why do peple think ipods are just for bkgrd music

I have a zune loaded with lossless files playing through audioengine 5's as a second system in a cabin. The sound is very good given what it is and what my goals were when building the system. It is nothing compared to my reference but given the dollar comparison it is pretty darned good. My wife and daughter love it; convenience, small footprint and great sound to their ears. I think it is a matter of what your goals are and what you are used too listening to as a reference.

I believe this medium is the future of audio or large part of it. I do not believe there are many young people in our footsteps who really appreciate or are looking to great audio as a goal. I have also begun questioning my own involvement at least to the level I have invested in it. I have been in this hobby for most of my life and have enjoyed it. I have two children who have been exposed to it but neither one considers audio perfection or the pursuit thereof important. However, they do love the zune; so goes the future of high end audio at least in my house.

Sorry for rambling and not sure I answered or contributed to the thread but just felt I had to say my two cents.

I agree with you Czbbcl all iam saying is that medium is the future and its how we can get the most of it.

It (the MSB) is a true transport that deals with the jitter just like the cd transport. Now you have ipod docks like the wadia 170 all it does is bypass the ipods dac. I would use the wadia 170 dock as background music. Iam not knocking the wadia but its not a ipod transport.

Again, I addressed this in another forum, the Wadia iTransport bypasses the DAC and you can purchase DAC's that handle jitter. So your knock on the Wadia it totally unfounded.

I don't know anything about the MSB, does it bypass the internal DAC of the iPod?

brianmgrarcom iam not knocking the wadia 170 itransport just the opposite. I think that this is the furture and the cd transport will be the past. Yes the msb bypasses the ipod dac but it all so address the jitter. Just like the cd transport their are transports that are better than others. I have not yet listen to the wadia 170 yet, i have one on order at musicdirect when its out. Yes i think some dac address jitter and some do it better.

Usaarmy91, sorry if I am putting words in your mouth, but you do make comments that come across negative to me.

I would use the wadia 170 dock as background music. I am not knocking the wadia but its not a ipod transport.

Also:

Yes the msb bypasses the ipod dac but it all so address the jitter.

This is interesting to me because the iTransport is marketed, I believe, as the only licensed product from Apple to bypass their DAC. While the iTransport does not address jitter, if your DAC does, it is basically a non-issue, from what I understand. There is a clocking(?) signal sent via the cable from whatever transport you use, to the DAC, so it can be done at either place.

I believe dCS has a 3 piece CD system, a transport, clocking (jitter) unit and then the DAC.