The Ipod's new look

[ihatezunehd]

The new ipod looks almost amazing. I like everything about it except, apple did not mention the sound quality of the Ipod. I saw all these people handling the device but they forgot to check out the sound quality!

[kornchild2002]

I take it you are talking about the iPod touch since both it and the iPod nano were upgraded. Audio quality is something of a moot issue these days. RMA tests have been conducted on multiple Apple iPhone and iPod releases over the years expressing such a similar sound quality between them that nobody would actually be able to discern between a newer and slightly older device in a proper blind test (feel free to prove me wrong with your own blind ABX tests).

You likely won't see anything mentioned about audio quality until reviews pop up since the showroom floor at these events is pretty noisy. It definitely isn't even close to a proper environment for conducted a sighted listening test, blind ABX test, and RMA test.

[ihatezunehd]

They do have noise cancelling headphones.

[kornchild2002]

Noise canceling headphones are never, ever, ever, ever good when conducting audio quality tests. Those type of headphones are never able to completely cover up outside noise, they produce an environment in which the music will never be heard as-is, and they can even alter the music they play to fit the noisy (or quiet) environment that the headphones are being used in.

Even if noise canceling headphones could replicate the perfect environment for conducting proper listening tests, they definitely wouldn't be blind (the showroom floor simply could not accommodate such equipment). Sighted listening tests are about as useful as a poop flavored lollipop. Wait until professional reviews have been released. Unfortunately these too will probably be sighted so there will be some biased either for or against the 5G iPod touch. Proper RMA tests won't be conducted until the 5G iPod touch has passed its prime since it takes many man hours to not only setup the tests but also to run them, collect the data, and analyze the data.

[ihatezunehd]

I Think Apple should have paid extra for the Wolfson soundchip! I think the Earpod is a bad gimmick!

[kornchild2002]

Unless you can backup your ideology surrounding the superiority of the Wolfson sound chip with measurements and blind tests, it means little. You should also give Apple's new headphones a chance before dismissing them as a gimmick.

[ihatezunehd]

But do you think that headphones or earphones can change the quality of a sound chip?

[kornchild2002]

Like I said, feel free to provide non-subjective evidence that the sound chips in current iDevices aren't able to keep up with other DAPs that use the sound chip you want. The quantitative data needs to be non-sighted and be backed up with blind listening tests and physical measurements. Otherwise it won't hold up and all claims can easily be refuted by the placebo affect. So feel free to provide said evidence to backup your opinions regarding the Wolfson chip.

Headphones are going to provide a much more immediate and truly audible change. Does every pair of headphones out there sound the same? Absolutely not. Changing the headphones may (or may not) provide a much better listening experience and will definitely be more noticeable (better or worse) than changing a sound chip that doesn't need changing.

[ihatezunehd]

Gizmodo just did a review on the earpod, you should read it.

[kornchild2002]

I did look at that review and there isn't a single objective claim made, it is all subjective. The writer of the article is also biased against Apple's earbuds. This is easily observable in the first paragraph of the "review" on there:
"Pretty soon millions—tens of millions!—of suckers will own a pair of Apple EarPods."

That statement (along with a few others) shows that they didn't care about Apple's earbuds before and that they will continue to not care or even give them a fighting chance. I think you should go back and read the review though as they did end up saying the earbuds were better than the older ones. Also, adding a Wolfson sound chip would not have magically made these sound better. Like I said, the headphones that someone uses when playing back music are going to have a much more audible effect that a sound chip. Here is also a real shocker: you don't have to use Apple earbuds with Apple devices! I know that goes against all logic but it is true.

[ihatezunehd]

Ok, your point might be valid, since the apple people did send there army to a Gizmodo journalist many years ago, but how many others feel the same way i do?