Request for comparisons - Ipod Sound Quality VS X5 Quality

[purplemonkey]

To those who've owned both units.

I'm in the market for a new MP3 player.

I good sound quality from my portable music devices. I currently own an MZR-900 and love the MD format because it offers such good sound.

I like the Ipod 5g however I've listened to my sisters nano and it is noticable that will some eq settings it introduces distortion.

Is the X5 much better in all honesty???

Thank you !!!!

[Aquatakat]

I had the opportunity to use an iPod 4G for day or so and I can say the included earbuds are complete crap. I used some proper headphones on it and it sounded acceptable. The iAudio has a bunch of enhancements and an equaliser that actually works. It has this ability to make bad headphones sound like good headphones.

[Konechiwa]

my friend has a 5G 30GB and some of my other friends have nanos. The nanos sound the worst, no bass at all. But the 5G's aren't that bad. I definetely think the X5 sounds better, but its definetly an improvement from the 4G. (The X5 has better bass response as well as a warmness to a music, although that could just be my EQ- something the iPod doesn't have; at least not good anyway)

The EQ still distorts on the iPod 5G (and nano) but the crappy EQ the iPod has won't make much of a difference.

Movies are nice though..so is the slimness of the 60GB/30GB...

[timms]

There is is slight distortion when the 5 band equalized is used, but It is very minor and really can't be noticed accept after a couple of minutes.

[hdgopala]

There is is slight distortion when the 5 band equalized is used, but It is very minor and really can't be noticed accept after a couple of minutes.

Is that slight distortion on the X5 or the iPod?

[dfkt]

X5 and iPod 5th gen sound the same, as far as some experts agree, it's just that the X5 has a lot more useful sound enhancements, while the iPod doesn't even have a simple working equalizer.

[Konechiwa]

the X5 has a more pronounced midrange, as the iPod sounds far off.

[Rancho Gordo]

I just compared the X5L and a new 30G Ipod (I don't know what they're called but it has video). The X5 was remarkably better!

[dfkt]

the X5 has a more pronounced midrange, as the iPod sounds far off.

Says who?

[bigbabydaddy1968]

Says who?
God. Slapped Jobs right in the face with it, too. It was Divine Pwnage.

BBD

[dfkt]

Sure. It's just that more reliable sources placed the X5 and the iPod on the same level, audio-reproduction wise. If I really have to, I can come up with the sources for that claim, but it's a lot of work, retracing all my links and bookmarks...

I hate the iPod more than anything else, except maybe cancer and the Powerbooks, but isn't that just illusional, stating that the iPod has 'less pronounced midrange', or something?

I have pretty good ears, I'm a professional musician, and I don't hear those missing midranges in the iPod (although the iPod sucks).

[Konechiwa]

from my E4's the ipod sounds a lot colder then the X5.

So, i guess it would be me who says that.

I've heard both and thats what it sounds like to me.

[dfkt]

Here's some sources for my previous post:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=157222
http://phonephile.blogspot.com/2005/08/iaudio-x5-vs-iriver-h320.html
http://phonephile.blogspot.com/2005/09/amping-iaudio-x5.html

(Sorry, can't find more at the moment.)


And, Konechiwa, did you turn off all sound-enhancements while comparing the devices? (Didn't I read somewhere that you have E2c's, or did you change them for E4c's?)

[timms]

the x5 does have some slight distortion when the equalizer is turned on. test it out and you'll see.

[saltylj]

eq is what makes the dif i heard, x5's just abletomake what would be equal not... but then again imight just be pulling info straight outta my ***

[timms]

eq is what makes the dif i heard, x5's just abletomake what would be equal not... but then again imight just be pulling info straight outta my ***

sorry I don't understand what you're trying to say. could your rewrite it?

[anilr]

I just did a quick test comparing my X5 and my girlfriend's Nano with the song: Louise Attack - Amour (it's got good thumpy drums and a fiddle with vocals). I used my e4c's on both units.

