[iChelle]

Quick silly questions: Just wondering what gives out better sound quality, my iPod (photo) plugged into my speakers or my PowerBook plugged into my speakers (RCA out)? Do all iPods emit the same sound quality?

[nagromme]

It shouldn't make a difference--but if you have an iPod dock, that sends a standard "line level" signal. You then adjust the volume on the speakers (or your stereo). That's the recommended best quality method, and it's not an option on a PowerBook. It makes the iPod just like a stereo component.

If you want to adjust the volume using the iPod or an iPod remote (or using your PowerBook's volume keys or iTunes slider) you connect to the headphones out.

As far as I know, you CAN get the same as "line level" audio out, even using a headphone jack--you just have to set the volume on the iPod or 'Book to the right level and leave it there. What level? I don't know. I've heard 50% and 2/3, and neither might be right.

[iChelle]

thanks! is it bad for the ipod to keep it at full blast when playing through speakers (using headphone jack or line-out)?

[Lancer409]

Originally posted by iChelle:
thanks! is it bad for the ipod to keep it at full blast when playing through speakers (using headphone jack or line-out)?

should be no worst than blasting through earbuds/headphones unless the subwoofer rattling causes your ipod to dive off of a high desk...

[Scooterboy]

You can use a USB or PC Card sound card to get better sound output than the headphone port of your PowerBook. The sound from the M-Audio Sonica Theater is far better than the normal anoalog sound out of the PowerBook and I suspect the iPod.

[CWeider]

I've found that my Powerbook's audio has a better frequency response than the iPod's I've owned, including the iPod Photo.

Originally posted by iChelle:
Quick silly questions: Just wondering what gives out better sound quality, my iPod (photo) plugged into my speakers or my PowerBook plugged into my speakers (RCA out)? Do all iPods emit the same sound quality?

[nagromme]

Is it better even when you normalize the volume (and of course EQ and Soundcheck) between the two and use the same cabling?

Also--good point about USB audio. There's even a new tiny 5.1 dongle that just came out--not sure how good it is.

[all2ofme]

I used to be really into my stereo gear (spent silly money on it, but had fun ) and the following points have held true with everything I've used since:

- an unattenuated (read: no volume control on the device itself) device plugged at line-level into an amp will sound better than the same item at variable volume plugged into the same equipment further down the line. The fewer the components that get their mitts on the signal the better (IMO at least - and it's always seemed to be the case for me when I've sat down to compare options).

- if you do use an attenuated source (such as the iPod's earphone jack) then running it at full volume will sound worse than running it at some point below that and boosting the volume with an amp or preamp further down the line. This is because you're running the iPod's o/p-amp near its limit. Better to keep it within the realms that it's comfortable in. The optimum point for the iPod's/Powerbook's volume is something you'll find with a few tests. Trust your ears on this. If it sounds better to you at full volume then so be it

In short, the iPod dock's line-level output into an amp should (and does to my ears) sound better than any other way of playing music from the iPod. Better than headphones, better than using the headphone jack into the amp etc.

The quality of the o/p amp on the Powerbook and the same on the iPod should determine which sounds better if you do want to use the volume control on either, though. I haven't compared them. I haven't compared the sound quality of any of these over Airport Express connections, either

Hope that helps.

[tooki]

Well, there's no cut and dry answer.

The 15" PowerBook, iMac G5 and the Power Mac G5 have 24-bit audio (compared to all other Macs', and the iPod's, 16-bit audio). This is not generally a big deal. That said, the PowerBook's sound circuitry is surrounded by tons of other components, many of which may emit EM interference that the audio amplifier could pick up as noise. This effect is less likely in an iPod.

Generally speaking, you'll get better sound from the line-out jack of the iPod than its headphone jack, since it's not going through the headphone amp (which is a potential source of noise). The less amplifiers the signal has to go through, the better.

If you want to play audio from the Mac with the absolute best quality possible, I agree that an external USB or FireWire audio interface is ideal. If you have a receiver with digital inputs, then you can even go all-digital, further reducing noise and distortion.

tooki