How to make my iPod sound great in my hifi system?

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Okay at the moment I am just using the headphone out into the digital media player in on my Rotel RA-04, and it doesnt sound that good at all (even with uncompressed music).

If i have a budget of, say, £100, whats the best way to make it sound great?

Apple dock plus reasonably expensive interconnect into an aux in the back of the amp? 
 

idc

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I use the GQ-24 and would rate it very highly. The only disadvantage over the dock route is that it does not charge the ipod as it plays. But the battery should last for hours anyway.
 

chebby

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You have an iPod so therefore you have a computer (with iTunes) with which to synch your iPod.

It will be far more musically satisfying to plug the computer into your hifi via a DAC.

If the computer has optical output (some PCs/laptops do and all Macs do) then a Beresford TC-7510 DAC (£104.99 + VAT) is all you need. This will be so much better sounding than any number of iPod dock solutions and enable you to play youtube, BBC iPlayer,last.fm and internet radio too. (And your DVD player if it has a digital optical output). The Beresford TC-7510 also has a decent headphone amp built in too.

If your PC/Laptop has only USB then there are boxes like the Firestone Audio 'Fubar II' USB Dac (£124) which sound fine. (I used to have one and for USB only it was very good).

In your position I would save a little more and get the new Beresford TC-7520 (£154 + VAT) it is a superb sounding DAC with USB and optical and coax connections and is a step beyond the TC-7510 (or the Fubar II USB DAC) in quality.

Using your iTunes host computer will also give you the option to rip your CDs in Apple Lossless or 320kbps AAC for better quality sound and just keep the iPod for portable duties.
 
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Anonymous

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Cool thanks!

My computers soundcard has an s/pdif out so i could use that but the only trouble is that my system is in my bedroom and its the family computer... so i would rather not move it out of there so im not sure if that is the best solution right now but thanks anyway.

Back to the idea of the GQ-24... How does that bypass the DAC in the iPod without the requirement of an external DAC? Does it just plug in to the amp still? An whats the different between the nickle phonos and the ultraplate phonos?ÿ
 

idc

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It doesn't bypass the DAC, it bypasses the volume and so you work the volume on the amp and don't have to fiddle with both. The ultraplate phons are supposed to be the best connection, I am perfectly happy with the nickel ones and they are better than the minijack connection - and that comes from Apple. The ipod does literally plug into your amp as a CD or other source would. It really is that simple. The output from the ipod means that I have my amp with its volume setting as I did when I fed it with a CDP.
 

idc

Well-known member
chebby: ... then a Beresford TC-7510 DAC (£104.99 + VAT) is all you need.

I am sorry, but I HATE the practice of quoting a price and then mentioning it does not include VAT, to make it look like a product is cheaper than it really is and in your budget. I am not VAT exempt, I doubt the OP is and such should be limited to dealing between people and companies where the VAT element is relevant e.g. it can be claimed back.
emotion-12.gif
 
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Anonymous

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ubercooldave:

How does that bypass the DAC in the iPod without the requirement of an external DAC? Does it just plug in to the amp still? An whats the different between the nickle phonos and the ultraplate phonos?

My point was that if you go the iPod dock+interconnects route, may as well get the GQ-24 to save £££ as you will be using the internal DAC in both cases anyway. Suggestion was also based on my understanding you want to stick with the iPod. If you want to use an computer and external DAC, options (more £££) are endless.
 

The_Lhc

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ubercooldave: My computers soundcard has an s/pdif out so i could use that but the only trouble is that my system is in my bedroom and its the family computer... so i would rather not move it out of there so im not sure if that is the best solution right now but thanks anyway.

Sounds like you need a music streamer, assuming you have a home network of course. Something like the squeezebox would probably do you.
 
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Anonymous

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I'm probably in the minority saying this but:

Comparing the DacMagic to the iPod shows very little difference. I'm more than likely taking it back as its not worth £230 IMO.

