[bkwiram]

So I see the Monitor Audio i-deck described as pulling digital data from the ipod and converting it to analog with its own DACs.

Which causes me to ask - is anyone out there making a standalone DAC product for the ipod? Is there a reason why this can't happen?

I'm imagining a system with ipod, compact DAC, compact amp with volume control (Nuforce-size/quality), and a couple of good bookshelf speakers. I know I'd be interested in a system like this!

Am I missing some key intellectual property issue, or is this kind of DAC coming soon, or...?

curious,

Brandt

[bkwiram]

Looks like one can't connect an ipod directly to a Squeezebox?

Sorry for the ignorance here, just trying to get up to speed on the world of ipod DAC choices. I searched the archives for 'ipod dac' and didn't see anything useful...

[ctviggen]

Skip the iPod, get a Squeezebox and get it modified, output it right to an amp and your choice of speakers.  Add an outboard DAC later.

[chadh]

So I see the Monitor Audio i-deck described as pulling digital data from the ipod and converting it to analog with its own DACs.

Which causes me to ask - is anyone out there making a standalone DAC product for the ipod? Is there a reason why this can't happen?

Well, if the i-deck does it, then it clearly can happen.

But the problem doesn't seem to be finding a standalone dac for the ipod, but in getting the digital stream from the ipod.  The ipod, like almost every personal digital player, has no digital out.  (I think one of the old i-River models had a digital out.  But the newer versions don't.)  Not only does it have no digital out, there is no time in the process where the digital data are converted into the SP-DIF format.  

Now, I'm feeble on these technical issues, so I could be all wrong.  But I imagine that getting a digital stream out of the ipod would require either adding in something that made the conversion to SP-DIF, or else making use of an I2S digital out (I'm sort of guessing here that the ipod passes digital information to the internal dac using I2S because I think that's what most players use.  I could be completely wrong).  The first option is probably tricky because of space limitations.  The second raises problems because I2S dacs are rare, and I think they might also need some customisation with connectors and such.

I wonder whether it would be feasible to rip out all of the analogue output stage and install something that would let you send an SP-DIF stream out of the ipod?

Chad

[brj]

Skip the iPod, get a Squeezebox and get it modified, output it right to an amp and your choice of speakers.  Add an outboard DAC later.

Not a very feasible option if you also want the portability that the iPod provides...

[bkwiram]

Yeah, I don't really want a squeezebox as currently configured. I want an ipod that I can carry in my pocket, and then connect to a compact high quality home stereo system. Just like the ideck, but with the DAC, amp, and speakers I choose myself.

I'm kind of surprised that this kind of DAC is not available. If Monitor could build the digital link into their ideck, one must be able to do this just as a DAC less the rest of the system...

If the Squeezebox could be connected directly/digitally to an ipod (rather than a laptop), that might work too. But that's not supported functionality at the moment.

[Vinnie R.]

Yeah, I don't really want a squeezebox as currently configured. I want an ipod that I can carry in my pocket, and then connect to a compact high quality home stereo system. Just like the ideck, but with the DAC, amp, and speakers I choose myself.

I'm kind of surprised that this kind of DAC is not available. If Monitor could build the digital link into their ideck, one must be able to do this just as a DAC less the rest of the system...

If the Squeezebox could be connected directly/digitally to an ipo ...

Hi bkwiram,

I don't believe the i-deck takes a digital signal from the iPod.  I'm pretty sure it uses the analog line-out from the dock connector.  iPod does not have an SPDIF digital output.  However, the built-in Wolfson dac sounds VERY good after mods:
http://www.redwineaudio.com/iMod.html

At RMAF, we compared the RWA modded iPod to the RWA modded Squeezebox 2.  Some more details can be found here:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=21954&start=0

Regards,

[bkwiram]

Well, if that's true that the ipod only does analog out, then why is the ideck specifically described in the Absolute Sound/AV Guide review as having its own outboard DAC to convert the signal? I can't imagine they are reconverting it to digital from an analog output - and the ideck has an ipod dock to obtain the data.

I'm aware of the Red Wine ipod mod, which may work well. And I may go there if necessary. But the outboard DAC concept seems more powerful to me. And somebody appears to be doing it!!

[Vinnie R.]

why is the ideck specifically described in the Absolute Sound/AV Guide review as having its own outboard DAC to convert the signal?

bkwiram,

Do you have a link to this?  

Thanks,

[Vinnie R.]

why is the ideck specifically described in the Absolute Sound/AV Guide review as having its own outboard DAC to convert the signal?

bkwiram,

Do you have a link to this?  

Thanks,

Never mind...I found it and this sounds exciting!  

[ctviggen]

You didn't say anything about needing it to be portable.  Perhaps the iPod's bottom connector has a digital output?  Searching for this via Google yields no hits indicating that iPods have a digital out.  Also, you can connect a remote SB to your home server and get all your home songs.  That's about as portable as carrying your iPod to a place with speakers, speaker cables, a DAC, and a preamp.  Unless you want a Bose/iDeck system, but if that's true, why are you asking the question?  So, an SB is damn near as portable as an iPod for your situation.

[bkwiram]

I want to know if anyone makes a DAC for an ipod that is not part of a larger/integrated system. I said that in my first post. Telling me I really want a squeezebox is not going to change my mind about what I want.

I do NOT want to carry around a squeezebox, nor do I want to carry around a complete system. I want an ipod - a regular ipod - that I can listen to in my car, on the subway, etc. and then plug in at home to a compact system of high quality with digital data transfer from the ipod to the DAC. I'm thinking in particular this would be great for a bedroom system. I also think there could be a large market (by audiophile standards) for this kind of system.

The Monitor Audio product implies that the data can be gotten off the ipod digitally and converted by an outboard DAC. There appears to be real-world 'proof of principle,' if you will.

Meanwhile, the answer to my question appears to be: "No, no one that we've heard of makes such a DAC."

I'm done, thanks!

[viggen]

Maybe these will work with a slightly different USB connector: