[BodiesOfLight]

I read that all the iPod photos (30, 40, 60GB) have an issue about sound distortion, has something to do with reengineer the headphone jack to accomodate the video out feed. In doing so, sounds that are higher in frequency tend to distort or crackle.

On Apple discussion boards, the problems seem to be quite serious (professional tests done).

I read this off ilounge.

 

[discord]

I've listened to all those songs on that thread before and never found distortion on mine.

 

[outsidelookingin]

the distortion doesn't occur unless you're using the equalizer..I'm pretty sure

 

[Taphil]

I don't listen to classical music, but a while ago I tried to listen for the distortion but never really was sure if I heard it. I had a 4G b/w iPod that made a high-pitched sqealing noise when the hard drive was spinning, and that was really bad whereas nothing as serious as that did I find on my iPod color.

 

[discord]

Quote:

Originally Posted by outsidelookingin the distortion doesn't occur unless you're using the equalizer..I'm pretty sure

Well that's true but it was mainly a problem with low impedence headphones and certain types of music where the distortion occured.(classical, piano solos, Radiohead - Subterranean Homesick Alien)

 

[DRSpeed85]

I dont hear any distortion with my ipod. Even when a violin his its highest highs, its clean. EQ is much better through line-out than headphone0out but it still distorts the sound quite abit.

 

[xand1x]

I've heard thing same thing many times before. Initally I read this at the iLounge forums, and was quite upset because I had purchased an Ipod Photo days before acquiring this knowledge. From what i've heard out of the Ipod though it isnt as bad as people make it out to be! Regardless, this issue was never a determining factor in my portable audio experience due to use of the line-out feature of the Ipod.

 

[mjg]

ipod photo also, 60 gig... Same deal as the above poster, i found out about the so called "crisis" after i purchased it.. I only sort of witnessed it a little with e4's out of headphone out, on some songs.. Yet, it's nothign really, with line out it's non existant, and to me, no player is perfect... It didn't make my ears cringe or make me spaz out like everyone else who complained, and i consider myself a pretty discerning listener actually.

 

[soulmaker]

i am deadly sure it happens all the time, expecially when playing the piano music. it is killing me and makes me want to smash the ipod.(with the A8 and ER4)

 

[Bob_McBob]

Most piano solos are unlistenable on my 20GB colour model with er6is. Some are worse than others; on bad tracks, every single note is distorted (the Pollini track from the ilounge thread, for example). I can still hear it in the background with my MS-1s, but it's somewhat more subtle (but still ruins my listening experience). I can barely hear it at all with most types of music like rock and pop, but it's there in certain Radiohead and Cardigans tracks (and others). There is no problem through the line-out (or even when I amp the headphone output), so I use my PA2V2 whenever I want to listen to piano music.

 

[Jmmmmm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BodiesOfLight I read that all the iPod photos (30, 40, 60GB) have an issue about sound distortion, has something to do with reengineer the headphone jack to accomodate the video out feed. In doing so, sounds that are higher in frequency tend to distort or crackle. On Apple discussion boards, the problems seem to be quite serious (professional tests done). I read this off ilounge.

Ipod photos have distortion? Especially with piano solos?
Naye!

Looks like it's been mentioned before

Thanks for the heads-up though...

 

[Nicolaij R.]

The distortion issue is not a legend...
But... Only with certain type of earphones (I use E4) and only with very specific kind of music... All the classical music for piano solo that I have (and I have a large amount) is UNHEARABLE: I mean that every single note is distorted!!

Lucky the iPod headphone amp can be bypassed using the lineout and the problem vanishes.

Another good news is that using the iPod headphone out with an inline attenuator helps to remove almost all the distortion...