How can the same down load sound so different?

[twiiii]

Well I have talked to Apple Care and went to my Apple Store, and they were all scratching their heads as to why the difference in sound. I have learned a couple things. All my. music has been downloaded in Apple's ACC for Mat except for the CD which are AIFF that I installed . Some folks thought because the connection in the car was blu tooth maybe that was the case at home, but no its a wifi connection. What they did do at the Apple Store is run a full diagnostic and then as recommended installed the latest software up date which just became available in the past few days. Well what ever happened the sound now feeding the Apple TV and and Airport Express has improved remarkably. The highs are much cleaner and there seems to be more lively presentation of music. I'm not sure the bass is as firm yet I still have to do some tests. None of the guys and gals at the Apple Store believe I run with a flat EQ using the phone. That's because I use my Sennheiser head phones and not the wireless ear buds. Boy do the boost the mid bass and curtail the highs. Mine Have never been opened out of the box. So I now find the sound acceptable. Maybe not perfect, but nothing I stream or download ever matches the CD's or DVD sound sound tracks I have. The same can be said for my Pioneer, JVC, and Marantz player/ recorders. They just can't match my two Mcintosh players. Even the older Sony and Denons couldn't match my earlier Macs either. It doesn't mean the Different Mcintosh pieces I have are perfect, but they are better than most. Some of Ayre pieces are pretty spectacular, maybe to much so!

 

[GChief]

First thing I ask my dad when he calls about tech. “Did you check you updates?”

 

[E-Stat]

Maybe not perfect, but nothing I stream or download ever matches the CD's or DVD sound sound tracks I have.

Don't stream or download from Apple!!!! All iTunes content is LOSSY 256 kbps AAC. Lossless CD content has twice the bitrate.

I go the opposite route where possible with high sample rate 24 bit content. 96/24 has more than ten times the bitrate of your lossy iTunes!

 

[twiiii]

Considering when I bought the phone there was an update that day I figured I was good to go 3 weeks ago. But there was another one just released. So I hope all you new 10X and 10R owners out there take advantage of it. It will help with the sound. Now if they would add real time display to iMaps when you haven't entered an address. I did add a sound level, FFT/and spectrum analyzer App and checked the calibration and its with in a 1/2 db in the A. C, slow and fat modes so this good enough for me. I'll check out the spectrum analyzer one of these days. I like I have said I am a 85 to 90 db listener using the C Scale. , but that doesn't take into account instantaneous, short term peaks you would see on a storage oscilloscope.

 

[twiiii]

Well I have spent the last hour so comparing some of my recordings played via the 10X iPhone and my i Mac Pro via air port express and apple TV to my HT processor. First thing is there is no difference between the Series 2 Apple TV and the airport express using Air play. with them each using digital output for sound to the HT processor. Now there is a difference between the iPhone and the Mac book pro, but its not a recognizable distortion any more.

The most obvious differnce is the iphone is a little more predominant in the 500 to 1000 hz octave. Maybe a db or two. The highs are muted a few db above 5,000 hz. and about 3 db down above 8000 HZ. The bass isn't as solid below 50 hz either may be down 3 db or so. Its not as well defined either.

Its like the difference between two phono cartridges, say a V15 V mr and a V-15 III or more so the V-15 II. Or for instance a Stanton 881 or 981 and a 681. The older cartridges just don't quite measure up. Well thats the difference between the iPhone and the Mac Book Pro. Do either match up to the original CD's of course not. Which is closer, the Mac book pro using ACC from iTunes. But I can live with the differences as long as I have a clean undistorted quiet signal. I won't be using the iPhone with the home systems anyway it was just an experiment, to make sure what I heard in the car was the best it could be and so I wouldn't have to carry and store my valuable CD's in the car. Using iMaps for navigation and hands free for phone calls, I figured why not use iTunes on the phone for the Car when I wanted, too. But when I heard distortion, I just had to get the situation resolved, and now it has been. I adjust the settings on the car system anyway to my liking, so a couple of Db here or there for the iPhone makes no real difference to me.

Now If I had my big Nakamichi systems in the Accua like I did in my 77 LTD and later 81 Grand marquis, that would be a different story. The cars were quieter, the systems more revealing and accurate, but that was then and not now. I have always been more concerned about signal to noise ratios and distortions any way. A little deviation in frequency response while important is third on my list of prerequisites for enjoyment of sound.