Initially my X5 sounded way better - the trebles were crisper and the bass was much more thumpy. Thumpy bass, however, might not be a realistic reproduction, but I like bass ;)

I turned off all my X5 sound filters (BBE 5, MP Enhance, MP3 Bass 5) and the sound came pretty close to the nano. Flatter, but still a little more bass.

Turning on the nano's extra bass equalizer option gave it more bass, but it sounded really distorted. It was pretty mushy, unlike the cleaner bass I can get out of my x5.

So, to sum up, they sound pretty much the same, but X5's sound filters can modify the sound to your likings. The Nano is much more limited in its equalizer settings.

Timms: Regarding the 'kings of hockey', was there every any doubt? :)

[sparky-john]

I think that the ability to use FLAC for downloading makes all the difference. MP3 souds pretty good with the X5, but FLAC with some good headphones (I'm using Etymotic E4Ps) brings you right back to CD quality - makes the recording sound alive. I ripped Judtih Owen's "Twelve Arrows" yesterday with MP3 and it was nice. Reripped it with FLAC today (I heard a little distortion on some of her vocals) and it was fantastic. Sure, it takes up a lot more space, but for certain recordings it is worth it. I hope that as time goes by we are able to reduce the file size and still maintain a high quality of sound. Anyone have any feedback on the other formats available?

Sparky-John

[dfkt]

I think this depends highly on what MP3-codec you use, and its settings. You might want to read this FAQ about LAME MP3: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=5&t=7516#entry74068

There are settings where I am not able to spot any difference to the original source, and it starts usually below -V2 --vbr-new.

[sparky-john]

I'll check out the LAME MP3.

Thanks,

[Kilde]

I didn't do an extensive test, but my roommate has an ipod. So naturally I did a short little audio test to compare the differences for about 5 or 10 minutes while procrastinating my studies. I'm no audio expert so my observations are not very technical.

What I did was compare the sound of two identical mp3 files with both had and then compared a cd he ripped using iTunes into MP3 and I ripped into OGG. Both of us have the same set of earbuds, those $30-$40 dollar sony buds everyone and their mother has. I played with both equalizers playing the files with the equalizer off and then on to see what could get the best sound. In every sample I heard I genuinly was able to hear a difference in soundquality. The iAudio sounded even better than the iPod after tweaking the equalizer and bass option. Not only that, but the X5 could get significantly louder than the iPod which was nice.

[daver]

i don't think this is any help, but a while back, when i first got my X5L, i compared the audio quality to a friend's first gen iPod. and to no surprise, my X5L handled bass and treble much better than the iPod. (and obviuosly the first gen iPods aren't as good as the newer 5th gen ones).

but my brother's Nano is very "tin"-like sounding compared to the X5/L. even withh the equilizer on, hte Nano distorts strong bass drum beats in punk music. so it's like hearing a static-y radio version of the song.

[max-9]

X5 sounds better than any ipod , I have a nano and 5g and had 4g...I can tell the difference beyond a doubt.

[Mohjong]

Here is the best source for a comparison so far.
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=157222&highlight=x5+ipod

I do believe without using EQ, to think X5 sounds better than Ipod is merely a placebo.

[daver]

Here is the best source for a comparison so far.
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=157222&highlight=x5+ipod

I do believe without using EQ, to think X5 sounds better than Ipod is merely a placebo.
i can agree with this. but seeing as how i tested a 1g iPod, the headphone jack must has a lot of crap inside it to cause static during playback (loose contacts or something)

also, I use my dad's Bose headphones at home all the time (ha, like he ever uses them...). not to trash iPods or anything, but the Nano sounds very similar to what comes from my PDA's audioplayer. it's quite decent, but i'm an audiophile (i buy LPs, ok?), and golden ears just makes listening to distorted music naussiating(sp?).

i should add that i listen to music at relatively high volumes. on my X5L, i set it between 20-30. i don't know what the number system may be on the Nano, but it was about 75% on the Nano to reach the same volume as my X5L. that might be why there was that "tin"-like sound i mentioned. had i set the volumes lower, the Nano is probably no different than my X5L (without BBE/EQ).