does ipod mini really sound good?

[evo888]

i just bought a old 4g ipod mini for reduced price.
i thought i would be happy about it, but when i heard how it sounds. i was disappointed with the sound quailty. I don't know why it sounds so badly, especailly the base, the base sounds cracking.

I've tried to rip 2 CDs, one is pop and the other is rap.
I've used both Apple looseless format and 192 mp3, they both sound like sh**.

And then I tried SENNHEISER MX-500, and Audio-Technica ath-em7, there's no improve. If you say these are not good earphones, then ok, i have a audio-technica ath-ad9. i bought it for over USD$200. and i still think it sounds sh**.

i just don't know why. i've tried ipod, and shuffle in Apple shop. i thought they bouth sounded alright (though can't be compared with cd player at all).

Does ipod mini really sound this bad?
Comments welcome from any mini onwers.
Do you guys think i should upgrade to 20g ipod?
Will ipod sound alright? I'm so disappointed with Apple iPod.......
Thanks you very much.

I'm so heart-broken. I just wasted my $. iPod looks so good, but it sounds so bad.

[kornchild2002]

I think it is just your ears (what they are used to and what is out now), but if you don't like the quality then don't use iTunes to rip your CD's. Check out www.bestmp3guide.com for ripping CD's to really high quality mp3's, they are indistinguishable from the actual CD.

[evo888]

But will iPod sound better than iPod mini?
Myabe it's not my ear, mayb it's the songs I listen that iPod mini can't perform well.
I don't know. But I'll try the URL you gave me.
Thanks

[evo888]

I'm gonna ask my friends to test my iPod mini.
I really don't think it's my ears.
I've searched the Internet, there are people saying iPod sounds the worst comparing to others.

[elefant]

evo, i think you may have a defective mini. in my opinion, my mini sounds great. i know that some mini's suffer from a defect that introduces crackling sounds during the first few seconds when a song plays. but i don't think the crackling should last throughout the song. also, i've noticed that some of the songs i've ripped do have crackling throughout the song... but upon re-ripping these songs, and listening to the original CD, i've noticed that the problem lies in the original CD recording, not the iTunes software or with my mini.

ipodlounge did a review on the 2nd gen mini's that were just released. they have a section on audio quality in the review. i've cut and pasted it here for you. btw, good luck... my suggestion is just to return your mini if you are still within the return period.

Audio Quality

iPods have long been praised for their audio quality, and the iPod mini is no exception. Audio is as clear and crisp as the recording that's being played, and there's no apparent problem playing back anything from uncompressed audio to highly compressed MP3 and AAC files, regardless of volume level or quality of the source. You're limited only by your headphones - the outer ear canal buds included with the iPod have nice treble and midrange performance but relatively weak bass, and are not especially comfortable in the ears. Strictly speaking, there's no need to replace them unless you're looking for something that fits your personal tastes, but many better earphones are available.

The second-generation iPod mini's audio was essentially indistinguishable from its predecessor in our testing, which is to say that it sounds superb and highly accurate when its equalization is flat. Paralleling the iPod, the mini features a collection of simplistic pre-set bass, treble and midrange equalizer profiles that enhance and downplay certain aspects of the audio to optimize its output for different types of music.

On a final audio-related note, we were glad that our test second-generation iPod minis exhibited no trace of the audio defect that's shown up in certain full-sized iPods. (The defect overlaps static and/or hard drive sounds on top of songs through the headphones whenever the iPod loads new music from its built-in disk.) Overall, we felt very pleased with the new mini's sound, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it on this score.

[evo888]

Originally posted by elefant
evo, i think you may have a defective mini.

mayb i should go back to Apply Shop and get a replacement.

[elefant]

yeah, i think so.

also, talk to the people at the apple store. let them know what's going on and ask their opinion. i've always found the people who work at the apple store to be very helpful and understanding, especially when you are taking back a product that is within the return period.

[kornchild2002]

Agree with elefant, take it back and try a new one. I wasn't saying that your ears are bad, I was rather saying that the iPod probably sounds different than other portable music devices you have listened too. Remember that the iPod's out put through the headphone jack is a little flat. Through the line-out (dock or 3rd part accesory) it is fine but some people say that it lacks the deep sounds. If you rip your CD's right (via the link I provided), then the iPod will sound as good as (if not better than) CD players.

Remember that the iTunes mp3 encoder is not the best, for normal ears it is OK but for the rest of us it absolutely sucks. If you going with mp3 then use the link I provided. If you going with AAC then use iTunes.

Take it back and try a new one, you could also copy some songs to your mini, then copy them to a song they have in the store. Open a new mini then sync those songs to your new mini in the store so you can get an instant impression (they should allow you to do this). If the new mini sounds flat to you then all minis will probably sound flat. The iPod and mini have the same sound quality.

If the iPod does not work out then try the Rio Karma as it has been praised by audiophiles as having excellent quality. The 20GB Karma can be purchased for $199 off the Rio online store.

