[DaveyW]

First Post here - Normally lurking in the Vinyl Circle - Hi

Looking for some advice.

I've downloaded a streaming app on my 3GS Iphone (Zumocast), which is successfully pulling down audio from my PC and is nice and simple to use.
Currently using a std. 3.5mm stereo to twin RCA lead to connect to my amp, but the sound (not unsurprisingly) is rather compressed when compared to playing CDR audio discs from the same source data.
Am suspecting this is down to the DAC and output circuitry of the Iphone.

I have a very nice DAC residing in a Pioneer CD recorder which I've connected previously to a PC digital output with great results.

So I'm trying to find the best way to get a digital output from the phone to this.

Have had a quick snoop around the web to see if there's any reasonably priced Gizmos or docks with a digital output.
There's plenty of rather large and bulky units with DAC's which I don't really need.
Ideally I'd like something a little smaller and discreet to sit relatively unnoticed alongside the rest of my gear as it will only be used occasionally.

Is there anything out there that fits the bill?

Any thoughts will be most appreciated.
Cheers
Dave

[jrebman]

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but give the HRT iStreamer a look.  Nice and compact, super easy to use, sounds really good after about 200 hours of break-in time, and keeps the phone battery charged as a bonus.

Great little gadget -- I use mine with my iTouch 4G and iPad 2 with no issues whatsoever.

HTH,

Jim

[DaveyW]

Thanks Jim,
Just checked it out.
Certainly nice and compact, but like many devices I'm finding, it's a DAC.
I've already got a nice DAC, all I need is a digital (coax or optical) signal to feed it.
I thought this would be a popular gadget - seems not so far.

I've read that the line out (as opposed to headphone) offers improved quality.
Is anyone able to confirm this?
If so this looks like a potential fall back alternative if I can't find a sensibly priced digital output.

Sendsation

This isn't as simple as I assumed it was going to be

[jrebman]

Davey,

Ok, and sorry, no other suggestions at this point excpt maybe if you could find a usb -> spdif converter that will work when connected via the camera kit usb connector.  But for the most part those tend to be larger boxes (except for the audiophilleo  AP2 (and maybe others I don't know about), but whether they will work with the camera kit is anybody's guess (unless you can find somebody who can confirm it works) and the AP2 isn't exactly cheap, at least as compared to the iStreamer.

Sorry I can't offer any more help at this point, but maybe somebody else who has tried this can chime in.

-- Jim

[srb]

I've read that the line out (as opposed to headphone) offers improved quality.
Is anyone able to confirm this?

Yes, the line out through the dock connector is a step up from the headphone jack output, but still won't sound as good as the digital output into a good DAC.
 
The cheapest digital dock ($100) I know about is the Pure i-20 iPhone/Ipod Dock.  It has a built-in DAC, but also has S/PDIF coaxial and optical outputs.
 
Steve

[DaveyW]

Thanks for the responses gents.
Pretty much corroborates what I was assuming from the surfing I'd been doing.

A simple digital out appears to be hard to find.
Over here in the UK the Pure also seems to be the most cost effective way of doing this.

A generic "line out" adapter is $10 to the door.
Might as well give this a whirl and see how it works out.
As I said this really is only for occasional, non-serious listening and I'm not planning to go into any form of Hi-Res, most of my digital media are basic MP3 rips, so maybe this is all I need.

If not I'll jump on the Pure.

Thanks again - much appreciated.
Dave

[DaveyW]

Quick update

The mini-dock arrived today



And yes - BIG IMPROVEMENT over the H'phone out 

Gonna go with this for a bit and see if I can live with it.

Thanks SRB