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[Beechwoods]

A limiting factor in iPods is the DAC and headphone amps. Which is why some of the more high end system integrators out there utilise a digital out via the dock, rather than relying on the innards of the iPod to do the job. A Sony Pro Walkman can sound amazing; and it's a nice picture representative of cassette tape in general… well done for spotting though Dave!

[DSJR]

So none of you can hear the "tearing" flutter on all the Walkman Pro's (quite a few actually as we used to sell them and two friends had them 'cos they were fashionable in the "Flat Response" days) I've heard when running on batteries then? I didn't think they sounded much better than most good low-budget cassette decks and the fashion for using them without Dolby was a joke, as in those days I found the tape-hiss most objectionable.

By the way Marco, there are PMP's and PMP's. Some will drive headphones much better than others and feature superior audio amps inside I gather..

[Alex_UK]

Interesting, thanks for the info, Marco. I've never listened to high end cassette (I was always a vinyl boy, only recorded to tape for the car and a lowly Aiwa personal) so I can't really comment on the direct comparison, but I certainly don't find the ipod "cold and tinny" with proper 'phones, but I guess it is a culture thing as much as anything. Maybe I'll get to have a listen to a Pro one day and I can make my own comparison.

[StanleyB]

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[DSJR]

Cassettes can be very good. It's just that the Walkman pro was too much of a compromised novelty when running on batteries. used on the mains, it was very much better, but cost more than full sized equivalents. A baby Nak (BX100E) ate it alive and was more durable as the hours went up..