14 DAY TRIAL // Apple's new iPods can boast a big range of improvements over the previous models, but according to some customers, it is a matter of two steps forward one step back. While not everyone may notice it, a few iPod Classic buyers are reporting that the sound quality is inferior to that of the previous generation.
Some iPod Classic users think the sound is better, some can't really tell the difference, while others yet think the quality is inferior. There seem to be as many opinions as there are posters on this issue so it is hard to tell exactly what is going on. The only thing that is certain is Apple changing from a Wolfson (5.5G) to a Cirrus Logic audio codec chip with the new Classic. Exactly how this change of chip is perceived seems to depend exclusively on the individual's ear, but there seems to definitely be a change which has been extensively documented by Marc Heijligers on his HiFiVoice blog.
After running a multitude of tests comparing the new Classic to the 5.5G iPod, Heijligers conclusion is that the new Classic chip is responsible for: - a slight uplift in treble. - a group delay that depends on frequency. - a strong modulation with 22.1k, causing intermodulation distortion. According to him, the new Classic "sounds precise, crisp, but lacks 3D image and has an electronic haze to the sound. The 5G sounds less precise, but its timbre contains more harmonic information and sounds less electronic."
It may sound far fetched, but there are enough people reporting a difference in the sound quality between the two devices, to warrant a closer look. While only the individual can decide whether the change is for the better or worse, spending some time at an Apple Store checking out the new iPod Classic might prove to be a prudent move.