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SE / Sony MP3's V.S. iphone / IPods sound quality |
Dogmann
Joined: Jan 29, 2006
Posts: > 500
From: London England
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Hi all
Well i have to say some of what is being said here is really funny, first point is equalizers or Mega Bass or bass boost or any other such gimmicks are all meant to make up for the lack of power and sound stage from the device itself and mask it's failings.
If you have well encoded Music from a CD and are using a good player and earphones there should be absolutely no need to equalize or boost frequencies as this what engineers and producers get paid vast sums of money to do in the recording studio.
Sorry but i can't comment about various iPod models but the 5.5gen model defiantly is not lacking in Bass when using a pair of Shure in ear phones, as i listen to quite a lot of Bass heavy Music such as Cypress Hill, Eminem, Faithless, Chemical Brothers etc etc.
Now i know what a balanced and full sound stage should sound like with good separation of all the instruments and loud doesnt equal being good you should never need to listen to any devcie at full volume. Also the Bass shouldn't dominate the sound either and this why i said what some people consider good others won't what is good is a personal preference as to how each of us like things to sound.
Really this is a pointless thread as you will never get all to agree on anything some will always believe what they have is best and as long as it's what they are happy with really that is all that counts it's just human nature and hard to admit we could of bought better with our money. Same as some will always believe a certain brand is best simply because they want to.
Marc
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[ This Message was edited by: Dogmann on 2008-03-21 15:28 ] |
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max_wedge
Joined: Aug 29, 2004
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From: Australia
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mega bass sucks dogs balls.
You are quite right any sort of artificial EQ is just a step backwards. It's only necessary when you have a degraded sound source that you can't get the original for (or if the original itself has degrade, ex: old tape)
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famous12
Joined: Nov 17, 2007
Posts: 426
From: USA
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On 2008-03-22 02:18:49, max_wedge wrote:
mega bass sucks dogs balls.
You are quite right any sort of artificial EQ is just a step backwards. It's only necessary when you have a degraded sound source that you can't get the original for (or if the original itself has degrade, ex: old tape)
wat are you talking about ? mega base rocks.
i had an ipod nano and sold it to get a w300i...well i was not at all dissapointed infact walkman is better than ipod nano IMO.
I dont know about the new ipod touch sound quality
6170 >  W300i > N75 > N80 > W610i and now proud owner of  K850i 8GB MicroSDHC I |
max_wedge
Joined: Aug 29, 2004
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From: Australia
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okay, I accept that it's an issue of personal taste. Personally, I would rather the sound was just good quality, megabass tends to muddy things up.
But for people who love thumping bass, even in tracks that aren't designed with thumping bass in mind, then mega bass is a good feature.
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QVGA
Joined: May 23, 2006
Posts: > 500
From: Pakistan
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How is changing the eq. frequencies artificially changing the quality? Have you seen the eq. board music DJ's use? And the eq. board used when a song recording is taking place? Surely if they use it means it not a gimmick
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max_wedge
Joined: Aug 29, 2004
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From: Australia
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they use it to boost frequencies that are weak.
In a club environment, certain frequencies are absorbed by the environment, others are enhanced. So a sound technician (or DJ) has to adjust the levels to suit the environment. Also, in clubs, people generally are thumping bass nuts. I myself like thimping bass in a club, when dancing.
But would I listen to rock and roll with the same eq levels that a DJ uses in a club? No. At a rock and roll concert, sound tech adjust levels also, but to suit a concert hall environment.
When you have a good quality sound source and good quality isolating headphones, it's not necessary to boost any frequencies - you can listen to the music exactly as the recording artist intended it.
If you like to artifically boost bass, other than to correct for a device's inherrant flaws, then fair enough, but you are adapting the sound away from it's original design.
What I'm arguing, is that SE Walkmen players have sufficient quality that it's not necessary to enhance the eq levels. Obviously Apple are so confident of this in their ipod's that they don't bother with EQ at all.
I don't mind if people like extra bass, because we all hear differently and some people hear some frequencies better than others. But with good isolating earphones and a quality player, most people should be able to hear the music as it was intended without any EQ.
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[ This Message was edited by: max_wedge on 2008-03-22 12:45 ] |
Dogmann
Joined: Jan 29, 2006
Posts: > 500
From: London England
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@QVGA
Exactly the point i was making look at a mixing desk in a recording studio and how complex and able to tweak the smallest details that is. That is the time that the producer, engineer and band after recording the tracks tweak the sound how they want it to be. Yes to a degree that is cheating but it enables them to produce the best results for our listening pleasure and how they want to sound. It also explains why with some bands or singers there singles or Albums sound great but there live performances never reach the same quality or sound the same.
