Using an iPod as my main source

[rhom]

I've been very pleased with the Wadia i170 Transport connected to a vintage McCormack DNP-1 DAC via a WonderLink. Even MP3 files sound very smooth.

Highly recommended.

 

[gmartan]

I am currently using a 60g Ipod Classic as my main source for digital, and is fairly happy with it, although it is not on par with a good CD player these days, as others have commented. The good thing is that the ipods shortcomings are easier to forgive than the in my view hash sound that plagues a lot of digital, even some quite expensive.

Only the Wadia dock today bypasses the low end iPOD circuitry to output the bit stream. Feed that to a good DAC and it should beat most CD players. I think a great sounding minamalist system would be an iPOD with lossless files on a Wadia feeding a Benchmark DAC and some good powered speakers such as Martin Logan Puritys.

 

[preston]

A timely topic I have been reviewing recently. Some thoughts:

* My setup:

- MacBook Pro
- iTunes (AIFF format)
- Toslink-3.5mm optical cable
- Sunfire D/A processor - 2 channel Preamp

*A fancier setup would use an Apple Airport Extreme (the Airport Express has resolution limited to 16/44.1) to keep the computer out of the listening room. The Apple TV is convenient but i understand it has limited disk space (250gb?). Some use the iTouch or iPhone as a cool remote for their iTunes.

* I have read that it is easy to get bit perfect transmission of data out of an Apple computer but not so easy Windows-based system

* There is debate between merits of optical and coax cables. My MacBook sends an optical digital signal out of the 3.5mm headphone jack (surprise) so I use the optical method

* I am pretty sure no good quality optical cable exists to connect TOSLINK-3.5mm, so am using a TOSLINK-TOSLINK optical cable + a 3.5mm adapter, which seems to work OK. I will upgrade when possible

* An interesting resource: www.computeraudiophile.com/

In the final analysis, sound quality is very good despite my weak TOSLINK optical cable.

 

[David100]

Amey, you want an AppleTV + an iPodTouch for the remote.

Great combo (from a usability standpoint). Feed the lossless digital stream to your processor over a digital link, and voila.

I intend to do exactly the same thing : Iphone as a remote/Apple TV/PS Audio DAC DLIII feeding Plinius M8 pre-amp-> Plinius SA-201 Amp -> ML Summits.

But I have two questions (I know I am going a bit off-topic - sorry for this) :
1. Once the Apple TV has been synchronized with my PC and music has been stored on the Apple TV, do I still need a computer (I do not want to switch on the computer to listen to music).
2. Do I really need a TV ? (I don't want to have to switch on TV to listen to music).

I ask these questions because I am not sure to have a good understanding of what Apple TV actually does (and Apple website is not very clear about that neither)
Thank you very much (sorry again for being off-topic).

David

 

[magnoliarichj]

a better way to go would be to purchase an i pod touch and an apple tv. use the lossless format and then you can use your ipod touch over your wireless network to control you apple tv with all the music stored on it. it has nice rca outs as well as optical and hdmi. and you can buy the 40gb version and up grade the HD yourself to up to about 400 gigs or so if you need more info just pm me.

 

[magnoliarichj]

you will need some kind of monitor if you want to see what going on on the apple tv but its not necessary once set up.

 

[magnoliarichj]

also if you have an apple tv with all the same music as your ipod couldnt you run that into the dack and forget about docking the ipod and get the same result or is it the apple tv that does not process correctly right off the bat.

 

[pelleparafin]

I have also put my CD player and CD's in a box and have tried several ways to play lossless and mp3 formats.

First I tried to connect with an Ipod 160Gb through analog connection to amplifier. The solund quality was not good enough.

Then I tried to play through Windows Media player with network connection to my Denon 3808 receiver. This was a very slow solution, this can only handle a small amont of data. Practically useless.

Next, I tried to use my PS3 80Gb, connected with HDMI to my receiver. Good sound quality, fast navigation, but I needed to have my projector on all the time.

I also have tried Denon wireless Ipod dock, it was ok, but not user friendly enough.

My current solution is Squezebox Duet, which consists of a receiver connected directly to my amplifier, a Musical Fidelity A5, and an exelent two-way remote control. The remote control is the single part of my music system that I am most happy with. It is so fast and easy to navigate through all my music, and I can even use it in my garden when I make a barbecue, just need to cranc up the volume a bit...
The music I have stored in a 500Gb USB harddisk connected to an old laptop with damaged screen. The receiver/DAC is quite good, but my next step is to buy the Squeexebox transporter and use this for my main system and the Squeezebox receiver will be used for another system in my living room (or outside for barbecue).

