Ipod vs Laptop
Does anyone know whether the sound quality from an iPod is the same, less superior or more superior than the sound quality from Apple desktops / laptops?
15 PB
i think it would depend on the speakers.
You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
9 replies
Same speakers everything - just head to head iPod vs Mac - they are both a hard drive device playing audio file through iTunes software - surely the quality will be the same???
Yes, they are identical.
If you'd like to get picky, it depends on how you are getting the audio out of the laptop versus the iPod. Are you asking about the headphone (1/8th inch) jack on both the iPod and laptop? In that case, there would not be a difference. If you were getting audio from the dock port of the iPod, you might experience a difference.
JC
JC
it depends on how you are getting the audio out of the laptop versus the iPod
In both instances, it is being played thru iTunes out the computer. Plug the iPod in to the computer, select the iPod as the Source in iTunes and click Play.
Are you asking about the headphone (1/8th inch) jack on both the iPod and laptop? In that case, there would not be a difference.
Sorry, but there would probably be a significant difference as you are using two completely different sets of hardware (Computer and iPod) to process, decode, amplify and send out to the speakers.
If you were getting audio from the dock port of the iPod, you might experience a difference.
Again, it will probably be significantly different as you are again using completely different hardware.
In both instances, it is being played thru iTunes out the computer. Plug the iPod in to the computer, select the iPod as the Source in iTunes and click Play.
Are you asking about the headphone (1/8th inch) jack on both the iPod and laptop? In that case, there would not be a difference.
Sorry, but there would probably be a significant difference as you are using two completely different sets of hardware (Computer and iPod) to process, decode, amplify and send out to the speakers.
If you were getting audio from the dock port of the iPod, you might experience a difference.
Again, it will probably be significantly different as you are again using completely different hardware.
Chris,
Either you are or I am very confused. Your initial response to the question, if the audio was coming out of the headphone jack of either the iPod or the laptop is that they would be "identical." I agree. If you play at the same volume, using the same song files, the signal from the iPod would be extremely similar to the one coming from the headphone jack of a laptop. However, the quality would be much better from the iPod dock port than the headphone jack of a laptop if one is planning on amplifying the audio externally (speakers, etc.)
JC
Either you are or I am very confused. Your initial response to the question, if the audio was coming out of the headphone jack of either the iPod or the laptop is that they would be "identical." I agree. If you play at the same volume, using the same song files, the signal from the iPod would be extremely similar to the one coming from the headphone jack of a laptop. However, the quality would be much better from the iPod dock port than the headphone jack of a laptop if one is planning on amplifying the audio externally (speakers, etc.)
JC
I thnk Billy is a bit confused on what he wrote.
"they are both a hard drive device playing audio file through iTunes software"
If iTunes is playing the music off the iPod or off the computer, it will be identical.
Either will all play thru iTunes and out the computer.
If the iPod is playing the music, iTunes is not used.
Your initial response to the question, if the audio was coming out of the headphone jack of either the iPod or the laptop is that they would be "identical."
Actually, YOU wrote they would be identical. I wrote they would NOT be identical because the audio in one instance is being processed by the iPod and the other it's being processed by the compiuter.
However, the quality would be much better from the iPod dock port than the headphone jack of a laptop if one is planning on amplifying the audio externally (speakers, etc.)
I'd probably agree that the iPod is better but probably not "much" better.
"they are both a hard drive device playing audio file through iTunes software"
If iTunes is playing the music off the iPod or off the computer, it will be identical.
Either will all play thru iTunes and out the computer.
If the iPod is playing the music, iTunes is not used.
Your initial response to the question, if the audio was coming out of the headphone jack of either the iPod or the laptop is that they would be "identical."
Actually, YOU wrote they would be identical. I wrote they would NOT be identical because the audio in one instance is being processed by the iPod and the other it's being processed by the compiuter.
However, the quality would be much better from the iPod dock port than the headphone jack of a laptop if one is planning on amplifying the audio externally (speakers, etc.)
I'd probably agree that the iPod is better but probably not "much" better.
Chris,
I was just quoting your initial response:
Yes, they are identical.
Anyway, the audio from the dock bypasses the volume circuitry of the iPod, which gives significantly better audio quality. However, the only way a laptop could surpass this in quality would be with a sound card which has an audio line-out port (different from a headphone jack). SO, as I said initially, the quality will be very similar from the two headphone jacks, but would be significantly better from the iPod dock.
JC
I was just quoting your initial response:
Yes, they are identical.
Anyway, the audio from the dock bypasses the volume circuitry of the iPod, which gives significantly better audio quality. However, the only way a laptop could surpass this in quality would be with a sound card which has an audio line-out port (different from a headphone jack). SO, as I said initially, the quality will be very similar from the two headphone jacks, but would be significantly better from the iPod dock.
JC
Okay.
They are identical if you open iTunes, click on the iPod and play the music out thru the computer and if you play the file on the computer.
Everything is the same except the actual file itself on the iPod which is an identical (bit for bit) copy of the file on the computer.
If you play a song using the iPod, it will be different than the computer.
Better/worse? Depends on the computer/sound processing.
They are identical if you open iTunes, click on the iPod and play the music out thru the computer and if you play the file on the computer.
Everything is the same except the actual file itself on the iPod which is an identical (bit for bit) copy of the file on the computer.
If you play a song using the iPod, it will be different than the computer.
Better/worse? Depends on the computer/sound processing.
Ipod vs Laptop