iPod docking station - Belkin vs Wadia vs Arcam

Wadia ITransport to DAC of choice by digital cable. DAC to RCA cables to preamp, amp or receiver giving you digital audio conversion.
Using the Wadia lets you send a perfect digital bitstream to the DAC of choice, pricerange, etc.

I also have been thinking about the Wadia itransport. I like the idea of convenience, and also the ability to listen to other folks ipod collections while they drop in to visit. My question is the age/quality of a dac. A few years ago I bought a conrad johnson (non-tube) dac, vintage 1996, that I never got around to using. Would a dac of this age, with a quality digital interconnenct, work ok? Thanks, Dave

Age of DAC: I'm no expert, but the age should not matter. If the system can create good sound from digital music, then it is ready for the Wadia iTransport....

I had a musician in my home recently and he wondered if his Iphone would play live recordings (lossless) of his Jazz band on my Wadia. It worked well. He also said it was the best the recording had ever sounded -- on any system. That was the first time I had the fun of sharing my system with a visitor's music. It was a delight for both of us.

One last note on the iTransport. It sounds better than my Sony ES CD player. The bass is fuller when comparing the same tracks back to back. Fascinating since the Wadia is playing the digital copy of the CD.

You don't need a docking station to use your iPod. I use the Cadas iPod Cable, 2 RCA jacks to a mini jack plugged directecly into my tape deck inputs and the sound is just great. Less is more. I mean if you really want to go the cheap route.