Max explained perfectly the need for DJ's or live performances as to why they use it but if your device and ear phones are of sufficient quality you really shouldn't need to have to use an Equalizer. Personally i always leave them off and never use them at all, but everyone is free to do what suits them and to achieve a sound they prefer. But to judge a device as being better for giving this option is wrong as it is there to correct it's inadequacies and on better devices really shouldn't be necessary at all.
@Max
Actually the iPods do have EQ just not user defined they come with presets for different types of Music, which is arguable if the are necessary or not but then a lot will depend on how low a bit rate some use or the type of sound they prefer. As i said i never use the EQ so have no idea if it is any good or not but somehow doubt it's worth it.
Marc
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[ This Message was edited by: Dogmann on 2008-03-22 19:36 ] |
razec
Joined: Aug 20, 2006
Posts: > 500
From: Pearl of the Orient Seas
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I'm beginning to love this thread. the thread rich in infos. in fact i learn some new things about determining audio quality(which i actually sucked at  )
~19 years at Esato |
djin
Joined: Jun 13, 2007
Posts: > 500
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well i think eq's r very important for any audio device, besides that, i totally agree with Dogmann(n i luv mega bass  ).
Also, you guys should really consider microsoft zune, last time when i checked it at cnet, zune was 1st n then ipod. N hopefully after my exams i cud get a zune(basically for vids). |
mrllcoolj
Joined: Apr 18, 2008
Posts: 46
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I havent read much pinion on here about the w890i, but ive just bought this phone (upgrade) and cant believe that people have such strong feelings towards the iphone.
my view is this: dedicated mp3 players will produce better quality sound reproduction overall than a device that handles both phone and music functions. i may be wrong, but that my opinion. for example, i cant compare my w890i with an ipod, but i can with an iphone?
ok, i also own a Sony Walkman 4gb A816, with upgraded noise cancelling headphones included. this i have compared to my gf's 4gb ipod nano (2nd gen), my sister's 1gb ipod shuffle, my SE w810i, my friend's 30gb ipod classic (5th gen), an ipod nano (3rd gen video, in apple store) and a display ipod 8gb touch (in the apple store).
in all honesty? the iphone and ipod products DO NOT compare. the nanos suck, only the classic and touch had comparable quality. even then, the touch suffered somewhat in crashing volume and brash reproduction. the iphone quality is good, but i feel it doesnt come close to touching the latest in sony Walkman products, especially the A816 that i have. the iphone is however, marginally better than my SE w890i in terms of sound but not by much). Overall, the ipods/iphone is not as good as the Sony Walkmans.
many thanks for reading
[ This Message was edited by: mrllcoolj on 2008-04-22 04:17 ] |
mrllcoolj
Joined: Apr 18, 2008
Posts: 46
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On 2008-03-19 14:01:34, bavlondon2 wrote:
Yep thats the same experience I had with my touch and Sony NW S700 mate. Sony may have fallen behind a bit in terms of looks on their devices but in terms of sound quality they are still up there as the best imo.
oh, and surely you should be looking at the new crop of SE phones? they are looking very swish and swanky!
ie. w890i, w980, c series etc...
many thanks |
Mige
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Posts: 453
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SE 
[addsig] |
mrllcoolj
Joined: Apr 18, 2008
Posts: 46
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[ This Message was edited by: mrllcoolj on 2008-04-22 04:17 ] |
Mige
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Posts: 453
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???
[addsig] |
Miss UK
Joined: Jan 11, 2003
Posts: > 500
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I bought a USA iPod Mini before it was released in the UK many years ago,
it was nicething to have, but I used to think the sound was abit to quiet, then the iTunes used to do my headin having to install that and muck about with with traxx I got rid of it after a month 
I used to love the sound Quality on the dear old P910i,
I nearley bought a Sony MP3 player a few months ago well I did but it went walkies in the post I could of got another but I would have to wait for more stock 
to bugger with that I got one of these instead
never been so happy with it sound qualitys great and it lasts 17hrs,
it's small and practical fit's anywhere, has drop and drag no messy software needed, and a lovely display!
not bad for £25 was in a sale 
An "Apple" a day keeps the Doctor at Bay! |
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Posted: 2008-03-21 16:25
W300i > N75 > N80 > 
K850i 8GB MicroSDHC
