iPod Docks Wadia 170 Transport

Buconero117,

It is my understanding that Wadia is the only company that has been licensed by Apple to pull the digital output directly off of the external cable/dock connector of the iPod. I've been told that there is a secured handshake protocol that is required to be able to read the digital data stream off of the external connector and Wadia is the only company currently licensed to use the required "software key" that unlocks the digital output.

I think other companies have products that get the digital signal right off of an internal connection in the iPod, but it requires the iPod to me modified in order to work.

This information may now be out of date, but it was my understanding as of a few months ago.

TIC

Thanks for the PS Audio tip. From a business standpoint I cannot understand why Apple themselves is not coming out with something. Since the Christmas product introductions are out, it does not seem likely that anything will appear till next year. Any spies in the Apple world care to comment?

"From a business standpoint I cannot understand why Apple themselves is not coming out with something."

You must be kidding - the market is tiny for the audiophile-quality sound that the Wadia can deliver when taking the digital signal from an IPod and feeding a decent DAC. Do you think IPod owners own the DAC's required to convert the signal? That's why the Wadia also features analog outs - Wadia hopes to sell a few of these things. The high-end two channel market is extremely small -- you can count on two hands the number of two-channel manufacturers that sell more than a $1 million of product per year (there are very few Krell, Audio Research and Sonus Faber's).

I bought the Wadia and run it through an old tubed DAC so my wife can listen to tunes in better than dogshit fashion when she is home.