IMO if you use one with a DAC that reclocks the signal, it'll perform extreemly well.
Jab, this seems to be the key for the i170 unit unfortunately. Perhaps a $400 unit could have done better by using a better receiver rather the one they actually used - quite likely. But as an outsider it's hard to know what the real costs to manuf are for the unit & what sort of royalties are going to Apple.
As for the foolish mods available (and yes I did read the tweekers link, which was time lost)
Jab, This link was provided to you so that you could read all that info & distill from it what the pros & cons of the i170 were, what the inner workings of the unit were & why unit sounded like it did. However, it seems that was a wasted effort because, you, like the other forum member, couldn't get past the thread heading. It looks like that info went above your head - because if you had actually assimilated it you would not have bought the i170 to use in your particular system. It was clear (to me atleast) that you would be met with mediocre results, which you were.
And, when it's your incompetence you go & blame the product, suggest that the 2nd iteration will solve the issue, etc! Yes, the product is flawed (& that was described in that link in great details) & there is a way to use it (unless you are willing to live with the compromised sound & many area) such that you get better sonics.
What's the point of posting on a forum when you cannot comprehend & assimilate the info that is being given to you?? You are wasting your time & the forum members'.
