With the mass popularity of the Apple iPod digital audio download/playback devices, I wondered what uses this pint-sized, hard disk-wonder had for pro audio. (After all, hard drive storage play is the present and future for pro and consumer audio). Coming from the "highest quality audio camp," I am not overly impressed by MP3 compression's sound quality, which is a primary feature of the iPod. The Apple AAC compression option, though sounds decent in comparison.)
But since MP3 compression results in the hard disk-space saving convenience of downloading thousands of songs, there must be some some utility for professionals. And when you throw in the fact that an iPod can also download better quality, linear 16-bit, 44.1 kHz sampling audio, the ole 'Pod looks pretty tempting -- even to curmudgeon, audio snobs like myself.
To see if pros are indeed using iPods, I recently queried a few end-users in varying niches of pro audio and found that these little wonders are being utilized in the background. For instance, Dave Rittenhouse, one of our stable of live sound engineer reviewers, uses an iPod to feed background music in between sets, a sort of mini-digital jukebox. He says he has downloaded varying kinds of music to meet almost any audience, and picks the genre that best suits the venue.
I talked with several studio engineers who say they use the iPod to download rough demos, various takes and even semi-finished songs for later listening -- either via headphone from the iPod or downloading the material to a computer at another location. They see it as a very portable hard drive that fits in their pocket -- with an option to plug in a set of headphones. I talked to a couple of musicians who said they used their iPods to listen to complete rehearsal tracks or even an instrumental track to become familiar with a song they are trying to learn.
I have talked with project studio users who say they love the iPod for its ability to store "nearly countless" samples and loops from web sites.
Given its utility, I would like to see Apple make a pro version of the iPod. They could call it the iPod Pro. In its current from, it is limited to the 44.1 kHz sampling and the external input from analog sources is a slothy, 8-bit. I say give it the ability to record from a portable external preamp/A/D converter at 96 kHz sampling, and then playback at full res. Then it would be a small, true replacement for the portable DAT recorder.
Nonetheless, even in its current mass consumer form, the iPod is one cool little audio tool. The 40 GB unit I sampled, easily downloaded a variety of recorded cuts I had transferred from my Apple G5. These 44.1 kHz linear PCM cuts were made to evaluate mic and mic preamps. Using a pair of Ultrasone HF-2000 headphones, I could hear the small difference is mic preamps by listening to the comparison cuts on the Ipod. The playback quality from the internal DAC/headphone amp is comparable to a a good -quality CD portable.
If anyone has any other specific pro audio use stories they would like to share about the iPod, email me at
jgatski@aol.com. I would be interested in what other tasks the professionals have tackled with the iPod.