The new iPods are out and under complete scrutiny from its user base.

This includes the audiophiles.

These people sort of frighten me, but when they have a point, they have a point.

The guys over at Infinite Loop have completed a full write-up of the 6G iPod classic sound system. Where some users might not see a difference between the most recent generation and the ones that recently went on sale, the review describes the iPod classic as a unit that "sounds precise, crisp, but lacks 3D image and has an electronic haze to the sound... [which] becomes fatiguing after a while. The 5G sounds less precise, but its timbre contains more harmonic information and sounds less electronic."

This impression is backed by a slew of tests in which writer Marc Heijligers notes the following:
-A slight uplift in treble.
-A group delay that depends on frequency.
-A strong modulation with 22.1k, causing intermodulation distortion.

These changes in sound are apparently caused by Apple's change from a Wolfson to a Cirrus Audio codec chip.

The change may not be noticeable, but may be worth taking into consideration before purchasing the coolest new audio player on the planet.

If you've noticed a similar change or have an opinion on this, let us know in the comments or forums.