[audiofool]

I have purchased many different iPods over the years (for my children as I largely prefer to listen to music played through my beloved Maggie 3's). However, my CD player died of old age and I have had to substitute an iPod for the source. I have recently upgraded my PDA to an iPod Touch and have been pleasantly surprised at the SQ. So I post this query here looking for a synopsis of which ipods have the "best" sound. You might consider breaking it down into those with best DAC when heard via line out through a separate amplifier and those heard directly from the headphone jack. If this has already been summarized in a previous thread, forgive me as a search with ipod and SQ as keywords was so voluminous that I though this would be faster.

 

[GreatDane]

I haven't used all generations of iPods but I think 5G & 6G sound very similar and not enough to worry about if you want max storage. I'd look for a 160 GB Classic since you'll probably be using lossless...if you plan to put a large library on it you might need it. Otherwise, I have read that the 2G iTouch has superior SQ but at $400 for 32GB you get a lot of cool stuff that you might not use.

 

[audiofool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatDane /img/forum/go_quote.gif ............I have read that the 2G iTouch has superior SQ but at $400 for 32GB you get a lot of cool stuff that you might not use.

I hope so. I have been using my daughters 1G iTouch to see whether I could live with an iPhone. I decided to get the 32gb 2G iTouch for myself in the interim. (No long term contract required.) I must say that my Etymotic 4P's driven with the 1G iTouch sounds very similar to the Maggies (but with a smaller soundstage). Having multiple Tb of music, there is no system big enough to hold it all. I just copy the albums that fit my mood to the ipod and away I will go. I have been functioning like this with an ipod mini in my truck for some time.

 

[VoLTaG3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiofool /img/forum/go_quote.gif I hope so. I have been using my daughters 1G iTouch to see whether I could live with an iPhone. I decided to get the 32gb 2G iTouch for myself in the interim. (No long term contract required.) I must say that my Etymotic 4P's driven with the 1G iTouch sounds very similar to the Maggies (but with a smaller soundstage). [size=large]Having multiple Tb of music[/size], there is no system big enough to hold it all. I just copy the albums that fit my mood to the ipod and away I will go. I have been functioning like this with an ipod mini in my truck for some time.

WOW

 

[tstarn06]

Good choice. I have the 16GB Touch 2G and it sounds excellent with a variety of IEMs. And no amp required.

 

[Calexico]

Goodness, based on my own library of lossless (Just 308 songs, 24 albums, 6.82 GB), you'd have 45,000 sounds if compressed with ALAC in one terabyte. Now MULTIPLE, we're talking like 100,000+??? And over 7,000 albums??? Impressive :O

 

[torres]

I should say ipod classic is the best one
and, I think lossless music doesnot have a lot difference from 320K MP3 file..it has difference, but a little bit..

 

[illini]

The iphone 3g is really one of the best ipods i have ever heard.

 

[CrisG]

1. Ipod shuffle (1st gen)
2. Ipod Video (5.5 gen)

 

[mambo5]

WOW
terabytes of music you say?
Have you considered carrying a netbook with your music on it?

You can find a netbook that is able to have their hard drives swapped out. That way you can have like 3 hard drives of say 250gb capacities. I don't know, just a thought. Because ipods don't come in the 5 terabyte capacity yet.lol.
You might not be able to fit the netbook in your pocket, but you can certainly slip it into a small shoulder bag.

I don't know why, but id rather have a small portion of my music rather than a big chunk of my music but not all of it. lol just me.
I think you should just have an ipod for just your ABSOLUTE favorites. Ipod classic should fit the bill.

But unless you need all of your music to be with you, id consider the netbook/laptop option.

 

[1audioz]

iPod Classic.

I heard the 5.5G and I thought it sounded too warm and muddy. The classic is clearer and cleaner.

 

[Deadneddz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1audioz /img/forum/go_quote.gif iPod Classic. I heard the 5.5G and I thought it sounded too warm and muddy. The classic is clearer and cleaner.

Although many feel that the ipod classic is clearer, i dont feel this way. I think many people get this impression from the more pronounced upper midrange response. The ipod 5.5 is definately a more natural player to me but YMMV.

 

[qusp]

ipod 5.5G has the most pleasing SQ through a line out IMO. the HP leaves something to be desired though. plus you can DIYMOD or IMOD it for superior results. the classic has a lower noise floor but is not as detailed IMO it seems to be a little tipped up at the edges. so what I would recommend is goint to rapidrepair.com and ordering a refurb 5.5G and have them install a 120gb drive in it. you can achieve this for a touch over $300USD

 

[Deadneddz]

The newer ipods do indeed have a lower noisefloor. I couldn't believe it when i plugged in my UE11s and guess what! No hissing whatsoever. haha, but still couldn't live with the sound of the newer ipods. Ill take hiss anyday.

 

[krmathis]

Very well pleased with the sound out of my 5G iPod.
Not tested all iPod models out there, so hard to say if its the one with the "best" sound quality.