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iPad Pro 9.7 vs iPad Pro 12.9 HQ audio chip missing?

M. Gustave said:
I used to be an audiophile, all into lossless, etc... then I did several a/b automated blind tests on myself, iPhone to Dacmagic, with my SR325i headphones, and I couldn't consistently pick the lossless tracks from the 256kbps mp3's. And my hearing is excellent, I can consistently hear 20kHz tones.

It's kind of eye opening. I used this app:
https://appsto.re/us/8p6iw.i
Click to expand...

I just ran this test and I cant even hear the difference between 192kbps and lossless on the demo track... I use emu0404 dac and Beyerdynamic COP's. Music airplayed from air2. I guess im not a real audiophile

But im pretty sure i still can hear the difference between air2 output jack and emu0404 jack on the same source material. I still think the external dac is more easy for my ears at high volumes. It seems to be more smooth and more open soundstage. Ofcourse i will never know for sure without proper ABX test.
 
M. Gustave said:
I used to be an audiophile, all into lossless, etc... then I did several a/b automated blind tests on myself, iPhone to Dacmagic, with my SR325i headphones, and I couldn't consistently pick the lossless tracks from the 256kbps mp3's. And my hearing is excellent, I can consistently hear 20kHz tones.

It's kind of eye opening. I used this app:
https://appsto.re/us/8p6iw.i
Click to expand...
I did similar listening tests like you did and my findings were exactly the same as yours. While I can no longer hear 20kHz tones like you do, I can easily hear the differences in dynamic range, compression artifacts and the lack of low frequencies. However, beginning with the same source material, I cannot consistently pick the lossless encoded tracks from the 256 Kbps AAC encoded tracks. And I consider myself an Audiphile, or at least I used to.
 
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i own this iPad. It's audio output quality is unbearable. I have to always carry my iPhone with me to listen to music. Do NOT buy this iPad.
 
Probably related to on the fly switching of audio output based on iPad position and rotation, due to speakers being on all sides of the left. If you do a 180° rotation, left becomes right and vice Versace and audio output has to switch sides without delay.

Also during iPP initial introduction, Apple said in portrait mode, bass comes out bottom speakers and high end comes out the top. So this too has to be able to instantly changes based on iPad rotation.
 
hemon said:
It has.. and it sounds really good compared to my old iPad Air 2 and iPhone 6! (See also on iFixit, there is a dedicated DAC)
Click to expand...

Good...about time Apple addressed that.

But again, I'm not rushing out to buy the iPP yet. Still not enough 'improvements'.

Still the same basic limitations now, that my ipad2 had in 2011. It's still a niche device.
 
I've certainly noticed that since the addition of the Metal technology, even when listening to ambient music I have the urge to rip my shirt open to expose the hair and strut around the room very much like a chicken, roaring at the top of my voice as if I'd eaten a bowl of gravel. But only on the 12.9.
 
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