iPod as a source 80 gig model, lossless

Turns out that cables are really important because the key to optimizing an iPod as a source is to use the line out on the bottom of the case - not the headphone jack. Amazing to me that our entire high end industry went for the easy money headphone jack solution and proceeded to charge a fortune for it.

Here's what they didn't tell you.

The line-out is a constant output. It is not controlled by the wheel on the iPod. So you are getting signal after the DAC before it goes through the pre and the amp.

The Pocket Dock is an example of a widely sold unit which allows the iPod to keep charging while providing the audio out from the dock. SIK also makes a couple of nice variants.

Naturally there are some folks who have figured out how to build really exquisite cables for this very weird pin - which technically is a "USB 2.0 0.5 mm pitch stroke type connector DD1 series".

This work is driven by the HeadFI crowd who utilize the iPod because it fits so well with their headphone amp battery powered packages. These are terminated in a mini, but they can also be terminated as an RCA pair.

These are a bit cleaner because the builders only cablethe audio out pins and do not cable the power pins - i.e at some point you will have to stop using the iPod as a source and recharge it. Given that the big units will go 8-12 hours this may or may not be an issue.

The ever inventive Drew at Moon Audio has done some nice work - you'll need to scroll way down his Headphone & Portable Cable section to see his Silver Dragon offering.

Another company I have worked with is http://www.aloaudio.com/ You want to talk cryo Jena wire, silver in Teflon, litz, cotton, silk etc just bring your pen. The work is stunning and sounds great. Slowly being overwhelmed by success but they have been willing to build whatever you need in the past. One big difference is that in HeadFi land cables tend to be a few inches while we need longer stuff.

If you really want to do everything you can, you get Vinnie to do an iMod - though now you are back using the headphone jack out but its all been rebuilt.

My guess is that if you do Apple Lossless and come out the dock with a premium cable it will be very enjoyable, though probably not as resolving as what you are used to. On the other hand, after you fire up a Playlist or put it on Party Shuffle its game over for anything but the most critical listening.

If you really want the great solution that will send your Cary running for the hills, take a look at the work Gordon Rankin is doing over at Wavelength audio.

I've used my 60gig iPod photo as a source with WAV files and a Signal Cable Silver Resolution cord going from the line-out. It's OK for background music, but does not have the PRAT of either my my Muse DAC or Modwright Sony. I much prefer the convenience of the larger interface of a laptop and iTunes, and the sound via my U24 and DAC is outstanding to my ears, and can best the iPod alone, and is very difficult to distinguish from an original disc. The problem with the iPod is that, even using the line-out you are limited to the less than desirable internal DAC. There is one company that is making a device that bypasses the DAC and gets a digital output to feed to a DAC, but, last time I checked, it was at a ridiculously high expense. Monitor Audio made claims to this effect, but when asked, the company denied the iDock's ability to utilize digital output. Line-out is definitely the way to go to avoid the added grunge of the iPod op-amp. In my version a simple Apple iDock gives you a mini-headphone plug line output at the bottom. Earlier iPods had this standard. Can't speak to the iVideo.

Marco

Chris: The Empirical Audio Wireless is a huge improvement (should be; see their web site) over the stock Airport and obviously the choice of DAC is critical. I started out thinking that this was going to be strictly for background music and have been very pleasantly surprised.

David

Marco - no question that there are much better ways to play digital music then an iPod. It's a convenience or form factor thing. Makes no sense with a nice rig in place. But nice by the pool, on a boat, at the mountain cabin, the guest bedroom etc.

David - IME many of the people who come looking for this kind of advice are computer newbies (this is very generational). Old school audiophiles arre looking for the sort of guaranteed performance they are used to with their Denon or Wadia or whatever - you push the button and it works. That is why I recommend a wired solution, the odds tilt a bit more in your favor - truth is even then there is still no guarantee.

Looks like Steve has unleashed another one of his conceptual breakthroughs. Anxious to watch it roll out and to see market acceptance. Remember that you still need a DAC after the Offramp...

Yes - this stuff works really well and inexpensively compared to getting equivalent performance from a traditional rig with its tweaks, power cords, ICs and all the other folderol.

Marco's U24 set up is inexpensive - I ran one into a fully modded TriVista, a nicely modded Squeezebox is in the realm of the reasonable as are an ever growing number of USB DACS.

Watch for wireless USB coming soon, and the new WiFi standard 802.11n

listenable, fine for background but not for critical listening.