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Best sounding solution for Ipod

Hello 'Goners:

Like many of us out there I have succombed to the 'Ipod bug. I am emabarrased to admit but I have large amounts of jazz, rock, and acoustic stuff on WAV files that are wonderful due to the ease and convenience of it's access. However I find the sound slightly lacking in dynamics, soundstage, and transparency especially when listening to jazz (Art Blakey and the jazz messengers come to mind), etc.

I have heard about Krell's new "Kid" ipod preamp but I am not willing to for over 1k of my hard earned cash for a overpriced gimmick Krell is pushing on it's consumers to stay in the augio game. I am also not keen on purchasing a DAC that will just complicate my analog set-up.

I am currently running a recapped C-28 (Mcintosh) preamp, Mcintosh MC-2155 amp, and my laptop is connected via it's headphone jack into the back of my preamp's aux input. I have read about "audiophile"-like tubed ipod set-ups (preamp/amp from FATMAN) but I am not willing to rid myself of my Mcintosh gear or spend $700 on an mass produced, over-hyped, over-priced set-up from China.

There has to be a solution out there that I can use with my current set-up without robbing my wallet or sacrificing my source components.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.
splittie
henryhk
648 posts
 
For digital out from a IPOD to external DAC, the one company is MSB Technologies. The modify the IPOD so that this is possible and provide a specially designed cradle that has digital outputs and charges the IPOD. The IPOD can also used as an intractive remote control, sending its signal wireless to the cradle. Expensive but the best there is by far in terms of sound quality and convenience for IPODs.
chiroman
12 posts
 
I have an Onkyo docking station which seems to work well. Henryhk are you talking about a docking station? So from this thread I am getting that the next step up from the docking station is to plug your computer into your preamp? Excuse my ignorance (newbie) what is DAC?
Thanks
tobias
1,534 posts
 
DAC = digital-to-analog converter.

The iPod has one of these inside it already. The iPod's DAC takes the digital signal from the iPod's storage (hard disc or RAM) and converts it into an analog signal which can be sent to headphones.

A good DAC is hard to find in the mass market.

One way to improve an iPod's sound is to take the digital signal and send it to a different and better DAC, an external one. That avoids the so-so DAC inside the iPod. Then this higher-quality analog signal can be sent to a preamp.

Unfortunately, it is hard to get that digital signal out of the iPod. Both the signal from the headphone jack and the signal from the dock connector have already gone through internal processing and degraded somewhat. So a technician has to go into the case and install a new connection at a point in front of the processors (the DAC). That obviously costs money, but if it is properly done you can use an external DAC with your iPod.
chiroman
12 posts
 
WOW... Thanks... Lots to learn but good stuff!!! Anybody want to know about the human body, that I know!!! :-)
Thanks
henryhk
648 posts
 
Following Tobias' explanation what MSB does is to modify an IPOD so digital out is possible via their dock, Note however with the modification, you lose Apple warranties.
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