I'm running the iPod through an Apple Dock with a good quality cable (Qunex J2P). Sounds very nice.
 

chebby

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idc:
chebby: ... then a Beresford TC-7510 DAC (£104.99 + VAT) is all you need.

I am sorry, but I HATE the practice of quoting a price and then mentioning it does not include VAT, to make it look like a product is cheaper than it really is and in your budget. I am not VAT exempt, I doubt the OP is and such should be limited to dealing between people and companies where the VAT element is relevant e.g. it can be claimed back.
emotion-12.gif


That is EXACTLY how Beresford quote their prices (if you click on that link you will see) so I merely do that too. If their prices included VAT then I would post accordingly. (As I did with the Fubar II USB DAC in the same post.)

Don't blame me, blame Beresford.

Or are you saying you want me to do the VAT calculations for you? (B***** that, do your own!)
 
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Anonymous

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jazzy639:

I'm probably in the minority saying this but:

Comparing the DacMagic to the iPod shows very little difference. I'm more than likely taking it back as its not worth £230 IMO.

I'm running the iPod through an Apple Dock with a good quality cable (Qunex J2P). Sounds very nice.

Funny you say this, as I had detected large difference in sound on our living room Bose 2.1 system. Yet, this weekend I synchronized and played the same song (48khz 192k mp3 file) via DacMagic and iPod via my Marantz - couldn't tell a difference either! Was shocked...
 
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Anonymous

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My DacMagic has been playing constantly since last Wednesday at about 6pm. So its had over 100 hours now and will try another few tests with a synced song in a few days.

The iPod is a much better source than people make it out to be IMO.
 

Che1

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Hi, I'm listening right now to an ipod touch in the current apple universal dock with a £20 qed mini-jack to phono lead into the aux 1 of a Rotel RA-01 (old version of the RA-04) and I'd say it sounds pretty good. Last time i tried was with a 3rd generation ipod and the old apple dock and it didn't sound good at all, but i've been pleasantly surprised by how good the touch sounds.

Anyway, the dock will give you far better sound quality than you wil get using the headphone out. Plus the dock comes with a remote control and will let you charge it at the same time. Seems like a good value for money solution.

Remember the EQ setting on the iPod too. Think it still affects the output even through the dock connector. Jazz works best for me.

You could try your current lead from the dock to the 3.5mm in (unfortunately the RA-01 doesn't have this input) and see if you're happy, might save you having to buy another cable.

Hope this helps.
 
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Anonymous

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Heres an idea, why dont you throw the iPod in the nearest bin and spend that money on buying some new cds. Like i said only an idea but the results will be far greater than any of the suggetsions you will get on here.
 

The_Lhc

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chainrock: Funny you say this, as I had detected large difference in sound on our living room Bose 2.1 system. Yet, this weekend I synchronized and played the same song (48khz 192k mp3 file) via DacMagic and iPod via my Marantz - couldn't tell a difference either! Was shocked...

I expect the limiting factor there would be 192kbps...

I really don't see the point of buying DACs and so forth if you aren't using lossless files to be honest.
 
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Anonymous

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Agree with LHC, not much point investing in a DAC when your limiting your songs to 192kbps. You only get out what you put in.

One idea that hasn't been mentioned is investing in a tube buffer. Look them up on a well known audition site. Lots of people on other forums have liked the results of putting a tube buffer between a digital source and their amp. It helps to create a more spacious natural sound. I'm thinking of buying one to feed a squeezebox/dacmagic into before being amplified.

There is only one dock Im aware of capable of by passing the ipods internal dac and its £300 or over. No point whatsoever in that if you have an internet connection as a squeezebox would make much more sense.
 
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Anonymous

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Digital_Mayhem:Heres an idea, why dont you throw the iPod in the nearest bin and spend that money on buying some new cds. Like i said only an idea but the results will be far greater than any of the suggetsions you will get on here.

