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Portable DAC compatible w/ iPhone or iPod

Hello, I'm a spinning enthusiast who loves to jam to some motivational music at my local LA Fitness spin classes. The instructors do the best they can outputting their playlists from the phone mini-jack split into a stereo RCA interconnect that connects into the gym's reasonably powerful amp & speakers.
Often the sound quality is just awful. No punch to the Metallica or Michael Jackson or whatever music they choose.
It would sound so much more forceful but less fatiguing at the same time if the instructor's phone or iPod could be docked in a way that the data will upload raw to the portable DAC.
I've been looking for a versatile DAC that can be easy to use & hookup to their system quickly. I've seen the one company in California that makes triangular portable DAC's, but I don't recall their name right now. Basically I'm looking to mount up my phone & still get good sound
masi61
reubent
6,979 posts
 
I also own a Nuforce Icon iDo and it works very well for me. Not exactly portable as it requires an AC power source. But it works well and sounds pretty good. However, don't expect low-res digital played over a PA system to sound great. It might be somewhat better, but you can only expect so much.....
urfi
4 posts
 
I've been using Oppo-HA2 with Shure SE846 and iPhone and extremely happy with it. 
oahmad's avatar
oahmad
2 posts
 
Hi Folks, interesting thread.  I already own a NuForce ido.  For those folks who are connecting their NuFuorce to external DACs, can you specify which ones you're using and why you prefer them to the built-in DAC on the NuForce?  Thanks in advance to everyone who responds.
prognostic
1 posts
 
I use the Fostex HP-P1. Primarily I just use it for a transport to send to various other DACs. I'm reasonably happy with it.
masi61 OP
97 posts
 
Thanks - JI35: I know about the Pono player, I'm thinking of that other company that makes clever little "Toblerone candy" shaped mini DAC's similar to the Pono. I'll have to research it some more. The company name was an acronym for something...dang... it eludes me right now.

My goal is to be able to loan my little device to the spin instructor and let them plug their phone into it just to see if the power chords and the climactic moments don't have more drama to them. And the thin-ness and the harshness, hopefully some of that can go away.

Timrhu: I did not know about the Nuforce Icon ido. It appears to be out of production. I did find several on eBay for under $100 which is encouraging. One question though: does it use the mini jack from the iPod to import the raw data or does it keep the crappy internal dac from the iPod in the playback? I have a really nice sounding Wadia 171i with a digital coax out to my Bryston DAC that sounds quite nice for most recordings except all but the lowest quality mp3's. But that set up is for my home system and is not portable at all. The Nuforce sounds promising because it appears to just require a place to plug in a wall wart and a place to plug in the RCA interconnects and that is about it.
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