How to improve ipod sound quality?

[LarryRup]

A bit of a geek here on this topic. First, what I do not know first hand but have read: Certain IPOD modals sound better than others. Before the latest generation was release, many felt the classic did not sound as good as the Nano. Next, some highly specialized companies take your IPOD apart and put in a mod to the DAC that costs a fortune, and claims to sound great Given the average life of a hard drive IPOD, I doubt this is prudent choice.

What I know first hand: I try to only use apple lossless. I'd use FLAC but Apple does not support this. MP3's at 250 and 320 really sound pretty good. The difference is minimal to a lossless file Go lossless and get all you can get. Space should not be an issue. You can buy a Terabyte drive for under a hundred dollars. You don't need everything on the IPOD itself. Keep the bulk of your library on the hard drive. Buy two and back it up. It is beyond me how the ITunes store gets away with selling 128 MP3's. I am a very large consumer of music and I have only bought one MP3 from ITunes. Next, you must have a good device to put in or on you ears. There are excellent buds available (none by Apple). went the headphone route. I own Senns 600's and a ATH D5000 woody. You can get the 600's for a couple of hundred dollars or less if you shop. The ATH's are pretty expensive. It's nice have a change but I think the 600's are better. There are plenty of lower cost alternatives that will provide excellent sound. Next, a headphone amp will provide not only loudness, but all the exquisite detail that recordings offer. Things like the buzz of strings, timbre of instruments etc. You will actually hear singers take breathes. I have two amps, both tubed. I love the Earmax. I also have a xcan v8. This is audio heaven with an IPOD as the source. Many say in order to get sound anywhere near as good from speakers would cost $30,000. I wouldn't know, but my headphone systems with an IPOD as the source is unbelievable. We don't need the IPOD for a non portable solution, but with this one device, I use as the source at home, in the car, and as a portable. Not bad.

[Hyfi]

Try playing it through this

[LarryRup]

That's what I'm talking about!

If your using the buds that came with the IPOD, you have no idea what your missing. They likely cost all or 25 cents IF can get a battery powered CMOY mint Tin headphone amp to use with your IPOD for like 30 bucks, and it gives crediable sound (of course depending what's on or in your ears).

For quality sound, the IPOD is not the issue. Source files and what your listening through is everything.

[poppachubby]

Not much more can be added to this thread. Anyone who knows a thing or two has the answer to the question already. I have been through about 40 or so pairs of headphones, amps and players. Right now I am using the unassuming and unimpressive looking AKG K66, the EA-PA2V2 and MPIO ML-100/2G. Great combo. The K66 have several hundred hours on them and are an incredibly well rounded set. I care less that they're full size, and I don't look totally cool walking down the street.

Never been a fan of Ipod and the proprietary Itunes. I surely don't need their 128kbps files. My 2G player is all I want. I always know what's on it and it's easy to organize. It keeps me pro-active with file organization, but that's just me. I can fit roughly 14-20 320kbps albums. Since I'm not a marathon runner, that's good enough.



I am greatly excited. I just finished uploading The Blue Box: Blue Note's Best in FLAC. I will convert to 320k MP3 and I'm off and away...

[philhh]

Note: I have no affiliation with this company:

Anyone ever try this:

http://redwineaudio.com/products/imod

It's fairly expensive ($250 plus a mandatory cable), but it's the only iPod mod I've ever seen and have always been a tad curious. Obviously the OP's thread is pretty old now, but as this was recently resurrected I thought I'd chime in...

[Invader3k]

I rip my MP3s in 320 kbps AAC at this point. I really doubt I could tell the difference between those files and the original CDs in a double blind test. I have Grado headphones and my iPod sounds pretty good to me. Not sure what's with all the iPod hate. It has its uses like any device.

[Happy Camper]

[Toniwu]

Thanks for sharing such useful informations

[mahoney]

I hope this helps. I changed my computer from a cheap acer laptop to a top of the range quad core i7 HP and when I reconfigured my ipod the sound improved and it is now louder..don't know how that works and it was unexpected. I've always been dissapointed in ipods but I'm happy with it now. I was using a sony mp3 player, which was more expensive and could drive larger headphones (technicas) but now my ipod is just as good. I'm using the ipod with Yamaha rmh5a headphones (I've had many many many pairs of quality headphones) and this combination is the best I've come across and they wen't even expensive. I have had $500 senheisers, $300 technicas, $400 b&w's and some very nice sony, denon and pioneers but these yamahas were only $140 NZ and they're the best I've ever had. You can get them on e-bay real cheap..they'll make your ipod rock n'roll

[JohnMichael]

Welcome. I did want to mention that the thread is over 3 years old and the issue has most likely been solved. Please respond to threads that are current.

I hope this helps. I changed my computer from a cheap acer laptop to a top of the range quad core i7 HP and when I reconfigured my ipod the sound improved and it is now louder..don't know how that works and it was unexpected. I've always been dissapointed in ipods but I'm happy with it now. I was using a sony mp3 player, which was more expensive and could drive larger headphones (technicas) but now my ipod is just as good. I'm using the ipod with Yamaha rmh5a headphones (I've had many many many pairs of quality headphones) and this combination is the best I've come across and they wen't even expensive. I have had $500 senheisers, $300 technicas, $400 b&w's and some very nice sony, denon and pioneers but these yamahas were only $140 NZ and they're the best I've ever had. You can get them on e-bay real cheap..they'll make your ipod rock n'roll

[E-Stat]

Welcome. I did want to mention that the thread is over 3 years old...

It will be celebrating its seventh birthday next month.