Hmmm, interesting observation.
 

idc

Well-known member
chebby:idc:

chebby: ... then a Beresford TC-7510 DAC (£104.99 + VAT) is all you need.

I am sorry, but I HATE the practice of quoting a price and then mentioning it does not include VAT, to make it look like a product is cheaper than it really is and in your budget. I am not VAT exempt, I doubt the OP is and such should be limited to dealing between people and companies where the VAT element is relevant e.g. it can be claimed back.
emotion-12.gif


That is EXACTLY how Beresford quote their prices (if you click on that link you will see) so I merely do that too. If their prices included VAT then I would post accordingly. (As I did with the Fubar II USB DAC in the same post.)

Don't blame me, blame Beresford.

Or are you saying you want me to do the VAT calculations for you? (B***** that, do your own!)

Chebby, I hate the practice of not including VAT, not you. I don't hate Beresford either! It was a dig at pricing without VAT, nothing more.

Che1 - 'Remember the EQ setting on the iPod too. Think it still affects the output even through the dock connector. Jazz works best for me.' Same here and jazz is one of my least listened to forms of music! On the PC I have made my own customised setting with all the EQs near the top of their range. I really hope that being able to import your own EQ setting onto the ipod is a future update.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
That's simply not true, apparently there is no drop in sound quality between a low bitrate mp3 and lossless
emotion-2.gif
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I have very recently bought an Onkyo DS-A1X dock for my 4th Gen iPod (about 4 years old) the last of the black and white screened ones. (Popped a new hard drive into it too).

I've hooked it up to my Onkyo TX-NR905 amp with a pair of Mark Grant analogue interconnects and the Onkyo remote control cable and it's amazing. Really good sound quality. The Onkyo remote from my amp also controls the iPod. there is no onscreen (TV) graphics, which is a shame as I can't see what it's doing all the time, but when the controls you really want are track + and - and play, pause and volume, I don't think I'll complain at £40 for the dock from Amazon.

If you don't have an Onkyo amp, then you can get one of the better or newer Docks that come with their own remote. This really is a simple, fab sounding, solution for the money. The previous poster is right, iPod's line level output is not at all bad considering.

Good luck!
 

Alec

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idc:chebby:idc:

chebby: ... then a Beresford TC-7510 DAC (£104.99 + VAT) is all you need.

I am sorry, but I HATE the practice of quoting a price and then mentioning it does not include VAT, to make it look like a product is cheaper than it really is and in your budget. I am not VAT exempt, I doubt the OP is and such should be limited to dealing between people and companies where the VAT element is relevant e.g. it can be claimed back.
emotion-12.gif


That is EXACTLY how Beresford quote their prices (if you click on that link you will see) so I merely do that too. If their prices included VAT then I would post accordingly. (As I did with the Fubar II USB DAC in the same post.)

Don't blame me, blame Beresford.

Or are you saying you want me to do the VAT calculations for you? (B***** that, do your own!)

Chebby, I hate the practice of not including VAT, not you. I don't hate Beresford either! It was a dig at pricing without VAT, nothing more.

Che1 - 'Remember the EQ setting on the iPod too. Think it still affects the output even through the dock connector. Jazz works best for me.' Same here and jazz is one of my least listened to forms of music! On the PC I have made my own customised setting with all the EQs near the top of their range. I really hope that being able to import your own EQ setting onto the ipod is a future update.

Calm down dears, blah blah...
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I've also been thinking about connecting my ipod touch to my Arcam Solo Mini. The rDock is an option - but an expensive one at £150 (and I doubt if the connecting cables come with that!). What's the best option between the GQ-24 and the Apple dock do you think? (charging isn't really an issue as the battery lasts long enough on its own for my needs).
 

Messiah

Well-known member
Will Harris:I have very recently bought an Onkyo DS-A1X dock

So you went with my advice in the end then!
emotion-4.gif


Did you find that it worked with your iPhone? (If I remember correctly)
 

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