[PaulFolbrecht]

My office rig consists of a Tivoli CDP, an (excellent) Woo Audio SET headphone amp, and Audio Technica 900 cans.

Carting CDs back and forth is a pain.  I was thinking I could put the iPod back into service with lossless files and a good DAC.

Suggestions??  I'd like to spend no more than $500.

I hear really good things about the Audio Note NOS (that's non-oversampling, not new-old stock :-}) DACs.

[PaulFolbrecht]

What am I thinking?  An iPod has no digital out, does it?  No real way to do this.

I could perhaps use my computer as the source, tho, as I have disk space to burn. 

I am really not at all versed in computers as sources.  Do I need a DAC with a USB input, or are there USB->digital (I forget the term; the type the usual DAC uses) converters?

Thanks for answering my stupid, basic questions - I'll go do some research.

[Jampot]

If the iPod is a suitable model you could have it modded by RWA for a lot less than $500.

You could just about buy the right model and have it modded for $500

Superb Office tool - should be tax deductable

[Se7en]

You can use the Ipod (if you already have one) to transport your music to and from the office. You can get a simple USB to Toslink adapter ($30) and use the DAC of your choice from your PC running Itunes. Or you can get a USB Dac as well.

[PaulFolbrecht]

I really like what I read of the tubed Audio Note DAC zero.  In my price range used.

So that + the USB->Toslink would do it.  Have a specific brand of cable to recommend?

[Se7en]

I don't have a particular USB cable brand (although others here might) that I endorse. As far as I can tell most USB is as general purpose as it gets (obviously usb 2.0 is greater bandwidth than 1.0).

The adaptors that I've used (am still using) are simple $30 boxes that are usb powered and ususally have a cd included with their drivers. I would also suggests finding some asio drivers (asio4all or similar). The digital cable is up to you. Do a google search for usb to digital adapter.

The way I look at it, @ $30 you can see if you like it or not. If you don't you can look at a more expensive setup. Depending on your reliance on Itunes, you might also look at a modded squeezbox. If you're not using protected files or purchasing from the apple music store, you can go completely wireless to a squeeze box (do an ac search) and use the analog outs (modified).

[diymon]

Some options to possibly consider: put the music files on an external usb hard drive if there is insufficient space on your notebook hdd. 3.5" drive is more reliable, but 2.5" is smaller and more convenient. A generic drive and file format system prevents lock-in to any proprietary scheme, i.e. in jargon, is more "future-proof". Just drag-and-drop directories of files.

USB-SPDIF conversion. I've used an Egosys/ESI Waveterminal U24. It is usb-bus powered. It has a built-in DAC and headphone amplifier that, besides the usb-spdif conversion, can be used in a pinch as an end-to-end device (from computer to headphones). The device works well with generic usb sound drivers. I recall some (positive) discussion on the device at for example audiogon.

Otherwise there are DAC's with built-in USB input. The diyeden Great March sold at http://www.diykits.com.hk/dac.html looks interesting for USD195, coming well under budget even with shipping tallied in. Haven't heard one myself and apparently not too many reports on its sound quality in the "west". I would try googling it.

At the other end of the scale, but out of budget, is for example the twindac plus, at around $2K, which also accepts usb input. Favorably compares with dcs if web reports are to be believed.
http://www.twindac.com/TwinDACSpec.htm
http://www.google.com/search?hs=Q10&hl=en&lr=&q=twindac+plus+dcs&btnG=Search

Some other usb dacs are mentioned here (Fubar, Stello, Bel Canto, ...):
http://www.google.com/search?q=site:sonicflare.com+usb+dac

Cable. If not using a usb dac, then whatever dac one uses, standard 75 Ohm coaxial should be fine. Similarly any properly (normally) shielded generic usb cable should be fine too. I would not worry about cable for now.

A lot of choices to be made: dac with or without usb. File storage on computer or externally on say a usb hard drive. Finally priorities: a rig that can compare with a home system or merely one for convenience at considerably lower cost.

Possibly, (some) DIY may be an option too, in which case there are even more possibilities.

[boead]

Scott Nixon Tube DAC USB!

http://scott-nixon.com/dac.htm

[Hantra]

Scott Nixon Tube DAC USB!

http://scott-nixon.com/dac.htm

Last I heard, Scott was working on a DAC that would hook straight to an iPod with a custom cable.  I'd check into that for sure. 

[Frihed91]

Audio Note Kits sells a Dac 2.1 kit with a USB input!  Go to http://www.mostlyaudio.com/KitBuildingMain.html and see how the kit s built.  Price is around $1500.

This is partly tongue in cheek!  But it certainly would be the UOD.