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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
jl35
3,980 posts
 
I think your thinking of Pono which is more than a DAC. Look at portable DAC's from Oppo, Fiio, JPS...
timrhu
2,779 posts
 
You should look into a used Nuforce Icon ido. Not exactly portable, but it's fairly small, easy to use and sounds like it would fit your needs. The ido has both a digital out for use with a high end dac as well as an adjustable preamp out using the ido's internal dac. I use one of these for my ipods and love the heck out of it.
reubent
6,986 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.....
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