The reason I chose the MDX over the Touring Honda Pilot is I didn't like the road noise I was hearing in the Pilot. It was like listening to bad speakers with a lot of emphasis in the 200 to 100 hz region. Another way might be saying it was similar to driving with a small amount of cotton in each ear making conversations difficult and itching your ears while muffling the sound in the cabin.

 

[DaveVoorhis]

Now there is a difference between the iPhone and the Mac book pro

Could you clarify...

• what chain of devices (both digital and analog) is between your iPhone and your speakers, and between your MacBook Pro and your speakers, i.e., how does the playable content get from the device to your speakers;
• what software you're using on the iPhone, and what software you're using on the MacBook Pro;
• what file and where it's stored or other source you're playing on the iPhone, and what file and where it's stored or other source you're playing on the MacBook Pro;

...when you're doing this comparison?

That would help us understand why there is a difference in sound between using the iPhone and the MacBook Pro.

 

[cpt_paranoia]

Out of interest, I thought I'd take a look at the PCB of that dCS network renderer.

And it looks very like there is at least one SMPS on it. If I had access to an image where the device idents could be read, it would be obvious. But it looks very much like a small regulator chip, switching inductor and output capacitors. All conventional stuff.



[edit] Looking at another image, it looks like there are three SMPS blocks. Look at the layout of the three areas below; all the same device layout, all looking like SMPS devices.

 

[E-Stat]

And it looks very like there is at least one SMPS on it.

A tiny one perhaps fed by the large linear.

 

[twiiii]

Lets see starting with the air port express and the Apple TV they feed a MX 151 HT processor, the L&R signal then goes to a recently restored Crown EQ2 which I can by pass when I use Room Perfect. But I prefer the balance I want from the EQ-2. 25 to 4000 hz +/- 2db, then rolling off 4 to 6 db at 18,000 HZ +/- 1 db. The EQ then feeds a Urei broadcast 521 stereo 3 way crossover, which feeds 6 channels of two MAC MC 207 power amps, which drive my Concert Grands Augmented with 4 each Celestron Super tweeters from B&0 5702 Monitor speakers and the remaining 3 bi amped speakers and 2 full range speakers for 7.0 HT. 2 watts to the mid/tweeter channels with 2 watts to the 4 woofers gives me 86 db at 16 ft. So my system is capable of over 109 db from one speaker, 112 db from 2 and with the Power Guard flashing with 7 speakers close to 115 db. I really don't push the system past 20 watts per mid/tweeter channel . The bass channels see 60 watts once in a while for a DVD.and the super tweeters 4 or 5 watts once in a while Every year when I travel I look for replacement speakers. But unless you loan me $228, 000.00 For 7 new speakers and 3 1200 watt Mac amps for the front channels of new speakers I'll stick with what I have. I don't like Macs newer speakers, and they never made a center channel that wouldn't keep up with the XR 290 or XRT 30 that I could use under my Plasma so I'll stick with what I have. I have owned Klipsch, Altec, used JBL, EV and Frazier. But I will stick with what I have. I do want to hear Steinway Lyngdorf and Magico S7 some day. I heard S5II and like the tweeter, but the speakers definition didn't hold up at my 16 ft listening distance,. And I am not going to change the acoustic signature of the room. I would like to try some DD67000, I sort of like the older 4435. But they can.t keep up with my Grands. I use 2 channels of my 206 to drive my Signet electrostatic head phones and my Stax Lambda head phone has its own amp. And that's how you can really tell there is a difference between iPhone X and Mac Book Pro and the other iMacs. Just whip on the lambdas and you get the real direct sound Coming right off the MX 151 with the room perfect by passed. Stax headphones do not lie. I first discovered the iPhone had a problem driving my Sennheiser 598 and 650 head phones directly with Apples little $9.00 connector adapter, You can keep the funky wireless ear buds Apple supplies. They are no where near right, with their booming mid bass, muted highs and compressed dynamic range.

 

[cpt_paranoia]

That's very nice, but you have missed two important questions that Dave and others have repeatedly asked, going back to the first page:

what software you're using on the iPhone, and what software you're using on the MacBook Pro;

what file and where it's stored or other source you're playing on the iPhone, and what file and where it's stored or other source you're playing on the MacBook Pro;

These are still the most important questions, which you still haven't answered. We're not going to get anywhere if you don't answer those questions.

 

[+48V]

That's very nice,...

 

[E-Stat]

Lets see starting with the air port express...

As others have observed, a router is not the starting point...