Ipod Sound Quality

My daughter got an iPod for her birthday. We were playing some music in the car and the sound quality of her setup versus my Sony Walkman was astounding, discernible even over the crappy car speakers even if the dealership did sell them to me as the Upgrade Audio Package (BS, they're still low end Bose). Problem is there are two variables. One is the hardware the other is whatever format Rhapsody uses versus Apple. I don't know much about the software variables to be honest. I am not interested in purchasing downloads from Apple, I only use Rhapsody as a monthly streaming service to preview albums and decide whether I want to buy them. But still curious, which has the bigger impact on the better quality sound, the iPod itself or are the downloads that much higher quality from Apple? The difference was apparent in pretty much all the songs I played and I would love to have that quality for previewing albums versus what I have been listening to. Sound quality at times is so questionable it is hard to discern what I actually think about the music.

P.S. I may have to go correct my Beatles thread post about not being able to tell the difference between various digital formats if it really comes down to the resolution of the files, though that was about CD vs. Hi Res quality. Still, kind of embarassing! Anyway, thanks for input!

 

iTunes tracks are 256Kbps AAC. Rhapsody defaults to 192Kbps, but they do have a 320Kbps option.

 

Cool, thanks for that. I will look into that option. If I can upgrade my account for a reasonable price I will. Then I will be able to tell how much of a difference the hardware is making.

 

I would guess it being the software than the hardware or the codecs/bitrate used. Any idea if DSPs are being deployed by the iphone?

 

I honestly don't know. I will have to ask my daughter, but she won't know. I can try to find out.

 

The bit rate can make a significant difference, especially the lower it gets.

Are both devices connected in the same way (headphone out? USB?)...

 

Just realized I hadn't responded to your question, but yes they are both connected in the same way to my car stereo.

 

256 AAC is not the horrific sounding mess that many on here would leave you to believe. It is more than fine for use in an automobile on a freeway.

 

I use my iPod in my truck all the time and I have had no quality issues of any kind. Some songs are "lower" than others so I have to turn it up but that only depends on if they are remastered versions or older, original versions.

 

The headphone out of current iDevices delivers such a clean and open signal that you wouldn't believe.

Just plug in multidriver in ear monitors and you'd think you have died and gone to heaven.

Where idevices headphone out sounds like an hd tv Sony walkmans' hpo sounds like a 50's tvs with lots of low level sounds lost amidst crosstalk and distortion.

 

320 AAC is a very good compressed format. I often have a hard time to tell the difference from a CD. In a car, only few would hear the difference between 128 MP3/AAC and CD i would guess (with "standard" car gear and the traffic noise...).
The iPod gives a very good analog signal on output. I use it with iGrados and Phonak 112 and both sound really good.
For my Grado SR 80 i use a FiiO amp.
So for me iPod (classic) and 256 AAC or 320 AAC is more than sufficient.

 

I would love to use an iPod as my primary device. But they don't do a monthly unlimited download for a flat fee like Rhapsody (that I am aware of). Beyond that I am a physical media kind of guy, CDs and LPs. So all I really use it for is previewing music in my car and the monthly fee is a must, I don't want to actually buy the albums in this format, just listen to them once or twice.

 

Well, they do Beats music. Or you can use the Rhapsody, Spotify or Rdio apps.

 

Really? So I could use Rhapsody on the iPod? Didn't know that.

 

iPod Touch or iPhone, yeah.

 

Not really, unless your IPOD has a cellular data antenna and plan....but unless it's unlimited you will use up bandwidth like a demon streaming.

 

People don't have unlimited data plans in this day and age?

 

The ipod is just wifi, no phone. So it isn't so much about streaming anyway, but connecting it the computer and downloading albums for listening on a monthly subscription basis.

 

Verizon people don't.

 

As a Spotify subscriber, I download albums at home via wifi first, then stream them in the car via Bluetooth. This solves the data use dilemma, though in my case I use streaming as a preview service, sort of rent before I buy.