iPhone 7 audio quality

[Zimmy68]

Ahh, I remember the good old days when iLounge would devote an entire section to audio quality on new iPhones, which sound chip they were using, etc.
Now it is a one sentence throw away.

 

[cmanbrazil]

I was wondering what the audio enthusiasts were thinking about the iPhone 7, and at least some of them are very pleased with the experience. I am posting two of head-fi-org threads, where they discuss the differences in ways i can not. There is also another scientific comparison in the first thread. I look forward to testing the difference myself. While I like to read enthusiasts feedback, from all viewpoints, what matters most to me is what I hear while using them.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/627111/what-is-the-sound-quality-of-iphone-ipad-ipod-touch/285
http://www.head-fi.org/t/794101/iph...able-audio-for-the-first-time-in-a-decade/630

 

[Mac 128]

That is a great video, and explains sound quality in a way that is easily digestible for the uninitiated. I can't verify it's authenticity, so I am waiting for other reviewers to do the same type of comparisons.

I was one od those upset they removed the headphone jack because I have not had great experiences with Bluetooth either in my car or headphones. I am not an audiophile but can clearly hear The lightening to USB connection to my car stereo however works great so my main issue was the possible degradation while using regular headphones.



When I first heard they were removing the head phone jack, I got really upset because I have never had a good experience with bluetooth sound quality either in my car or with my phone. Honestly, I am not overly in love with the DAC on my iPhone, but I don't use headphones enough to warrant the investment. in an external one. Even though I was one of those railing against the removal of the port, I held out hope that Apple would deliver a higher quality listening experience to go along with their money grab for accessories. If this video is correct, I think people will realize that sound quality with the dongle, will be poorer than sound quality with headphones that use the lightning port. And they will improve sound quality for bluetooth using their bluetooth products "effectively" herding people in their proprietary direction. Like the video said, the loss in sound quality is not stark, but enough to acknowledge the difference.

They video really did a good job of explaining sound quality and how its transmitted through the phone, dongle, and headphones.

Don't know how well this guy explains anything, he seems to have an agenda, and is presenting this video as unbiased when it appears to be anything but.

Can anyone explain what he's trying to say at 2:45 about the four connections going through the Lightning port? Is he trying to say that the headphone signals are being sent as analogue out of the Lightning port, using the iPhone's DAC and amp? He's pretty fuzzy during this "technical" explanation.
[doublepost=1474209540][/doublepost]

I was wondering what the audio enthusiasts were thinking about the iPhone 7, and at least some of them are very pleased with the experience. I am posting two of head-fi-org threads, where they discuss the differences in ways i can not. There is also another scientific comparison in the first thread. I look forward to testing the difference myself. While I like to read enthusiasts feedback, from all viewpoints, what matters most to me is what I hear while using them.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/627111/what-is-the-sound-quality-of-iphone-ipad-ipod-touch/285
http://www.head-fi.org/t/794101/iph...able-audio-for-the-first-time-in-a-decade/630

Yup this guy Yuri seems to be using a similar model of the data I posted from the German Blog:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/627111/wha...y-of-iphone-ipad-ipod-touch/285#post_12872457

https://translate.googleusercontent...2.html&usg=ALkJrhhxPgCxr5ncqQAXc4M9wKD3CZXgLA

 

[sekazi]

If I would ever need to use a lightning to 3.5 adapter I would wait for the higher quality dacs. The one provided by apple will not be that good. I am still waiting for a tear down of the apple supplied dac.

 

[Mac 128]

If I would ever need to use a lightning to 3.5 adapter I would wait for the higher quality dacs. The one provided by apple will not be that good. I am still waiting for a tear down of the apple supplied dac.

It seems pretty good so far. At least comparable with what is built into the iPhone already. Were you using an external DAC with the iPhone already?

And yes, I'm stunned there has been no teardown of the adapter yet. I really should crack mine open, but I've waited this long, I can certainly wait one more day to see if they post a teardown -- surely that's next week's big story?

 

[sekazi]

It seems pretty good so far. At least comparable with what is built into the iPhone already. Were you using an external DAC with the iPhone already?

And yes, I'm stunned there has been no teardown of the adapter yet. I really should crack mine open, but I've waited this long, I can certainly wait one more day to see if they post a teardown -- surely that's next week's big story?

For me the DAC is the car or other lightning only devices out there. I never have used the 3.5mm jack for my iPhones I have owned. When I used to use my iPod touch I used a line out for it but the old connector had analog out. The only external DAC I use is for my PC which connects to a amp to my headphones.

There have really been not many adapters to come out since the Lightning got introduced. Now that the 7 was announced there are dozens including ones with 3.5 and lightning out.

 

[mzd]

Anecdotal, but here is my conclusion after A/B testing with my iPhone 6: same or near-enough for my reasonably critical listening.

Setup: same track, same headphones (Apple dual driver in-ears). iP7 in the right ear, iP6 in the left, and then changing up the combinations. I'd also listen for a while to just the iP6 and then the iP7. I went through two tracks, both 256 AAC files, one purchased from iTunes and one ripped off a CD. Both tracks have great dynamics and production (Black Dub and a live Chick Corea Trio track).
I couldn't hear any difference between them. This certainly isn't an audiophile setup or test, but from a musician with critical ears, the iP7 with Lightening adapter is indistinguishable to the old audio out.

 

[drumstr]

Anecdotal, but here is my conclusion after A/B testing with my iPhone 6: same or near-enough for my reasonably critical listening.

Setup: same track, same headphones (Apple dual driver in-ears). iP7 in the right ear, iP6 in the left, and then changing up the combinations. I'd also listen for a while to just the iP6 and then the iP7. I went through two tracks, both 256 AAC files, one purchased from iTunes and one ripped off a CD. Both tracks have great dynamics and production (Black Dub and a live Chick Corea Trio track).
I couldn't hear any difference between them. This certainly isn't an audiophile setup or test, but from a musician with critical ears, the iP7 with Lightening adapter is indistinguishable to the old audio out.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't tell a difference btw them...I'm also a musician with critical ears and my original analysis of the 7 sounding better was indeed bc of older earbuds I was use to with the 6s....Also..good taste in music with chick corea

 

[dannys1]

The popular concept says Lighting is better because it's digital and digital is more modern than analog.

Modern is better than "ancient."

People believe any digital audio is better than the best analog.

It follows that people similarly believe Lightning Earpods sound better than stereo 3.5mm male Earpods. (Or any other brand earbuds/headphones, one with a Lightning connector, the other with 3.5mm).

Placebo effect.

It's reminecent of when 128kbps MP3s (and AAC when iTunes started) were lauded as "CD quality" and people would go around repeating it as-if it were gospel, unaware that CD audio is lossless and uncompressed.

They're all analog in the end though. All the lightning adapter does is move the digital to analog conversion from inside the phone to the little connector, for both the jack adapter and the lightning headphones, there's nothing more digital about either.