[KettyKrueger]

Hi All,

For a while now I've been experienced some (unwanted) distortion on certain tracks on my iPhone 3GS, with Apple Lossless files (ALAC) and using my Sennheiser CX300 II earbuds.

The same files sound fine on my Macbook and also on my PS3.

I thought it could be my cheapy Sennheisers, but I've just cracked open a fresh pair of HiFiMan RE0's and they sound the same, in fact the distortion is even more obvious!

Could it be my iPhone? That seems to be the weak link here. At the moment, I'm using using the Sennheisers using the headphone jack. Could things be improved with a LOD and an amp? I'm planning on buying an iBasso T4 to drive my new RE0's.

Thanks, any input welcome.

 

[3602]

Are you using the EQ?

 

[KettyKrueger]

Yeah, using the 'bass boast'.

 

[dAdE0H0]

Bass boost sucks with my ipod touch 3g, so it would most likely sound bad on the 3gs as well.

 

[Menisk]

The EQ's on the iPods and iPhones use digital gain with no precut. Essentially with music in digital form you can't make the amplitude greater than a certain amount. Most music these days is compressed to 90something percent of this volume. When you add more bass it pushes it up further. If it tries to go further than 100 it clips. Instead of adding what you want when you're EQing you need to subtract what you don't want. Most of the time you do this by precutting.

 

[robjrock]

Yep, I had the same issue. When using bassboost EQ the distortion was hideous. It wasn't my headphones fault, it's apples poorly designed EQ.

Luckilly there is a solution. Download mp3gain and change your mp3s gain to 89db. It's slow if you have a big music collection but it's sooooo worth it. It just allows some "headroom" so when your iPhone is adding bass via the EQ the bass DB is still under 100 so it won't distort.

IMHO cx300s are in no need of a bassboost though!

 

[shigzeo]

this comes up like every day - we really need a sticky.