Remember the good old days when the iPod was Apple's main pride and joy, with the little white music player changing the way people listened to their music on the go? The iPod was a really big deal before. But once Apple introduced the iPhone to the world in 2007, the iPod's popularity faded fast.
iPod vs. iPhone in terms of sound quality
If we'd examine the sound quality of the classic iPod and the iPhones, we would notice right away that they sound quite different. As some analysts have made their own tests with regard to comparing sound quality between the iPod and the iPhones, a lot of them have concluded that the iPhone was fine and clear, but the Classic iPod was a lot brighter.
Overall there was no decisive winner between the two since sound quality depends on a lot of aspects; e.g. different tunes, different headphones, etc. The 6S consistently offered a fuller and fleshier balance. The Classic, on the other hand, was a bit cooler, but clearer overall.
Other brands better than the iPod and iPhone
Apple killed the iPod Classic in 2014, but you can still find some used, new and refurbished iPods available for sale on the internet. So far, there has never been a portable music player that was easier to use than the Classic iPod. But with all things said, a lot of music players, like the FiiO X1 Gen 2 ($100), Astell & Kern Jr ($499), Sony Walkman NWZ-A17 ($300), or the Cowon Plenue D ($299) sound way better than either the Classic or any iPhone.
Final Conclusion
But with all things said, it seems that in terms of the best sound quality between the iPod and the iPhone, analysts are leaning more towards the Classic iPods more often than not. Though the iPhone obviously offers a lot more quirks and features, the iPod reigns supreme when it comes to amazing sound quality