Check out the Squeezebox Duet!!!

 

[spectral]

Very interesting sets of posts... and how timely... My company gave me an iPod Shuffle - yes, the $49, 18gram, 1GB, miniature thing - packing flash memory, battery, DAC and headphone amp in 2 sq. inches! So I thought, what the hell, let's plug into my system (RadioShack cables) and see what happens. I was expecting an AM-radio type sound, and frankly I got much better than FM!

The performance (MP3) was about 50% of my DAC/transport combo, but at $49?!??! That's .28% of the cost of my CD stack! Yes, the bass wasn't really there, the sound was somewhat fuzzy, but honestly, quite enjoyable!

 

[Nikos]

I have wadia i170 (itransport). The combination of wadia i170 and ipod make a very good TRANSPORT. the quality of the DAC is what determines the quality of the sound.
I am very happy with my ipod/wadia/dac combo. the krell kid is another good option if you don't have a good dac (the dac is included in kid).
don't bother with other ipod docks that don't bypass the ipod internal dac.

my 2 c

 

[New2ML]

An iPod is a couple of hundred bucks to store a couple of thousand tunes. And most of us already have an iPod.

A new music server, with similar capacity as my iPod, was recently quoted to me at $3500.

It is worth experimenting with the iPod and various connection solutions to see if you can find one that is acceptable.

 

[amey01]

An iPod is a couple of hundred bucks to store a couple of thousand tunes. And most of us already have an iPod.

A new music server, with similar capacity as my iPod, was recently quoted to me at $3500.

It is worth experimenting with the iPod and various connection solutions to see if you can find one that is acceptable.

I'm sure the Wadia dock is an "acceptable" iPod connection solution. Problem is, it's not just the cost of the iPod then, is it? It's the cost of the iPod, a DAC, the dock and connecting cable.

Considering anyone with an / considering an iPod will already have a computer with music files likely on it, have you looked into the Slim Devices Squeezebox music server - these can be had for as little as $AUD170 - a far cry from $3500!

Analogue out sounds respectable (certainly better than analogue out of an iPod), and digital out is possible at any stage via S/PDIF.

 

[MickeyVee]

I think there may be a more elequent solution using a PC/Laptop/Mac and the Apple Airport express..

First of all, you need something to rip the music to Apple Lossless.. PC, Mac, desktop, laptop, whatever.. Whay cant the music just reside there? (personally, my laptop is pretty nuch on all of the time and I assume most peoples desktops are)

Stream to an AirPort Express and use the digital out to a decent DAC to the main system. (or substitute a SqueezeBox)

You have have mutiple AirPorts around the house and choose whatever combo of AirPorts you want use.

Add an iPod Touch or an iPhone with Apple's Remote application and you've got a pretty decent setup wiyh WiFi remote capabilities.

- Single source
- Distrubited through the house to any number of rooms at <$100 per room plus amplification/speakers
- WiFi Remote

Anyway.. works for me..

 

[Nikos]

- Single source
- Distrubited through the house to any number of rooms at <$100 per room plus amplification/speakers
- WiFi Remote
- jitter

you need a good dac with jitter reduction or an external reclocker before the dac for good results

 

[magnoliarichj]

so if i want to use my apple tv and my music "server" how can i bypass the dac in there to go to a higher end one. use the optical out? is that correct.

 

[Nikos]

so if i want to use my apple tv and my music "server" how can i bypass the dac in there to go to a higher end one. use the optical out? is that correct.

yes. the optical out in a good external dac will give you great results.
the problem is that not so many dacs have optical input.
be careful with cheap optical to coaxial converters, they will deteriorate your sound.

 

[magnoliarichj]

awesome any recs. BTW does i tues use flacs or do you have to use their lossless format

 

[magnoliarichj]

also what about using an existing pc with a really good sound car that has optical out. same idea again right?

 

[Nikos]

awesome any recs. BTW does i tues use flacs or do you have to use their lossless format

wav or alac

 

[Nikos]

also what about using an existing pc with a really good sound car that has optical out. same idea again right?

many problems with pc audio core. try a mac!