Is iPod Digital Output Possible?

I haven't read this whole thread, but I found this thing

www.nyko.com/nyko/products/?i=...

Nope, that's just a line output. The digital output would have to be in the form of a single S/PDIF (RCA type connection), or a Toslink connection. Anything that goes directly into an amplification source is using the Ipod as a DAC. With a digital output you would need to go firt to an external DAC.

Thanks for posting, regardless.

Marco

The iPod uses a cruddy, standard Wolffson Microelectronics low-power DAC; headphone amplification is handled by the same chip. It is built into the ipod, rather than the dock, unfortunately.

You might as well use your computer or one of the newer digital media servers as a lossless source, and then rout this into a good upsampling DAC. Some of the newer upsampling CD players (eg. Cambridge Audio, Quad) will allow for digital inputs, as well.

I think it is. I saw somewhere on the internet the pin lauyout for the ipod connector and it includes two interfaces: a USB and a Firewire. It is quite possible that when playing a bitstream is sent to usb and/or firewire...that's how monitor audio may have implemented their own DAC.

edsherlingmd@yahoo.com writes:

The iPod uses a cruddy, standard Wolffson Microelectronics low-power DAC;

The iPod has always used a Wolfson Microelectronics DAC. The first and second generation iPods - WM8721; third generation - WM8731L. Fourth generation - WM8975 CODEC; fifth generation - WM8758 Audio codec. Some think the WM8975 is the best sounding of these.

As some know, Arcam changed from the dCS "Ring" DAC to a Wolfson DAC. Obviously there were many business reasons involved in this, but Arcam are a savvy company with a good reputation for sound quality, and Arcam chose to use chips from this Scottish DAC manufacturere. For example, the Arcam CD33 uses the WM8740 DACs, and it's a good sounding player (though I prefer the earlier "Ring" DAC).

I'm not saying the WM8975 is a great DAC. I just don't think it's "cruddy".

headphone amplification is handled by the same chip. It is built into the ipod, rather than the dock, unfortunately.

No. The headphone amplifier is handled by an opamp output stage following the Wolfson DAC. This can be bypassed as Red Wine Audio do with their iMod.

We take the analog output (line out) off of the dac chip and send it directly to the internal 1/8" headphone jack (converting it into a dedicated line-out jack) via high-end Black Gate Non-Polarized NX-Hi-Q coupling capacitors

The pin outs have been published. See http://pinouts.ru/Devices/ipod_pinout.shtml.

There is digital data coming out of the iPod on both the Firewire and USB outputs. But it's not in SPDIF and you can't feed it to an external DAC. The MSB modification extracts the digital data higher up in the chain and run it through custom circuitry, as shown on their web site. This is a $2000 "mod" as you cannot get the $200 iPod mod without buying the system.

Regards,

When John Atkinson of Stereophile tested the iPod's DAC he found it tested quite well. Psiberaudio offers passive/active preamp docking stations that raises the iPod signal output to a standard 2V. Psiberaudio's website may give you some ideas and useful information on getting the most out of your iPod. Their site is http://www.psiberaudio.com/iPod_2.htm.