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Question about iPod Classic

If it's loaded with lossless files (e.g., .wav or ALC), what do you think about the sound quality of an iPod Classic vs. a CD player of $500 or less? Have any of you paired an iPod with the Wadia 170iTransport and an external DAC or used an external preamp such as the NuForce Icon Mobile to improve the signal strength coming off the iPod? What do you think of the sound quality potential?

I like the sound of my iPod Touch with ALC, and the output seems to at least equal the quality of my Sony ES SACD/CD player (at least when playing CDs). I've also heard a Classic and a Nano docked to a Wadia 170iTransport feeding the DAC in a Peachtree Nova, and the sound was quite remarkable.

Yet I've encountered an acquaintance who says his iPod Classic, playing .wavs and ALC files can't match the quality of his $50 Discman, and that doesn't match my experience.

Thoughts? Feelings? Opinions?
johnnyb53
8 responses Add your response
ckoffend
684 posts
 
I would disagree with your friends statement. I have run my 160 GB Ipod through my headphone amps without any external DAC and it sounds very good.

That being said, the same songs on my hard drive played through my Logitech/Slim Devices Duet going digitally into my DAC sounds much better.
nickt
172 posts
 
Hi,
I have an 120GB Ipod with music recorded in ALC, Wadia Itransport, Cary USB DAC, Audioquest RCA digital cable( eagle something), and I also have an Oppo sacd/cd player.
Comparing the two, the Ipod combo sounds quite remarkable and is much better than the Oppo, more like a $2000 disc player where the Oppo sounds light, thin and small soundstage.
Nick
ejlif's avatar
ejlif
1,370 posts
 
I agree that the ipod sounds better than a CD transport when docked to the Wadia and feeding a digital signal to a DAC. However it does not sound even close to as good as almost any CD player when plugged straight into a system via the headphone output jack.
jeffga
89 posts
 
The IPOD Classic through the Wadia and into a good DAC will sound just as good as the same CD played through the same DAC. This has been my experience. I cannot hear the difference....neither can the reviewers. Use AIFF files. It is really remarkable. A true bargain for this purpose....the Wadia should be product of the year IMO.
johnnyb53 OP
3,510 posts
 
07-23-09: Ejlif
I agree that the ipod sounds better than a CD transport when docked to the
Wadia and feeding a digital signal to a DAC. However it does not sound even
close to as good as almost any CD player when plugged straight into a system
via the headphone output jack.
What if the iPod is in a
garden-variety docking station that extracts the line level signal from the
docking pins, bypassing the iPod's op amp at the headphone jack, and is sent
on via high quality RCAs?

Or the new breed of adapter cable, the analog iPod dock jack at one end and two
RCAs at the other? Then how would the iPod's output compare to a similarly
priced CD player?
levy03
442 posts
 
doesn't really address your specific question but i've found that using the fully differential output on the i-pod produces great sound (without a DAC). not sure who or how many companies have this connection type available but i can tell you it's a definite plus.

i'm a big pod user and this was one of my criteria when recently building a system. the fully differential output on the pods, with a component able to receive said output is a good way to go when using an ipod (imo).

my Krell s-300i integrated uses a simplified version of Krells KID i-pod Dock. it really sounds good.

don't own a DAC so can't comment on that option. i can tell you that the sound i'm getting from my new ipod classic comes awfully close to my consonance turandot cdp.
jpgsf's avatar
jpgsf
71 posts
 
Levy,
What do you mean by " fully differential output on the i-pod produces great sound (without a DAC)." ?
Thanks.
levy03
442 posts
 
it's the large output on the bottom of the ipod. uses the signal right from the ipod's DAC. mine required a special IC that was provided by the component mfg (krell in my case)

not an expert by any means, so someone else might try to explain in further detail. i can only tell ya that it sounds pretty good.

the Krell KID dock uses a similar hook-up. i remember reading a reveiw of it with a pretty good explanation but can't find it now??.

would have to guess that using a quality DAC would still sound better but short of that....this is a good option imo.
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