod classic (almost no amplifier hiss, low output impedance)
 

yep, both the iphone 4 and iphone 4s are "audiophile grade" portable sources (whatever that means). their measurements speak for themselves, and the iphone 4s should sound technically better than the 3gs.
 
the 4 has an output impedance of 0.97, while the 4s has an output impedance of 1.8 or so. 

 

[calipilot227]

Quote:

the 4 has an output impedance of 0.97, while the 4s has an output impedance of 1.8 or so. 

That's a much bigger difference than I thought 

 

 

[Double C]

I don't consider my ears 'audiophile' but my iphone 4 sounds fantastic! (amped through line out and unamped) I also have the 3g and I felt the 4 sounded a tiny bit clearer, but barely.
 
 

 

[iluvmusic]

Quote:

I don't consider my ears 'audiophile' but my iphone 4 sounds fantastic! (amped through line out and unamped) I also have the 3g and I felt the 4 sounded a tiny bit clearer, but barely.
 
 

ipod touch 4G  is still the best IOS DAC i have heard but the 4S is very very close to it...  just slightly less warm

 

[krismusic]

Quote:

ipod touch 4G  is still the best IOS DAC i have heard but the 4S is very very close to it...  just slightly less warm

That may explain why my 4s sounds so good with my IE 8's...

 

[goodvibes]

Quote:

ipod touch 4G  is still the best IOS DAC i have heard but the 4S is very very close to it...  just slightly less warm

I still prefer my touch 3g as line or dig out but the 4g amp is clearly better.

 

[jasonb]

I love my iPhone 4 as a source for IEM's. For full size can's it needs to be more powerful, but for IEM's it's great, I'm sure an e11 would help for full size headphones.