[roymail]

OK, I hate to admit this to you guys but my iPod plays music with more revealing detail and resolution than my two channel.

I've let this go for awhile, but now it's starting to bother me.  I know... the gear, the source, the room, etc.  Whereas, phones are practically plugged into your ears.  Maybe this is the way it's supposed to be, or is it?

My iPod is one of the earlier generations that still used a HD and my phones are not ear buds... Sennheiser light weight foam type (don't recall the model).  They were not all that expensive, definitely no where near top of the line.

Of course, the bass is lacking, but the revealing nature of the mids and highs are incredible.  I can only imagine how awesome the high end headfi rigs must sound.

All comments are welcome.  Thanks!

[kingdeezie]

I think there are some benefits to using headphones, and some of the low level detail and resolution you are describing might be a part of that.

However, your system should certainly have better dynamics, sound-staging, and imaging. If not, then there is something wrong with the way your speaker placement and/or room.

You can't stress room and speaker interaction enough. I recently tried doing a masterset speaker placement, and even though I didn't nail it perfectly, it made the sound a lot better.

There is a lot of layering and resolution that I was missing.

Try getting a buddy and moving the speakers around using the masterset or cardas speaker placement method if you haven't already done so. It might help. 

[srb]

I have two iPods, one an HD based one like yours (30GB Video) and a more recent iPod Touch 4G.  When I use their line-out via the dock connector into my system with speakers, they both are noticeably inferior to my other sources, demonstrated by less dynamics, not as tight bass and not as transparent highs.
 
The music server has a digital output connected to a modest receiver's DAC and the CD player is connected both digitally to the receiver's DAC as well as analog, using the CD player's internal DAC.
 
While there is a variable between the iPod internal DAC and the DACs in the receiver and CD player, for whatever additional reasons, the iPod doesn't sound as good as either of them.
 
I think you hit the nail on the head early in your post - the headphones directly on your ears is superior to your setup of your speakers, their interaction with the room and then on to your ears.
 
Try a Line Out Dock cable from your iPod to your system, and you will too probably find that the iPod now doesn't sound quite as good as your other sources and that the difference is simply headphones vs speakers / placement / room acoustics.
 
Steve

[Wayner]

Yes, indeed, Headphones are up and personal and can deliver a real nice, enclosed listening experience, but you will never hear the dynamic range of a great 2 channel system. I was recently involved in the restoration of a pair of Altec Lansing Santiago's (multi-cellular horn/compression driver, 15" woofer with 4" voice coil) that will blow your ipod out of the water, dynamically. I can understand why you like your ipod, but this system will win you over.

Wayner 

[eclein]

roymail--I believe ya, about 7 months ago while putting some finishing touches to my 2 channel setup I started checking out headphones and Portable Digital Audio Players. I forget who it was that told me the same thing I'm about to tell you but it even gets better.
 I started by finding out which headphones I enjoyed and then In Ear Monitors or IEM's-earbuds!!
They all sound pretty good in general and its more like finding the flavor of sound you like in your earphones of whatever kind. The other thing they told me was if I took the Line Out Direct from my ipod and bypassed the internal sound card and used a portable amp I'd be even more amazed--I was and still am. Then I got into different Digital Audio Players and left the planet....LOL.
 
  The best part is I did it dirt cheap and got great sound all the way....The cable was like $12.00 when I got it and the external amp was like $18.00 and you'll be surprised how much better your current headphones will sound. Here are the first two things I got and it was purely an experiment that blew my mind and got me into it........
 Fiio E5 Amp- Rechargeable amp with USB, lasts incredibly long on a charge, its small but sounds great:http://www.head-direct.com/product_detail.php?p=100
 Fiio LOD cable:http://www.head-direct.com/product_detail.php?p=87

Like Wayner and Steve said though--speakers are better but headphones are fun...IMHO

[roymail]

I agree with you guys.  I know there's lots going on with the sound once it leave the speakers and before it arrives at my ears.  And, having the sound piped straight into your ears does eliminate many of those problems.  Especially is this true with "low level" playback.

Now, I can see that if my room was smaller and I was setup for nearfield listening, things would change dramatically.  Unfortunately, that is just not possible in my current situation.  Oh, I've done that, and the sound is greatly improved, but it cannot remain that way permanently.  Reason, WAF... most of you probably understand that.

Wayne, I hear what you're saying, but the WAF thing also comes into play here, too.  Some Khorns would be nice or other "large" speakers.  That way all the dynamics, resolution, detail, etc would more easily overcome the problems presented by the room.

I guess the truism so effectively delivered by Clint Eastwood in his best Dirty Harry voice really applies in my situation...  "A man's got to know his limitations!" 

[srb]

Maybe a few minor tweeks can help a little.  Sometimes adjusting toe-in of the speakers either way, while of course affecting the stereo image, can also help to reveal greater detail.
 
If your speaker baffles have sharp corners and/or a hard surface, felt tweeter rings may reduce diffraction enough so that focus and detail are improved.
 
Steve