I got my iPod from MacConnection on Tuesday. Since I'm off to Europe for a visit to Amsterdam and London, I needed crystal-clear travel sound.
As you know, most portable devices don't have great internal amplifiers and, unfortunately, the iPod is no different. While Apple makes a big thing out of the iPod's 60mW amplifier for "high-power sound output," that output needs to be tweaked.
At least Apple is telling the truth about power. I checked my Sony portable CD and Minidisc players and they were rated at 6mW and 9mW, the latter output coming from an older device (when Sony was obviously less concerned about hearing damage). As you know, power increases on a logarithmic scale, so 60mW is twice as loud as 6mW.
But when I plugged my Grado SR60s headphones in, I was disappointed by the sound. I was prepared for that. A week before, I had ordered a
HeadRoom Total AirHead.
The Total AirHead (US$159) sweetens the iPod's sound dramatically. It removes all harshness and gives it more dimensionality and greater imaging.
I highly recommend the Total AirHead. Just remember to turn its power switch off (it has no lights or indicators and since the slider is on a dark background you tend to forget)! While it runs 10 hours on two AAs (matching the iPod), I've already drained two sets of AAs forgetting to turn it off.
P.S. My only iPod interface gripe is that since the jog wheel controls both navigation and volume, it's sometimes impossible to adjust volume while navigating. That's when you really appreciate the AirHead's own volume control.
[ 11-17-2001: Message edited by: MacTheKnife ]
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