iPod docks..................how do they...................?

[fayeanddavid]

We have a variey of iPod docks scattered around the house, from a couple £35.00 jobs for the daughter, a JBL in our bedroom, a dock for the Yamaha amp and also the Cambridge One has an off board dock

Having read all this clever stuff about on board and off board DACs, how does the average iPod dock work?

Does it;

Bypass the iPod DAC and send the signal through the dock DAC (try saying that quickly) or...............

Amplify what could be called the analogue out signal but not via the headphone socket?

Trying to see how all this fits together for sound transport and quality, thanks

 

[Andrew Everard]

Most docks take an analogue output from the dock port on the player, while a very few take a digital output, and deliver it via an optical or electrical digital output to an external DAC or the digital inputs of a suitable amp/receiver.

I don't know of any docks with DACs, although I am sure someone will be quick to point out one or more I may have overlooked.

 

[ID.]

Andrew Everard:

although I am sure someone will be quick to point out one or more I may have overlooked.

With an offer like that, how could I refuse

The only one I know of is this Audio Technica which is a combined iPod dock, DAC and headphone amp.

http://www.audio-technica.co.jp/products/dj-plus/at-ha35i.html

I checked their UK and US sites, but as far as I can tell it doesn't seem to be available outside of Japan. But as it only has digital out and headphone out, I suppose it is more a headphone amp with an iPod dock.