[Robster1958]

Lex:
is the audio quality on your new version as good as the old. especially no hiss or other internal noise? i'm hoping with the price decrease, no corners were cut vs. original models.

thanks

 

[Taphil]

I've read that the volume on the new models is lower. I don't know why that is though, but a firmware update can certainly fix that if it's the firmware that's the problem.

 

[MacDEF]

That sounds odd to me, only because the engineers I talked to at the Expo said that electronically the new models are identical to the old models in every way except for the remote.

That said, I'd also be willing to believe that having the remote in the signal path provides a tiny bit of resistance; I'd be interested to find out if the people who said that also tried to listen without the remote attached.

 

[lextek]

It sounds just as good as the "old' iPods. As far as volume I didn't notice any difference.

 

[Kevin]

I have a new 20gb iPod and the quality is the same as the 5 & 10 gig iPods I've owned. The newer ear phones (on those rare occasions that I actually use them) sound much better than the previous batch. Better bass response and the smaller size is much more comfortable in the ear.

The remote sends signals to the iPod for everything, including the volume. In other words there is nothing in the remote itself that lowers or increases the volume. It sends a signal to the iPod to increase or lower the volume.

 

[andrzejpw]

we mean that maybe the remote itself turns the volume down a notch. Not sure though, I don't have one.

 

[Kevin]

I guess I wasn't very clear in my previous post.

Some remotes or volume controls on headphone cables (such as the sennheiser extension cable) have some sort of electronics that decreases the volume. In other words the source is sending a signal and the remote can decrease that signal (turn the volume down) or by fully opening it will allow for the full volume that the source is set to send. It can not go louder than the volume level source device is set to.

On the iPod the remote does not affect the signal sent by the iPod. If you watch the iPod screen while using the remote you can see that when you adjust the volume, the volume indicator screen comes on the iPod and the level is adjusted. You may also increase the volume past where it was set on the iPod originally. The iPod controls the volume - not the remote.

 

[lextek]

For kicks I plugged the new remote into an old 10 gig iPod and worked perfectly. Interesting.

 

[Kevin]

there was always firmware and hardware that would support a remote - even on the first 5 gig iPods. You can buy a remore with the new headphones from Apple for $39.00

 

[zhtham]

Kevin,

Couple o' questions for ya, hope you can help me out here, thanks in advance

I thought the 20GB ver. is not available til' September? Where did you get hold of one so soon?

Do you hear any "hiss" when you use it with your amp and low Z headphones like Grados? The reason i'm asking is because as far as i know, IPod has no line out. And i'm wondering will using a headphone out affects the quality of sound?

Z.

 

[lextek]

You might be thinking of the Windows version. They usually lag behind. I've used Ety 4P;s and Grado SR60's without a hiss. With and without an amp.. The amps I've tried with the iPode were JMT Penguin, 4.5 TA and Cosmic.

 

[Kevin]

The 20 gig iPod became available in the Apple Stores on 8/1. I understand people who ordered from Apple's web site are receiving them yesterday and today.

I have had no problem with hiss using the iPod. You need to set the voume to a moderate level on the iPod and then adjust the volume on the amp. I use grados without an amp and it sounds great. I rip my mp3's at a high rate (320) so that may make a difference.

Kevin

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Originally posted by Kevin The iPod controls the volume - not the remote.

I knew what you meant, Kevin

What I meant above when I said:

Quote:

That said, I'd also be willing to believe that having the remote in the signal path provides a tiny bit of resistance; I'd be interested to find out if the people who said that also tried to listen without the remote attached.

is that many remotes like the iPod's unintentionally affect the signal path, so perhaps the person who felt the new ones weren't as loud was experiencing a slight difference in volume due to a slight resistance added (unintentionally) by the remote circuitry. Then again, maybe it was the drugs