[dolifant]

I must say I'm pretty pleased with the sound using my new iPOD and the Senn 650s. I ripped my cds at 320khz ACC files, or the AIFF format. These yield huge filesizes, about 600mb per hour, but you can still get over 45 cds on the 40gb ipod.

This may be sacriligeous, but even some mp3s ripped at 192 don't sound unpleasant.

Even with the Bose noise cancellation phones it is not displeasing to me. And oh the airhead amp most definitely improves the sound from any headphones I tried. So much more of a feeling of being enveloped in the sound.

BTW, I don't suggest the ipod for your home rig. CD/SACD direct into a good headphone amp is the way to go.

 

[Oddball]

Quote:

Originally posted by dolifant This may be sacriligeous, but even some mp3s ripped at 192 don't sound unpleasant.

Of course they don't. They don't sound as great, but for portable listening, 192 is ok. The heresy only comes when you claim that 128 is near CD quality. Congrats on your iPod, it's a solid player. I still like my $400 paperweight even though I've been converted to the dark side (NJB3).

 

[xaipemw]

I have an iPod and Senn HD650's. And I personally don't like how the combination sounds together at ALL. In fact, for my iPod, I have Grado SR60's that blow smoke up the Senn's butt--but only when connected to a source like my iPod. Don't get me wrong, the 650's are my favorite thing in the world right now--I just need to plug them into a beefier source to make them sound good.

If you like how they sound now, all the more power to ya. Do you have an amp that you're using with the 650's, BTW? Because if you don't, there's no way it's going to sound as good as it should.

 

[Music Fanatic]

Hard to beat the Ipod plus Bose QC2 for wonderful airline flights.

 

[dolifant]

I use a Gilmoe V2/SE with the Senns for my home rig and it is very nice. I didn't mean to say that the ipod is the ultimate in fidelity. I use it for the airplanes with the Bose noise cancellation phones. Maybe etys would be better. I'll probably get around to them someday.

Its just that when I compare the Bose to the Senns to a cheap headphone, I prefer the Senns, even with the iPOD. I just like the laid back confident sound they give, especially with the TAH amp. Even though the iOD alone can drive the Senns, the TAH blows the iPOD away. The iPOD alone sounds anemic after listening to the TAH.

We all have our own ears to please, don't we. I am just happy to have joined here and learned enough to get headphone happy!

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally posted by Oddball Of course they don't. They don't sound as great, but for portable listening, 192 is ok.

I agree that 192 (or more precisely, VBR with an average bitrate of at least 192) is a good compromise if you're listening to digital audio on the go. Quote:

The heresy only comes when you claim that 128 is near CD quality.

Yep, even in a noisy train I can still hear a substantial difference between 128 and original audio CDs.