Last night I noticed that while listening to music on my computer it sounded so clear and there was no distortion when cranked up to full volume. Then I listened to the same songs on the Fuze and it was not so clear and at full volume there was lots of distortion. Isn’t this why one should have a hard drive player rather then the flash?
It doesn’t matter whether the files are stored on hard drive or flash. What matters is the quality of the processor, the headphone-jack amplifier and your headphones.
I can crank up my Fuze to full volume without distortion, so I’d guess it’s some interaction between your phones and your Fuze.
What phones are you using?
LATER THOUGHT: Computer soundcards aren’t usually wonderfully hi-fi. The Fuze may be delivering a more accurate sound, but in doing that could be pumping out more low bass or high treble that’s freaking out your headphones.
Message Edited by Black-Rectangle on 09-03-2009 09:38 AM
"Last night I noticed that while listening to music on my computer it sounded so clear and there was no distortion when cranked up to full volume. Then I listened to the same songs on the Fuze and it was not so clear and at full volume there was lots of distortion. Isn’t this why one should have a hard drive player rather then the flash? "
This has nothing to do with what type of storage a player has.
Which headphones are you using? The Fuze works best with low impedance(16-32 ohm) headphones or earphones that are efficient(around 107 db/mw or higher). If you can turn the volume knob all the way up and the music isn’t much too loud, then you are using a headphone that is high impedance or not efficient enough, or the music files are too low in volume. If you push the headphone amp on the player to it’s limit it will put out plenty of distortion.
Message Edited by JK98 on 09-03-2009 01:06 PM
JK98 wrote: .
Which headphones are you using? The Fuze works best with low impedance(16-32 ohm) headphones or earphones that are efficient(around 107 db/mw or higher). If you can turn the volume knob all the way up and the music isn’t much too loud, then you are using a headphone that is high impedance or not efficient enough, or the music files are too low in volume. If you push the headphone amp on the player to it’s limit it will put out plenty of distortion.
Message Edited by JK98 on 09-03-2009 01:06 PM
I have run Clips and a Fuze at max volume for hours at a time hooked up to my stereo receiver, without a hint of distortion. I wonder if the OP perhaps was using the Custom EQ and inducing clipping?
Boosting the bass plenty with the equilizer is an easy way to produce clipping, as bass frequencies take so much more power to produce than higher frequencies at the same same volume. Also human ears are much less sensitive to low frequencies than to high ones, so it may not even seem that low frequency sounds are so loud.
The input of your receiver is line level though, so it is very different than driving headphones.
@jk98 wrote:
Boosting the bass plenty with the equilizer is an easy way to produce clipping, as bass frequencies take so much more power to produce than higher frequencies at the same same volume. Also human ears are much less sensitive to low frequencies than to high ones, so it may not even seem that low frequency sounds are so loud.
The input of your receiver is line level though, so it is very different than driving headphones.
Good point…I hadn’t thought of that.
I am using ER6-i phones with the EQ on normal.
The ER6i is 16 ohms, 107 db/mw so it should be easy enough to drive.
SICLMN,
Were you listening to exactly the same file on your computer? If you were listening to a CD on your computer vs an mp3 on your player this can make a huge difference depending on the bitrate of the mp3 file.
What player where you using on the computer? Does your computer’s player have an EQ feature, and is it on?
Which volume was “all the way up” on your computer? The sytem volume? WAV volume? Both? If your WAV volume was “all the way up” but the system volume was not, you may find that if you turn the sytem volume all the way up, you get the same distortion.
Hope this helps!
Maybe the Etys are too sensitive and can’t handle what the Fuze is pumping out–the distortion is coming from the headphones overloading. I’d try the Fuze through a different playback system to see if it’s the signal coming out of the jack or the phones.
And…are you sure you want to blast music that loud through IEMs? Doesn’t that kinda hurt?
The story is that I used to have another brand of player that I could make it too loud and I would have to turn it down, but it did not distort like the Fuze does. So I know it’s not the phones and it is the Fuze. The Fuze lives hard wired on my motorcycle for 12 hour rides so it needs more volume at times. I love it for the controls that can be accesed with my gloved hand.
Are you sure the earphones are plugged all the way in? When the Fuze is new the headphone jack is tight, and it takes a bit of effort to get the plug all the way in. If the plug is not all the way in, the sound may be distorted.
What a player sounds like “at full volume” is irrelevant. It’s what is sounds like at the sound pressure level at which you listen that matters. There are many reasons why some systems distort at full volume and others don’t, but it’s too technical for this post and I couldn’t say it better than here:
Message Edited by qualityaudio on 09-04-2009 06:09 PM
I have found out why the sound was distorting. When the Fuze is in direct sunlight like 90 degrees it will distort. Do not let it overheat.
What are you using on the motorcycle for playback?
Years ago, I used to design systems for intercom and radio. Over the years, with the new GMRS/FRS systems available today, it’s a whole new ball game. Lots of possibilities, different from the CB (VHF) radios of years ago.
If you simply need a bit more gain from the Fuze, look into one of the teeny FiiO E5 devices. They’re small and run all day long on a charge.
Bob :smileyvery-happy:
It goes through a Mix-it-2 which is hard wired. I can’t amplify it too much or it distorts.
