[Monkeymike]

Just got a 10 gig iPod from my boss as a bonus! I love it but have a question for other iPod owners. I am noticing a high end distortion in quite a few songs. I am hearing it even when the EQ (which sucks by the way) is turned off. I listened to the same songs through iTunes on my iBook and they sound very clear and distortion free. Is this just the kind of thing that comes with a hard drive based MP3 player or is it something else. I tried different headphones and it is still there.
It doesn't happen all the time in all songs but it seems to be very obvious in songs with a lot of high end. It sort of clicks and cuts the high frequencies.......Is this normal??

[AssassyN]

Well, my first guess is that if somehow you're blasting the iPod to full volume (and I wouldn't assume this to be true or you'd go deaf quickly), then it could clip the signal and sound like you're describing.

BUT, if it's just at normal listening levels, and you're *sure* it's not just through one single pair or headphones, then I'd say there's a problem. Either a connection issue w/ the headphone jack or an internal software issue w/ the software the iPod utilizes to playback the mp3's stored on it. You may wanna go to an Apple retail store if you have one near, or if not, give Apple a call and see if you can send it in for a replacement.

Good luck man, and make sure it's not the headphones, and for opinions sake, maybe let a few others listen to it and see if they hear the same thing.

[Rinpoche]

wow you got a really cool boss!

[Monkeymike]

Thanks for you suggestions. I know for sure that it is not the headphone because I tried three different kinds and I am listening to the songs at a normal volume.

I think I will take it in to be looked at. It doesn't seem right and it is noticeable. I would expect other people to have complained if it was just the norm!

[Monkeymike]

One other thing I am wondering is......should the sound quality be the same as that coming out of my iBook? When I pull the apple head phones into my iBook the sound is great. Through the iPod I am getting the weird high end distortion thing.....

[Monkeymike]

As it turns out....the problem was the compression rate I have been using to encode my CD's. I have been using the iTunes default 160kbps. When I ripped the same music at 192kbps the high end clipping is gone!
I had no idea since when I listen to my music through the iBook this doesn't happen. It only happens on the iPod. I have changed the preferences to encode at the higher rate and now I have the very exciting job of re-ripping 7 gig of music (1444 songs).............oh boy!!

[AssassyN]

AWESOME job at cracking the case! Yep, those bitrates will getcha...glad to hear you solved the problem!