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Latest iPod Configuration -- Any New Hope?

I know there are several threads on the pieces of this question, but I hope this will be a convenient all in one place update for iPod users who really care about the sound.

I was an early adopter for iPod with great hopes for portable, audiophile sound. I know they are fine for convenience, working out blah blah blah, but that was not my main goal. Rather I wanted truly portable and truly high end sound for traveling. And even 20 or 30 uncompressed CDs would be wonderful and -- maybe Im weird - but more than enough for most plane flights!

In the end, I got frustrated and kept hitting dead ends even with the so called experts, so at this point, I have two iPods, several sets of headphones, some noise cancellation headphones, one of the original top of the line Headroom portable amps, circa 1996 with D Cell outboard battery pack, a 9V battery powered Grado headphone amp, and expensive custom earpieces gathering dust in my drawers.

I have tried the Apple lossless scheme and for me, it is unacceptable, not to mention the devious tricks which apparently limit the number of times the files can be copied.

Maybe some of you have cracked the code, but I have had nothing but problems trying to easily "tag" uncompressed files.

In addition, it seems WAV files drain the battery life and cause brief skips in the operation of the hard drive.

Taking my iPod for the first time for months today on my motorcycle, I was reminded that the Etymotics high end headphones DO NOT play well with the wimpy internal amp of the iPod.

I was so disappointed, that I thought I should somehow velcro the Grado amp into my bike jacket or something, but aside from the geeky complexity of this there is no line level out?!

You get the idea...

Dont get me wrong, its a great little gadget for casual listening.

But WHY isnt it so so so so so so much better?!?!?!?!?

Or have I missed something?

Thank you.
cwlondon
cwlondon OP
1,210 posts
 
OK now I really need some "new hope"

Just when I thought I had struck an acceptable compromise by using Apple's "lossless" format instead of insisting !!
on the purest WAV files, guess what?

I now figure out that my first generation, barely used, iPod WILL NOT read my iTunes library, even though I have updated the software?!?!?!?

So now I am really going to put my foot down:

I dont care about 800,000,000 songs

I will never believe that the latest MP3 algorithims are indistinguishable from master tapes

I dont want big brother Apple telling me how many times I can duplicate their allegedly lossless file, even though I just paid $.99 cents for it

I just want this:

10 CDs? 20 CDs? MORE than enough!

Perfect, "bit for bit" read at 1x speed, EAC copied WAV files, PLEASE

TAGGING from the internet in this format, so my audiophile music says more than track 1, track 2 etc

LINE LEVEL outputs from the iPod so I can use it with my GRADO battery powered headphone amp

and DECENT battery life (while playing WAV files) with NO hard drive skipping

Is There Any Hope?
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
Hey Carl,

You're using a first generation iPod with a current version of iTunes? I'm wondering if you need to perform a firmware upgrades to your iPod in order to make it more compatible with iTunes.

Finding a cable connection thru the iPod dock rather than the mini plug would be my preferred route as well. Does anyone know if one exists?

I get hard drive skips no and then and bad freezes three times. I have a 4th gen 40GB with click wheel which I've heard has this problem. When it happens th eunit becomes totally nonresponsive and the only recourse is to let the battery drain so the unit will shut down by itself.

I'm using Apple Lossless compression and have about 30 or 40 albums on my iPod. I sometimes get weird skips on certain albums only, which I'm suspecting is related to them not being ripped cleanly. That or it may be the sector those files are sitting happens to be fragmented.

I'm doing everything on a hotrodded Apple Cube. I know it's frustrating Carl, hang in there.
glen's avatar
glen
714 posts
 
Hi Guys,

I have my I-pod fully load now with 18 gig out of my cd collection. I haven't had any major problems yet. Personally I just except the i-pod for what it is. I don't expect the sound to be that great, but as far as the over all experience it's wonderful. If I desire to travel around the world I know I have a lot of my favorite tunes with me. Next I plan on buying some excellent headphones so I'm all ears if you guys have recommendations please give me an idea of pricing too. I would like to stay under $500.00 if possible. Also who's selling them discounted?

After that I'd like to start thinking about some sort of travel system with external speakers, but let's just go one step at a time.

Picture your self in a boat on a river with tangerine tree's and marmalade sky's. Then flip on some tunes...AH Life is good :^)

Take care
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