Laptop vs iPod

[admin_exported]

I was listening to a song the other day through my Grado SR80's on my laptop and it sounded great but then i listened to the exact same song on my iPod and the bass seems to rattle and distort a lot. They are both Apple Lossless files and i used the same headphones??????? Is my iPod just not up to the job of powering my Grados?

 

[Clare Newsome]

If you've got a decent soundcard in your laptop, chances are it'll be better than your iPod.

 

[Anonymous]

is there any way of replicating that sound on my iPod? headphone amp maybe?

 

[Clare Newsome]

Surely if you're at home (where you'd use a headphone amp) you'd listen via your laptop?

 

[Anonymous]

Usually yes but could i not get a portable headphone amp?

Are these any good or am i just wasting my money??

 

[Clare Newsome]

Well we haven't tested any portable headphone amps yet, but i'm sure this Graham Slee is worth a listen - why don't you have an audition? But at that money i'd be inclined to invest instead in some portable-friendly headphones - noise-isolating/cancelling designs that'll maximise your mobile entertainment, while keeping your excellent Grados for home use.

 

[Anonymous]

I have been looking at the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro and the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II because they are closed back. I have also looked at the Sennheiser PXC 150 but they look a bit flimsey?

 

[Clare Newsome]

The PXC150's sound good, but they're the entry-level model - you get a more flexible, superior design if you move up to the PXC250s, and better sound if you go for the PXC300s (and of course far better still with the big-brother PXC450).