[yugiyao]

Hi Head-fi forumer, ppl said 5/5.5g ipod have high quality DAC chip if I not mistaken that chip is walfson's DAC. Does the 6g ipod perform well in SQ compare wit previous generation? and I want to know which generation of ipod do have better sound quality?

Thanks for reading.

 

[triggerc]

I'm not too sure, I've heard that the 2G ipods had the best SQ, but that's also ancient hardware. I've also heard of docks that bypasses the iPod DAC, maybe they are worth a look?

 

[bigshot]

I have seven iPods from 3G through Classic. They all sound exactly the same through the line out. The headphone out varies, but it depends o what kind of cans you are using. What works for your headphones may not for others. You just have to go to an Apple Store and try and see if you plan to use the headphone out.

See ya
Steve

 

[yugiyao]

Quote:

Originally Posted by triggerc /img/forum/go_quote.gif 'm not too sure, I've heard that the 2G ipods had the best SQ, but that's also ancient hardware. I've also heard of docks that bypasses the iPod DAC, maybe they are worth a look?

Oh, I see.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have seven iPods from 3G through Classic. They all sound exactly the same through the line out. The headphone out varies, but it depends o what kind of cans you are using. What works for your headphones may not for others. You just have to go to an Apple Store and try and see if you plan to use the headphone out. See ya Steve

But for iMod the said they ipod 5/5.5g has the walfson DAC and 6g did not mention what inside so I guess the 5/5.5 has better sound quality and yet go to an Apple store will be the best option since every buddy have different sound profile.

 

[bigshot]

I've compared the 5.5 and Classic. They sound exactly the same through the line out.

It isn't a matter of sound profile. It's the impedance of your headphones. Earlier iPods are tweaked to work best with portable cans. Later models work better with home cans. Through line out and a headphone amp, it's all a non-issue.

See ya
Steve

 

[mew1838]

I have no complains about my 3G Ipod's SQ. The nano on the other hand bothers me...

 

[vikingboy]

OOC: hows the 'mini' sound in comparison?

 

[T.B.N.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by triggerc /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm not too sure, I've heard that the 2G ipods had the best SQ, but that's also ancient hardware. I've also heard of docks that bypasses the iPod DAC, maybe they are worth a look?

I have the iPod 2g. No line out, and the headphone out sounds terrible. Really, really noisy... Definitely go with one of the new ones.

 

[KUNFUCHOPSTICKS]

my 5.5G sounds good, as good as my laptop.

 

[moriez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mew1838 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have no complains about my 3G Ipod's SQ. The nano on the other hand bothers me...

The Nano is also a 3G iPod. Whats the bother anyway? I am considering to buy the Nano 3G for its size and wonder about the sq.

 

[moriez]

double post :/

 

[anubis404]

I'm pretty sure the best sound quality of all ipods comes from a 1G shuffle. I know nothing about the nanos, however I heard that the third generation nanos are the worst in SQ terms.

 

[Jelle Schrijver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moriez /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Nano is also a 3G iPod. Whats the bother anyway? I am considering to buy the Nano 3G for its size and wonder about the sq.

The 2G Nano is absolutely more grainy sounding and less detailed then my Touch or 3G. 3G has a huge problem in the headamp section, so you will need a headamp driven by the lineout. comparing the latest ipods, i noticed that the nano sound less detailed and grainy compered to its bigger brothers. The Touch and the Classic sound different. The touch uses the wolfsen dac and has a more warm/punchy signature while the classic uses a cirrus logic dac and is (little) more detailed/analytical sounding player. Comparing the 3g iPod with a iQube on it's line out, it is not outperformed by the latest offerings.

Though i am still dreaming of modding my 3G by replacing the HDD by CF and using the extra room to add bigger battery and adding a buffer output to the headphone socket to overcome the really bad low frequency reproduction. See the test here.

After googleling the net on how the headamp section of the 1G shuffle works, i think that the used chipset made it possible to have a headphone out with out the capacitors. There is no real prove there is a darlington balanced buffer after the chip to get that famous SQ. Still want to buy one just to compare and open it up to see how they did it. (and see if it can be implemented in my 3G if there is a buffer).

 

[mrdeadfolx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've compared the 5.5 and Classic. They sound exactly the same through the line out. It isn't a matter of sound profile. It's the impedance of your headphones. Earlier iPods are tweaked to work best with portable cans. Later models work better with home cans. Through line out and a headphone amp, it's all a non-issue. See ya Steve

Thank you for once again sparing me the duty of typing that.