[lousyreeds1]

Hi all (and hi Vinnie),

So I've had my 5G iMod for many years now and figured it would finally be time to retire it when the digital-out iPod docks went mainstream.  I'm now sitting here with a Cambridge Audio id100 dock feeding through coax to an MHDT Havana DAC. Sounds great, right?  Well it doesn't hold a candle to my iMod through ALO cabling.  Both sources are running to a Grado headphone amp and then on to my Grado HF-2 headphones.  The difference is not subtle - the iMod is more open, more transparent, more coherent: the whole enchilada.

What gives??

Vinnie, I know the iMod is a great piece, but how can this be??  The cabling on the id100/Havana source is admittedly subpar - just some Belkin interconnects and coax cable - but still, the difference in sound quality is massive.  The only thing I can conclude is that this is a testament to Vinnie's incredible design skills, and to how closely his musical priorities match with mine. 

So I have renewed confidence in my iMod as my digital source for the long term.  All I need now is some way to use it without having to remove it from the system to charge it every few hours - the battery isn't doing so well these days...

Anyway, this is all just to say that I remain incredibly impressed by the iMod, despite the many new options for getting the most sound possible out of the iPod!  Congrats, Vinnie!

[Vinnie R.]

Hi lousyreeds1,

For great musicality and coherence across the board with redbook files, the iMod is not easy to beat.  The Isabellina LFP-V Edition dac clearly beats it, but costs much more 

So I have renewed confidence in my iMod as my digital source for the long term.  All I need now is some way to use it without having to remove it from the system to charge it every few hours - the battery isn't doing so well these days...

 

If you send me the battery and your iMod, I'll take care of it for you.  This company carries good ones: http://www.milliamp.com/

Anyway, this is all just to say that I remain incredibly impressed by the iMod, despite the many new options for getting the most sound possible out of the iPod!  Congrats, Vinnie!

Thank you!

Vinnie

[lousyreeds1]

Thanks, Vinnie! 

The iMod aside, I'd be interested to hear if you've compared the latest and greatest digital iPod docks using the Isabellina.  I just can't figure out what separates the id100, Pure i-20 and Wadia 171i in terms of sound quality, and there's a lot of misinformation out there.  The only thing I've heard is that the Cambridge id100 and Wadia 171 have 'reclockers', and should therefore be better.  But I can't find any decent comparison.  I'd be very grateful to hear your thoughts on this - just in case an Isabellina purchase is on the horizon 

[Vinnie R.]

Thanks, Vinnie! 

The iMod aside, I'd be interested to hear if you've compared the latest and greatest digital iPod docks using the Isabellina.  I just can't figure out what separates the id100, Pure i-20 and Wadia 171i in terms of sound quality, and there's a lot of misinformation out there.  The only thing I've heard is that the Cambridge id100 and Wadia 171 have 'reclockers', and should therefore be better.  But I can't find any decent comparison.  I'd be very grateful to hear your thoughts on this - just in case an Isabellina purchase is on the horizon 

Hi lousyreeds1,

The best one I've heard is the least expensive one - the Pure i20.  BUT - fed from a 12V linear-regulated output jack from the Isabellina off the LiFePO4 battery pack.  And I own the iD100, 171i, and onkyo ND-S1.

Here is another little secret - remove the internal switching regulator in the i20 with a 5V linear regulator (you need to heat sink it) and you have a smoking good little iPod dock! 

This is the reason why all our products that feature our Isabellina dac also have the $100 option of adding a 12Vdc output jack - for feeding these iPod digital docks.  They all come with cheap switching power supplies 

Vinnie

[lousyreeds1]

Hi vinnie.  For those of us who have no clue what an internal switching regulator does or where to find it, is there any chance of an RWA mod here?  I know you've got all that free time to kill 

I'm also assuming the 12Vdc output jack is only available on your DACs, rather than on, say, the Sig 15?

Thanks as always!

[Vinnie R.]

Hi vinnie.  For those of us who have no clue what an internal switching regulator does or where to find it, is there any chance of an RWA mod here?  I know you've got all that free time to kill 

I'm also assuming the 12Vdc output jack is only available on your DACs, rather than on, say, the Sig 15?

Thanks as always!

I can offer an i20 mod - I just need to figure out how to price it.

A 12Vdc output jack can be added to the back of a Sig 15...