Sound Quality

« **on:** April 19, 2012, 07:37:06 AM »

So here is my question. For some reason my dad decides to take out the stock radio in his Tahoe and put in a new head unit that he can both play/charge his iPod and plug in a memory stick that he also has music downloaded to. The music coming out of the iPod sounds great but from the memory stick sounds like crap. He also put a similar head unit in his golf cart and his 65 Corvair

. All sound the same way. I know music coming out of the memory stick is in MP3 format and I think music out of the iPod is MP4 format. Any ideas why the sound is much worse off the stick?

« **Reply #1 on:** April 19, 2012, 08:07:47 AM »

Rule out the memory stick by trying a different one.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

« **Reply #2 on:** April 19, 2012, 12:44:51 PM »

Gotta be the memory stick

« **Reply #3 on:** April 19, 2012, 01:39:10 PM »

first off its NOT the memory stick. digital is digital. it either works or it doesnt.

is the ipod/iphone plugged into the head unit via an ipod connector or a headphone connector? if the plug goes into the bottom of teh phone its a "pure digital signal" whereas the headphone out jack is a pre-amped and processed thru an EQ signal. do you mean it sounds better because the ipod is using its EQ settings to pump up the bass, etc to your liking whereas the original mp3 has poor sound quality?

also what quality are the mp3's he's trying to play and what was the original media that they came from? if you have a direct rip 320kbps mp3 on an ipod or a memory stick, it should sound the same. but if you're comparing a 320kbps to a 96kbps "i got it from the internet cuz it said it was good" then obviously they wont compare.

« **Reply #4 on:** April 19, 2012, 07:10:23 PM »

Quote from: ka0tyk on April 19, 2012, 01:39:10 PM

first off its NOT the memory stick. digital is digital. it either works or it doesnt.

is the ipod/iphone plugged into the head unit via an ipod connector or a headphone connector? if the plug goes into the bottom of teh phone its a "pure digital signal" whereas the headphone out jack is a pre-amped and processed thru an EQ signal. do you mean it sounds better because the ipod is using its EQ settings to pump up the bass, etc to your liking whereas the original mp3 has poor sound quality?

also what quality are the mp3's he's trying to play and what was the original media that they came from? if you have a direct rip 320kbps mp3 on an ipod or a memory stick, it should sound the same. but if you're comparing a 320kbps to a 96kbps "i got it from the internet cuz it said it was good" then obviously they wont compare.

Thanks for the response. The iPod is connected to the head unit via an iPod connector and is plugged in to the bottom of the iPod. I believe the media was downloaded from the internet by a friend, put on a cd then transfered to the iPod and or memory stick. As far as the kbps' I am not sure. I will see the folks this weekend and hopefully figure out what the hell he is listening to.

« **Reply #5 on:** April 19, 2012, 08:53:41 PM »

Quote from: flytime on April 19, 2012, 07:10:23 PM

Thanks for the response. The iPod is connected to the head unit via an iPod connector and is plugged in to the bottom of the iPod. I believe the media was downloaded from the internet by a friend, put on a cd then transfered to the iPod and or memory stick. As far as the kbps' I am not sure. I will see the folks this weekend and hopefully figure out what the hell he is listening to.

do you know the make/model reciever? even my $200 fry's special 7" indash DVD's memory card plays an mp3 "nice and clean"

« **Reply #6 on:** April 19, 2012, 09:35:01 PM »

Quote from: ka0tyk on April 19, 2012, 08:53:41 PM

do you know the make/model reciever? even my $200 fry's special 7" indash DVD's memory card plays an mp3 "nice and clean"

Not sure of the model. All I know is its an Alpine. I am sure it has something to do with my dad and his tech skills. You give a 73 year old guy something complex and look out! This thing could blow up at any moment.....

« **Reply #7 on:** April 19, 2012, 10:08:38 PM »

This is why I still buy vinyl when I can on music I like.........Digital sucks when you really get into it!

They say it's better scientifically, but I challenge anyone to listen to the same song on a CD or IPOD then listen to it on my Linear Tracking Turntable and THEN tell me it sounds better........

Ray

But to your problem, gotta be hookup, or a defective unit. The IPOD sends the same exact information the memory stick does, so gotta be in the unit. JMHO.

flytime

Sound Quality

BIG JOHNSON

Re: Sound Quality

5150whiteboy

Sound Quality

ka0tyk

Re: Sound Quality

flytime

Re: Sound Quality

ka0tyk

Re: Sound Quality

flytime

Re: Sound Quality

IRRebel

Re: Sound Quality