Ok here's a question for those in the know. If I bought the best ipod availble and uploaded lossless files to it and conneted it straight into an amp using a high quality cable what sort of performance could be expected compared to a red book CD player. As good as a Marantz CD6002?, or a Rega Apollo? or anything better still...? ta jules
iPod versus CD player
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[quote user="jules153"]Ok here's a question for those in the know.
If I bought the best ipod availble and uploaded lossless files to it and conneted it straight into an amp using a high quality cable what sort of performance could be expected compared to a red book CD player. As good as a Marantz CD6002?, or a Rega Apollo? or anything better still...?
ta
jules[/quote]
I'd be incredibly surprised if it got anywhere near a decent separate CD player. My iPod sounds absolutely rubbish compared to my CD player when using an iPod cradle and the same amps, speakers etc. It's about half as loud on normal settings, about a tenth as detailed, has no musicality and a bright treble.
If I bought the best ipod availble and uploaded lossless files to it and conneted it straight into an amp using a high quality cable what sort of performance could be expected compared to a red book CD player. As good as a Marantz CD6002?, or a Rega Apollo? or anything better still...?
ta
jules[/quote]
I'd be incredibly surprised if it got anywhere near a decent separate CD player. My iPod sounds absolutely rubbish compared to my CD player when using an iPod cradle and the same amps, speakers etc. It's about half as loud on normal settings, about a tenth as detailed, has no musicality and a bright treble.
John Duncan
Well-known member
I think some of Joel's problems can be resolved by hijacking the firmware, tbh. I have had good results, even never having used lossless.
A few points:
1) Hard-disk based provision of music is inherently preferable to spinning-disc based media, given a bit-perfect copy of the source (google EAC, or other threads here).
2) The DAC in an iPod is a Wolfson one, and therefore on a par with that used in many good CD players. However, the headphone socket of an iPod is pretty crummy so a dock is obligatory, IMO.
3) You should uncripple the volume restriction of later European iPods (google ipod volume unlock).
4) Wadia and Krell both have spectacular iPod docks out there, the Wadia ($350) being most interesting as it bypasses the iPod's dock and does the D/A conversion itself. Now that to me is very appealing - bit-perfect copies on your iPod direct into an audiophile-grade DAC? Hoo cha..........
A few points:
1) Hard-disk based provision of music is inherently preferable to spinning-disc based media, given a bit-perfect copy of the source (google EAC, or other threads here).
2) The DAC in an iPod is a Wolfson one, and therefore on a par with that used in many good CD players. However, the headphone socket of an iPod is pretty crummy so a dock is obligatory, IMO.
3) You should uncripple the volume restriction of later European iPods (google ipod volume unlock).
4) Wadia and Krell both have spectacular iPod docks out there, the Wadia ($350) being most interesting as it bypasses the iPod's dock and does the D/A conversion itself. Now that to me is very appealing - bit-perfect copies on your iPod direct into an audiophile-grade DAC? Hoo cha..........
[quote user="JohnDuncan"]I
4) Wadia and Krell both have spectacular iPod docks out there, the Wadia ($350) being most interesting as it bypasses the iPod's dock and does the D/A conversion itself. Now that to me is very appealing - bit-perfect copies on your iPod direct into an audiophile-grade DAC? Hoo cha..........[/quote]
Yeah......when I saw that wadia deck and then the price.....I am decidedly tempted by it!!! I use Apple lossless files and I dont think that I'd ever go back to MP3......even the 320kbps i used to use.
RE use of the dock.....i completely agree. I haver an old 4th gen ipod, and the dock i got with it has a line level output......couple this withy a good quality QED 3.5mm jack to RCA cable, and the sound is much weighter and richer and open than using the head phone socket.
4) Wadia and Krell both have spectacular iPod docks out there, the Wadia ($350) being most interesting as it bypasses the iPod's dock and does the D/A conversion itself. Now that to me is very appealing - bit-perfect copies on your iPod direct into an audiophile-grade DAC? Hoo cha..........[/quote]
Yeah......when I saw that wadia deck and then the price.....I am decidedly tempted by it!!! I use Apple lossless files and I dont think that I'd ever go back to MP3......even the 320kbps i used to use.
RE use of the dock.....i completely agree. I haver an old 4th gen ipod, and the dock i got with it has a line level output......couple this withy a good quality QED 3.5mm jack to RCA cable, and the sound is much weighter and richer and open than using the head phone socket.
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