[alpha10]

My girlfriend got an iPod Touch a few days ago, amazing device, but as I was very curious about the sound, I compared it to my Sony A818, and I was surprised that the sound of the iPod is not that different from the Sony. The Sony a little warmer and less digital in sound, but the difference is really not that big, and compared to all the other features the iPod has, I believe this a winner.
 
I'm also considering the Sony X1060, but I'm not sure about the interface though....
 
Any comments are appreciated.
 
Thanks

 

[shigzeo]

I've not spent enough time with the touch 3G to know. I have the touch 2G and as much flack as Apple get for being Apple, the touch handily outdoes most of my players for neutral frequency response (might be what you hear when you say it sounds digital - you are playing back digital music. The only way to really get rid of digital sound is to listen to non-digital sources, or harm the actual sound quality through filters.) 
 
The touch performs as well or better than any Sony ever, but it lacks the warmth. It is wider, cleaner and hisses less. But then again, it is Apple. Put it in a HiFiman or something and it might be a revelation.

 

[n-ster]

itouch's DAC is very good also. With a simple amp, the ipod touch is a champ (ex: Fiio E5)

 

[azncookiecutter]

I like mine, no complaints whatsoever with the SQ.

 

[alpha10]

So, no need to think about the Sony X1060 then?

 

[tohni]

I like the touch's interface a lot, in fact it's the best I have seen on any device so far, and I like apps, but the sound quality just isn't there.  I am not biased towards any company, they all have their flaws. I am biased towards sound quality, i.e. sq as perceived by my ears. But I - that's ME - couldn't help but notice a difference between my touch 2g and the s9 or Samsung P3 sound wise. The touch quite simply lacks detail and I would have to agree with what many people on here say, it sounds muffled. The P3 sounds very wide and clear, the touch doesn't. Listen for cymbals or drums in general on an ipod touch with RE0s or any resolving phone, then switch to the P3 using the same track and headphones. You will be able to tell a difference.
Don't get me wrong, I have just ordered another touch after I sold my first one; but I did it knowing that sq would be compromised. Overall, the ipod touch is a neat little device, but sound quality is not one of its strong points. (Not for me it is)

 

[9inety2wo]

Quote:

I like the touch's interface a lot, in fact it's the best I have seen on any device so far, and I like apps, but the sound quality just isn't there.  I am not biased towards any company, they all have their flaws. I am biased towards sound quality, i.e. sq as perceived by my ears. But I - that's ME - couldn't help but notice a difference between my touch 2g and the s9 or Samsung P3 sound wise. The touch quite simply lacks detail and I would have to agree with what many people on here say, it sounds muffled. The P3 sounds very wide and clear, the touch doesn't. Listen for cymbals or drums in general on an ipod touch with RE0s or any resolving phone, then switch to the P3 using the same track and headphones. You will be able to tell a difference.
Don't get me wrong, I have just ordered another touch after I sold my first one; but I did it knowing that sq would be compromised. Overall, the ipod touch is a neat little device, but sound quality is not one of its strong points. (Not for me it is)

Do you think a fiio E1 would help the SQ?

 

[a_tumiwa]

agree with tohni, usually for portability or unamp, i use Samsung P3/M1 and when i want to use amp, i choose ipod touch > LOD

 

[tds101]

This FiiO might be better for the touch: http://www.fiio.com.cn/en/showproduct.asp?id=316
 
Designed for use as a LOD for the touch, or any iPod for that matter. How good it is I'm not sure,...

 

[shigzeo]

For a long time, I've been using the Fuze (rockbox, why not) and went back to the touch today. As much as I like the Fuze, there is just a little something something (hiss, grain) that I don't like as much. Both are excellent though and in no way inferior to the market.

 

[Inks]

Anyone compare an ipod touch with an e1 vs a sansa fuze/clip+?

 

[shigzeo]

Not an e1, but why? Comparison like: which is better is silly. It's been shown time and time again that people have no idea what they really want to hear. Blind test a volume matched fuze and iPod touch and I reckon the vast majority wouldn't notice the touch hisses less or that with the JH13Pro, there is better FR from the Fuze and better stereo separation from the touch.
 
Whichever suites your tastes is the one you should have: do you want to rockbox? Go Guze. Do you want video, go iPod touch. Do you want to feed a dying company? Go E1. They'll each get you there without crusading about which is the better (though 99% of 'audiophiles' will never know the difference).

 

[11amaberry]

The e1 wont change sq unless it has a better headphone out, but it will provide more power to your phones. What phones are you using?

 

[Inks]

RE0s, I heard the Fuze doesn't do them justice, so I plan on using my Ipod touch instead. Considered the e1 because of the benefits of the line out (making sure i get as much as I can on a budget) otherwise I plan on using HF5s instead which should do a lot better off of the fuze.

 

[shigzeo]

You need to do some homework with respect to line outs. Not all line outs are created equal. The iPod has a good one, perhaps the best in portable DAP land. There is no roll off, the signal is clean, and though you need a proprietary cable, it is great. 
 
However, line outs on my other sources: Fuze, Sony, Cowon X5 (long gone) were all rubbish in comparison. The Fuze, with special cable is pretty good, the Sony vary from unit to unit, some rolling off treble severely, others noisy or too quiet. The X5 rolled off the bass worse than the headphone out - with no load attached!
 
Line out is a stupid fashionable term here, but it should be passe as it has next to no relation to quality or sound. A good line out is good, but a mediocre line out is worse than a headphone out.