Ipod Nano sound quality???

[DigDub]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsychoZX None of the ipods (as far as i'm aware) distort unless you use their crappy built in eq.

some ipod photo had problems with piano solos.

 

[PsychoZX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigDub some ipod photo had problems with piano solos.

Really? This is the first I've heard of this. Is it only the Color ipods and ipod photos?

 

[Mr.Sneis]

You guys should take this with a grain of salt:

http://forums.ilounge.com/showthread...hreadid=116188

His consensus is that the Nano sounds better than the 4g

 

[Wodgy]

I wish PC Magazine shared the details of their measurements. That would settle the bass issue definitively. From their verbal description of their measurements, it does sound like the bass rolloff issue has been resolved. (People's first impressions seem to confirm that as well, but first impressions are sometimes mistaken.)

If anyone runs across any measurements of the Nano, please post a link.

 

[TRiN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wodgy I wish PC Magazine shared the details of their measurements. That would settle the bass issue definitively. From their verbal description of their measurements, it does sound like the bass rolloff issue has been resolved. (People's first impressions seem to confirm that as well, but first impressions are sometimes mistaken.) If anyone runs across any measurements of the Nano, please post a link.

There's an older article from PCMag which tested the Shuffle with other players and showed his methodology.

Clicky!

Also note it's the same editor which tested the nano as well. Hopefully this will give you an idea about the nano's SQ in relation to the other ipods.

 

[tennisets]

For what it's worth, I listened to the Nano last night, but I was using RS-1s straight from the headphone jack. I did the same with the Creative Zen Micro that I had for a couple days. The Creative sounded better, and had a lot more (and better) bass, but the Zen's headphone output stage was fairly significantly beefier (at least that was the impression I got). I had to turn the ipod up more to get the same volume, and the RS-1s did not sound as much like they should on the iPOd as they did on the Micro.

So, I think the nano MIGHT still have a bass rollof issue, but I can't really say until I use it with my E2s.

 

[discord]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsychoZX Really? This is the first I've heard of this. Is it only the Color ipods and ipod photos?

http://forums.ilounge.com/showthread...threadid=91130

 

[kugino]

at least there are no static issues with the nano since there's no HD...i feel like the headphone output is a bit less powerful than my 4g, requiring a higher level to get the same sound ouput, but they sound awfully similar (awful in a "very" sense)

 

[gowrygabriev]

It's disappointing to hear that the nano doesn't measure up to Creative's micro. I bought a micro last week and was hoping to replace it with the much thinner and nicer looking nano...I'd hoped the nano shared the shuffle's output. I'll continue to hold out until someone does an RMAA test..but comments aren't sounding good. However, SQ is the most important thing to me, so I'll be sticking with the micro. It sounds really good with my Shure E5's.

I've thought about buying an amp, but it just seems it'd be a hassle in terms of portability. I like just sticking my micro in my pocket and listening while going for a walk or on the train.

I'm still in need of a 40-60GB player with great SQ,though. Hopefully someone will come out with a player with a nice and beefy amp built in!

Gowry

 

[sno1man]

Well now that I'm back home, i can do a better comparison of the nano sound quality with the range of phones that I own and use. Not a comprehensive list but my wallet is not either.

Also this is based strictly on my probably flawed ears with my music all in 192kb AAC ripped on a Mac. Music consisting of Bloc Party Silent Alarm, Miles Davis Sketches of Spain (remastered), Philip Glass and Brian Eno Low Symphony, Emmylou Harris Elite Hotel, loading all the same files on all machines

No testing instruments

I have currently:

60GB ipod photo (when they still called them photo)
Blue 6gb ipod mini (second gen)
Silver 4gb ipod mini (first gen) (now my neices)
Ipod Shuffle 1GB (girlfriends)
Nano 4gb

Sony Ex71
Shure E4c
Super Fi 5 pro
Apple Earbuds (my running, i don't give a damn if they get broke, freebies)

And the winner is........ well it depends

The only clear loser was the original ipod mini. It did not sound the best with any of the phones having the weakest bass.

The sony 71's are definitely a distant third in headphone sound though a bit better than the apple ear buds (except for cable noise when running) and not as awful as I remembered after getting my shures

To my ears, it's a virtual tie between the shuffle and the nano with the shure phones, and I would give a very slight edge to the nano over the shuffle when used with the superfis which just had the most pleasing sound to my ears (only way to describe it), but only by the slimmest of margins.

The photo definitely sounded best by a long shot with the super fi's though still back from the nano or shuffle. The shure's had weak bass with the photo as many have described here. And by the way, my photo does not seem to have the distortion problem that some have reported on.

The 2nd gen mini was a consistent 4th regardless of the phones.

This is as far as I intend to go in testing this out because I find if i don't i'll get obsessive about it and lose sight that the reason I have these things is to enjoy my music. I cant tell you the number of times i ripped, then re-ripped, then ripped yet again when I got hung up in bit rate and mp3 versus AAC crap.

So ones person's very un-scientific opinion.....

 

[kelvinz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by titaniumx3 So you have no problems with the bass straight out of the headphone out? If I'm gonna get the nano I want deep solid bass for my ER6i.

ROFL.

 

[titaniumx3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelvinz ROFL.

 

[Oga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sno1man The problem is that something like that or even a radio or recorder increases the geek factor and drives away the broader consumer which is who they are after anyway

Wow, I didn't realize that FM radio is only listed to by "geeks". Is that how it got to be - and remains so popular, ubiquitous and profitable? Seems to me more likely that it is only geeks who would not want radio!

Come on, the truth is more likely that Apple is
1) continuing the jedi mind trick they did on the Shuffle "oh, you don't really want a screen/radio" - in order to cut costs
2) intentionally locking out radio broadcasting in order to further push "pod-casting", which they want to make money out of
3) furthermore blocking radio broadcast ie free music from coming into a device whose business model is actually built on them (Apple) selling music to you

That's the disadvantage of buying your hardware (MP3 player) from a vendor (Apple) who is in the business of peddling their own software (Itunes music store) Their best interests do not always coincide with yours. Better to buy your MP3 player from someone who simply wants to sell you the best MP3 player you can get, rather than one who is actually just trying to lock you in to buy their music.

Therefore, I'd expect to NEVER see a radio on an Ipod, despite the HUGE and obvious demand for that feature.

 

[Daemos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by titaniumx3

What he means you'll probally never get that out of an ipod

 

[tennisets]

If the nano did have a radio, it would be completely worthless. Why? Reception from any antenna you can fit in such a tiny device would be abysmal. And if the nano had that radio which didn't really work, what would people say then?

"They should have left off the radio, there's no point in having it."

With no radio, people want one. But if there was one it would probably be so worthless anyway that people would rather it was left off in the first place. Whatever Apple does, there will be always be people who think they should have done something they didn't, or that they shouldn't have done something they did. It's a vicious cycle.

Edit: Oh, and I changed my mind. The nano sounds pretty good after all. My bad.