iPod, Sweet iPod

OK, so nothing earth-shattering, but my iPod experience just improved by a gazillion percent.

I’d noticed that occasionally, the track transition was less than stellar, with the volume levels being dramatically different between two tracks that flowed from one to the next.  I thought it had to do with the way iTunes pulled the music off the CDs, and that I had a setting wrong there.  Wrongo bongo.  There’s a setting called Sound Check that was turned on.  This setting apparently tries to level the volume across tracks as it’s playing.  So, a big scream at the end of one track would influence the next track to play more softly. 

That was huge, but wait — there’s more!

I also noticed the EQ setting in the menu.  I really thought that was a track-by-track setting, so I hadn’t actively dinked with it.  It was set to Flat, and being a lover of a fuller sound, I switched it to Bass Boost to see how that sounded.  It was great!  And then, it carried over, track to track to track.  I am thrilled!

Making these settings changes has really exercised my Sennheiser PX100 headphones, and has been such a flashback for me.  The music I’m listening to today (Pink Floyd primarily, and The Wall right now) sounds warm and full, just like I remember from my younger days of vinyl.  Acoustically, this is where I wanna be, consumed with the sound, and wrapped in the warm embrace of the bass.  That’s why I bought these headphones, and I am finally getting the benefit of them.

Now, if I could just figure out how to turn Bass Boost and Treble Boost at the same time.  Each seems to be represented in the Rock setting, but not quite as full.  I’m sure someone on the ‘net has a treatise on the EQ curves, and what they all look like.

So, sorry Apple, sorry Steve — my bad.  I really thought your iPod had a tinny sound.  As it ends up, the operator just has a tiny brain.  🙂