iPod as a source 80 gig model, lossless

I will stick my Ipod in my systen if I am having friends over doing other things. background music only. there is no way an Ipod can be considered in any mid fi system let alone high end. Everything has it's place

I agree completely. I have the 80 Gig model with everything burned in lossless, and I use the "line out" into my big rig with a decent $80-type cable. It doesn't sound nearly as good as my Modwright Signature Pioneer universal player (~$800), so I can't imagine it would be even close to your caliber of disc player.

One thing I can't say for sure is if iPods benefit from the kind of cables people routinely use for higher end gear ($500 a meter and so forth). I've been too worried that the iPod is so limited as a source that there wouldn't be a point in investing serious cable money in it.

However, maybe another 'GoNer has had a good experience with high end iPod cabling...

Interesting. Would you mind providing more information on the sound quality? E.g., is the iPod as a source missing detail, soft bass, overall artificial or grainy sound, etc. I should have been more clear in my question.
Thanks,
Art

I agree with the first two posters. An iPod playing non-compressed files is roughly as good as what I have been able to accomplish with a wireless music server so far, but is in no way even remotely as satisfying to me as a good CD player.

As to using expensive cables, it seems a very bad move to spend more on cables than on the source component itself. Better source, cheaper cables is a much better strategy.

Hmmm. I feel the need to disagree a bit here. I am currently using an Empirical Audio Wireless Offramp through an RCA digital cable to a Spectral SDR 2000 DAC. Sound is challenging my Linn CD12 reference source. Rest of system:

Spectral DMA 360 monoblocs
Spectral DMC 30 SL preamp
Dynaudio Evidence Temptations
All cables are MIT Oracle 1 reference
Dedicated 20 amp circuits

Streaming Apple lossless files (burned and downloaded) from iTunes.

IMHO,

David