What to do with my Ipod tunes?

Another option is the Naim nDac. That'll pull files straight of the i-device and has an app as well. Rather substantial increase in outlay though, but one that can accommodate increasingly sophisticated sources if that is your future direction.

I just use an HRT i-streamer, which is cheap and very effective. The current 256kps bitrate stuff on ITunes sound very good with it. Because I can navigate my IPod as usual, this is very convenient. I just plug in and play. You can also avail yourself of the various higher bitrate radio apps available and play those through the HRT unit as well.

Actually, Itunes can be quite good. Try Pure Music download (free to try) and be amazed....oh you should listen through good earbuds

Here is a killer system for iPod:

iPod -> Wadia dock -> cheap Toslink or coax cable -> Synchro-Mesh reclocker -> Good 1.5m long S/PDIF coax cable -> Metrum Octave DAC

Prices:
Wadia - used on Audiogon - $250
Synchro-Mesh - $599
S/PDIF coax cable - $300-500
Metrum Octave DAC - $1K

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

ouch!

89 bucks....i told you once dipshit.

Mezmo,

Thanks for clearing that one up. From the OP's OP, I thought he has the library of CD's that he put on the ipod.

Warrenh (OP),

This is how you can get the best sound from your ipod. First, get a tape recorder and set it to record. Second, take your ipod full of stolen music and shove it right up your ass. Third, post a link to the only recording that you now have that's not stolen so we can all have a good laugh.

Really. Let me take the horrible liberty of making a couple of assumptions. You tell me where I go astray.

First, when you (ahem) borrowed those "5k tunes" from the library, you plunked them in the laptop, iTunes did whatever it did on default settings, and VOILA! copy? If so, you've likely got AAC files (maybe at as low as 128kps), and that's what's on the old iPod.

If you're with me so far: yes, a cheap y-splitter cable is probably your best bet. You'll be able to listen to your 5k iPod tunes, straight from the iPod, on the big system. Reason being, lossy compressed AAC files are garbage -- and no amount of shit-polishing is going to change that. Don't waste time or money trying.

Now, if you wanted to convert to a digital source using lossless 16/44 rips or higher rez material (format of your choice) this would be a very different conversation. First would be to ditch the iPod. There are two ways to get data off of an iPod: analog, having passed through the POS onboard DAC and out through the headphone mini jack, or digital, out through the propriety apple fangle at the bottom. You can put lossless files on an iPod (but not that many, cause they're big), use something like the Wadia dock mentioned above to harvest those files from the iPod without screwing them up too much in the process, then get yourself a decent outboard DAC, and go from there to the system. But, if you've managed to get yourself a library of lossless files on a computer (to put on the iPod), you're much better off using that as a source than detouring through the iPod in the first place. (Enjoy it on the go, but there are much better options at home.)

Right, if we've gotten this far, the questions start to look like this: PC or Mac? Archival software? Playback software? To over sample or no on the software end? How are you bypassing the onboard DAC (optical, USB, etc)? Only once you've answered these questions for yourself can we begin to have a meaningful discussion about off-board DACs (yes, you'd need one, and there are lots and lots at every price range you could imagine wanting). Meantime: y-splitter. If you want to go much beyond that, sound like you may need to rethink some stuff. Make any sense?

seriously? 90% of my ipod tunes are rock, metal, and alternative. This setup will fly?

Well here's the simple way. Cost? How bout $5?

I taped 5k tunes from the library...free. can't beat that with a stick. Still can someone tell me how much this is going to cost me?

If you already have the CD's, why not play them?

I second Facten's suggestion. The I streamer dac is simple and sounds great IMHO

ipod to istreamer dac and interconnects from dac to pre
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-15593-hrt-istreamer-for-ipad-iphone-ipod.aspx

Per folks at HRT no need to buy a better ipod cable - very nice sounding for the money; otherwise go Jaxwired recommended route

How much? Cost? Price?

12-28-12: Warrenh
Please, what are we talking $$ wise. I require a high quality system. Not state of the art, but one level below.

What does that mean?

Please, what are we talking $$ wise. I require a high quality system. Not state of the art, but one level below.

the pure 1-20 is being closed out on amazon for 89 bucks. it has a ok dac and also gives you the option of getting a digital feed to the dac of your choice. from my search this is the best bargain out there. if you search around you will fink wadia, onkyo, luxman, and others that might be better but i liked this inexpensive approach and bought a second one for my garage system.

First thing you need is a standalone DAC. There are many on the market but you need something that will take a digital signal and convert analog. Then you need a digital iPod dock like the Wadia or similar. Or you can simply buy an airport express and stream your music from your desktop to your stereo and connect the digital output of your airport express to your standalone DAC.