Sound distortion, anyone else notice it?

[jrkong]

i guess it could be my iPhone amp, but then again i used the same thing with my other headphones and  I didn't really notice

 

[Willakan]

If your iPhone is clipping audibly with your headphones that are designed to be driven from such things you're probably listening insanely loudly.

 

[jrkong]

i listen to my iPhone at about 45-70% so i dont think that's the problem

 

[Uncle Erik]

I still think you're clipping. The typical iPod only puts out about 30mW of power. Enough for an IEM but will clip with more demanding loads.

 

[jrkong]

thanks for the input but can you explain why this didn't happen with my IE7's, and i actually agree on my pc it sounds nearly if not on par as the IE7's were, I find this VERY odd

 

[Antony6555]

IE7s and other iems require less power. You should consider a dedicated heaphone amps, since a computer and ipod both have weak outputs and larger headphones often require more power than they can provide.

 

[jrkong]

WAIT WHAT? Isn't the impedance of the IE7's and the IE8's the same? (and if what you're saying is true it seems like only the iPhone is underpowered)
 
Also I've been considering getting the E17's when it comes out

 

[stroboscopic]

Just to clarify:are you sure those IE8 aren't fake?

 

[jrkong]

how can they be fake if Sennheiser Canada sent them to me as replacements for my broken IE 7?
Quote:

Just to clarify:are you sure those IE8 aren't fake?

 

[stroboscopic]

Sorry. Your first sentence was a bit confusing for me and it wasn't clear your IE7 broke.
 
The only time when I hear distortion with my IE8 is when I accidentally play at a volume that's way too high.

 

[Willakan]

@AK47
Seriously, those are very efficient IEMs. 45-70% volume could be pretty loud...

 

[jrkong]

 
Quote:

Sorry. Your first sentence was a bit confusing for me and it wasn't clear your IE7 broke.
 
The only time when I hear distortion with my IE8 is when I accidentally play at a volume that's way too high.

well i wasn't exactly too clear when I said my IE7's were broken
 
Quote:

@AK47
Seriously, those are very efficient IEMs. 45-70% volume could be pretty loud...

well it worked for my IE7's and their specs are the same, but comparing aside,i suspect it's either the iPhone's DAC or it could be some signal my siblings could have screwed around with, or it could be the volume (but I'm rather doubtful).
 

 

[Willakan]

It is unlikely to be the DAC - since when did they have different distortion levels depending on the load of the amplifier? Besides, when ICs fail they tend to do so in a "swing hard into voltage rail" kind of way rather than "distortion in certain circumstances" kind of way.

 

[stroboscopic]

iPod's "sound check" feature sometimes gives a lot of distortion. Is it enabled?

 

[Willakan]

Talking of features, you're not using some ridiculous equaliser setting are you?