[melsmusic]

I have 2 drives in my PC. The original CD drive and then just recently I had installed a new DVD/CD burner. Both are still working on the PC but when I rip CD's through my old CD drive they sound crappy but ripping the exact same CD using my new drive they are perfect.

It could also be the drive you are ripping from. Is your PC running well .. new ?? old ??

Just a thought because I thought I would run my old CD drive into the ground instead of the new one (just for ripping so why not) but had all crackling sounds in the audio when I did.

[Buzzbait]

evo888 - There’s an easy way to tell whether there’s a problem with the iPod or not. Just compare the sound of a ripped song in Itunes to the same ripped song transferred to your iPod, using the same earphones. As long as you are not using any special equalization settings in Itunes or on the iPod, they should sound the same. If they both sound the same, the problem is not the iPod itself. Just make sure not to use any huge sized headphones for the test. The iPod’s amplifier has a definite tendency to clip under high impedance loads. It’s really only meant for smaller headphones and earphones.

[Zwerski]

I had the same problem. Your mini may be distorting. I found out hoe to change some firmware settings and my mini rocks now. Sound is sweeet! I posted here a while back. Here's the link:

http://forums.ipodlounge.com/showthread.php?threadid=67858&highlight=distortion

[evo888]

I finally returned my iPod mini today. Because it sounds like piece of sh**. I had high expectation of the sound quality. But it didn't have the quality... And actually, it doesn't not even perform as an average mp3 player!!!

I went back to the shop, and the staff there said to me my mini is working fine, but he said, some tracks may not sound good on iPod mini, but he didn't say the reason. .So I had no other choice but return it and I had to pay 15% re-stocking fee.

I really think iPod and iPod mini(not shuffle) are easy to use, and are good designed, especially the scroll pad. But....
But... it does not sound good. Especially the cracking base... Actually it has no base at all. And the sound is not clear...

But since I'm so into sound quality, so I returned it....

Hope people try before buy.
I tried iPod, shuffle, but not mini. But now I don't think iPod will be any better than iPod mini.

[evo888]

Originally posted by Zwerski
I had the same problem. Your mini may be distorting. I found out hoe to change some firmware settings and my mini rocks now. Sound is sweeet! I posted here a while back. Here's the link:

http://forums.ipodlounge.com/showthread.php?threadid=67858&highlight=distortion

Thanks, I tried, but iPod mini doesn't seem to save the settings.
So there's no difference in sound quality.

[garbun0629]

I just got my 2nd gen. ipod mini 4g today.
Tested the unit with diff. songs (original CD, mp3, ripped CD, pop, rap) and different earphones. (Sony E-888, original Apple earphones).

All I can say is that high pitch is sweet, but the bass is just cracking at all. If I turned on EQ Bass booster, even worse.

Very disappointed with ipod mini.
ipod worths that much because it's all about their marketing and accessories. I can say that Creative and SONY network walkman have higher quality than ipod mini itself.

[archurban]

well, in my case, new ipod mini 6GB is even working greater than my old 4G ipod 20GB in terms of sound. especially, more deep bass, crisp sound than ipod. I have a lot of electronic, dance, rock, pop, jazz, classic, R&B on my ipod. and less hip-hop. so I don't like so much bass which usually can make sound so muddy. without EQ, ipod mini performs very well. I use Sennheiser PX-250 noise cancelling headphone for the first time of test. most of songs are even better than what I listened with old ipod. I also found something different from old ipod when I put headphone into minijack. usually I was hearing static sound like HDD spining of old ipod. but new mini doesn't have that problem. there is no kind of sound I could hear when I put headphone in. my music collection is also mostly about 95% is AAC 192kbps, another 5% is AAC 320 kbps.

I'm very satisfied with my mini.

[PaulCalabrese]

I've had nothing but a great experience with my Mini. It sounds great. I've compared it side by side with a regular 20G iPod and also a somewhat generic flash-based mp3 player (I forgot the brand) The sound quality is generally the same, but the iPods sonically outperform pretty anything, they have POWER and can play loud..... I tested with earbuds and with my Sony MDVR700 Headphones....

[xphr3ak]

the sound would distort if you turn on equalizer. aside of that, the bass roll off with low impedance phones. that's all about the ipod's "problems"

[danielman94]

my mini sounds fine 2 me

[AWv45]

What sounds better? The regular iPod, iPod Mini, or the Shuffle?

[scoto]

My 6 gig mini sounds great!! I have plenty of low end. I had a zen micro and rio carbon and imho the mini bests them both in SQ. I think alot of people just like a "mega bass " bass boost sound.

My zen micro had more bass roll off than my mini! My suggestion is too buy a cheap sony cd player with mega bass and watch your mids and highs suffer. And lose that great soundstage!

[GinoLicious]

My Mini sounds great and I love it.