Sounds Great! Songza Adds High-Quality Headphone Audio Feature

Songza, the best unlimited music streaming app bar none, has just received another update. This new update brings only one feature, but this single feature is enough to rock every Songza audiophile's world. The new feature in question is the integration of high-quality headphone audio powered by Audyssey Laboratories, which also develops the amp music player for iOS. Here's a little backgrounder on the new HQ Audio feature in Songza:

Music is mixed in acoustically calibrated studios by professionals listening at very high volumes. When you listen over headphones two things change: (1) every headphone has its own acoustical characteristics that are different from the studio and (2) most people listen to music at volumes well below studio levels, so their perception of high and low frequency balance is completely different from the original recording. Audyssey's audio engineers developed new technology to measure headphone characteristics and bring them closer to studio sound while adjusting the music balance so that it preserves the original content even when listening at lower volumes.

Songza automatically detects when you have headphones plugged in to your iDevice. If you indeed have headphones connected while using Songza, an HQ toggle switch on the iPhone or an HQ button on the iPad appears on the app's Now Playing screen. Just tap the switch or button to activate HQ Audio. In any case, the accompanying HQ icon turns blue when HQ Audio is on. HQ Audio effectively enhances sound while taking into account the particular fit and specs of the headphones you're using. What's neat about this feature is that it doesn't just operate on a generic acoustic mumbo jumbo. It actually tries to determine what kind of headphones you're using so that it can work its specific musical mojo for your specific headphones. In the event that it doesn't correctly identify your headphones, you can specify it yourself by choosing it from the app's selection of popular headphone models. Furthermore, if your headphone model is not included in the selection, you can request the folks behind Songza to add it. Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, Songza is available now in the App Store for free. Yeah, I also can't believe an app as great as this is free. [gallery link="file" order="DESC"]

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