# iPod Touch to Home Stereo connection best sound?



## Phast1

2 Questions;


1: I have heard that connecting iPod to Home Stereo via ipod's headphone jack to 'Y' rca connections is not nearly as good sound as a dock's rca connections because the source comes from the slim rectangle connection on the bottom of the ipod. I was told the headphone jack is treated for headphone use in some way. Is this true?



2: Assuming sound IS better via a dock... What dock would you reccomend?

Are they all basically the same since it's just a wired connection?


Any suggestions? Comments appreciated.


ty


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## JohnNY-C




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Phast1* /forum/post/17270357
> 
> 
> 2 Questions;
> 
> 
> 1: I have heard that connecting iPod to Home Stereo via ipod's headphone jack to 'Y' rca connections is not nearly as good sound as a dock's rca connections because the source comes from the slim rectangle connection on the bottom of the ipod. I was told the headphone jack is treated for headphone use in some way. Is this true?
> 
> 
> 
> 2: Assuming sound IS better via a dock... What dock would you reccomend?
> 
> Are they all basically the same since it's just a wired connection?
> 
> 
> Any suggestions? Comments appreciated.
> 
> 
> ty



Wadia makes **the best** iPod digital transport: http://www.soundstage.com/digitaldomain/200902.html










There are some tube docks and, other than those, I don't think that there are any real differences. I use an NAD IPD-2 and it's great







. Also, you would be correct to assume that the sound from the dock's L/R RCAs will be "better" than the output from the headphone jack. However, as far as I know, the only one that will do it differently, the correct - digital - way, is the Wadia transport.


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## Ahab




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *JohnNY-C* /forum/post/17374420
> 
> 
> Wadia makes **the best** iPod digital transport: http://www.soundstage.com/digitaldomain/200902.html
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are some tube docks and, other than those, I don't think that there are any real differences. I use an NAD IPD-2 and it's great
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Also, you would be correct to assume that the sound from the dock's L/R RCAs will be "better" than the output from the headphone jack. However, as far as I know, the only one that will do it differently, the correct - digital - way, is the Wadia transport.



The new Onkyo ND-S1 iPod dock is also supposed to be a pure digital transport. Not yet available in the states. Also, it is cheaper than the Wadia.


I have a Wadia paired with the Benchmark DAC and active monitors. Ipod sounds incredibly good in that system.


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## jdjaye

I dont have any science behind this, but I do own 3 iPod Docks.

In order of Audio quality:

1. Cambridge Audio id50 - very good - uses IPOD DAC - you need to use the remote it comes with though....

2. Yamaha YDS-11 - very good - uses IPOD DAC - integrates very well with my RXV-365

3. Apple iPod dock - disappointing - better used as a pc charging station than as an audio component.


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## 4Dthinker

You can buy any number of 3rd party dock that provide line-out jacks so you can plug into your home amplifier. Apple is notorious for obsoleting 3rd party devices with firmware updates to it's iPods though. If you want a simple dock with remote control, Apple's own ipod Dock is a safe bet.


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## WCoast02

Yes, the Y connection has lousy sound. the connection at the bottom or "line out doc" does bypass the internal headphone amp of the ipod and will have improved sound(but will obviously require an external amp). I have personally heard the difference and it is obvious.


Theoretically(I say that b/c I've never done a blind listening comparison) the best sound comes from extracting pure digital signal from the ipod therefore bypassing the digital to analog converted in the ipod. This can be done with 2 docks, the DLO HD and Wadia Digital iTransport. You will need to make sure they support your version of the ipod touch, but they output digital signal through toslink optical out. That way you can use the digital to analog converted on your stereo which should theoretically sound much better as it is a full DAC, not a mini one crammed into a portable media device.


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## WCoast02

just noticed this thread was started months ago. guess the guy that's started it probably is done with this by now!


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## wheelzntoys

True, but still useful info. How about a Chordette Gem and pass sound to receiver via Bluetooth


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## mact3333

This is an old thread but came up in my search...would like to get the best sound from my ipod/itouch/iphone using a 2 channel amp/speaker system...will be using a tube amp with Martin Logan CLS's.


I just bought the Audio Engine W2 , which wirelessly transmits sound from ipod to receiver that connects to your amp with RCA plugs....thinking of returning it though.


1. will the sound quality of the AudioEngine W2 wireless system be less than desireable?...technically, what am I losing by doing it this way versus a proper docked transport system?..I tried it out last night and it didnt sound good with my iphone using a cheap receiver and marginal box speakers(havent got my tube amp or CLS speakers set up yet).


2. my other choices are the Wadia Ipod transport that sells for 380.00...heard good things about this...supposed to have innovative technology to get the most from ipods.


3. what about the Onkyo transport you can from ebay via Japan for 200.00...how does this one compare to the Wadia...is the Wadia worth 200.00 more than the Onkyo?..


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## wcmlutz

Cambridge Audio has a new digital dock the id100. Doesn't have a DAC, but it does have digital outputs that you could connect to a DAC or AVR with digital inputs.

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/suppor...&Title=Support


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## cheapbast4115

I'm surprised that the airport express doesn't get discussed more often. If your iPod or iPhone is connected to a wireless network all you need to do is plug in an airport express and you have bit perfect digital optical out.


Using airplay you can stream anything you have on your idevice to the airport express


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## goldielox

I'm connecting my ipod touch to my home theater receiver through AppleTV.


The Apple TV connects to my receiver via HDMI. I connect my ipod to the Apple TV using airplay.


I also have a Macbook Pro. If I open my itunes account on the Macbook Pro, I can access everything in my itunes account through Apple TV. Apple TV is a deal at less than $100.


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## damon

I have an Ipad2 on order & have been doing some research. This appears to be the best place to post my thoughts from what I can see.


I have some high-end legacy gear & want as good of performance as I can reasonably afford from my "front-end" ( I-device)


Products I have considered/ researched but not yet discussed here.




April Music "Adam" : Not yet on their site so little known. Made a show apperance somewhere. Korean, mfg in origin that I know little about.


Red Wine Audios I-Mod which takes advantage of the excellent Wolfson DACs in 4th & 5th gen pods via modding. No go for an Ipad.


Peachtree Audio IDAC: http://signalpathint.com/index.php/iDAC/iDac.html 

Pricey but versatile!!


HRT iStreamer : http://www.highresolutiontechnologies.com/istreamer/ 

Outputs analog only but cheap & works w pads & pods.


Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo: http://www.cypherlabs.com/Home_Page.php 

Digital or Analog out, Well reviewed by 6 moons, but has proprietary expensive cable.


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## damon

It is my understanding that Apple has disabled USB audio once available via the "camera kit".


"The new sw update has lowered the power level that will drive connected devices through the USB adapter, rendering the USB port useless for any device that relies on power from the USB Bus, such as USB DACs! A DAC with AC power and a 16bit/44.1 USB port, should still be fine as it does not rely on USB bus power".


Current with the Ipad2 is the release of the AV/HDMI adapter. The HDMI carries digital audio as well as video but I have seen no solution to get at it.


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## jeff43

I bought a DLO dock system in which the remote control just went belly up, making the system useless. It did last for 2 years or so but, seriously, how can such a simple set up go bad? Anyway...


I'm going to ask the simplest of simple questions and I hope someone has an answer. All I want is an ipod dock that charges the ipod and uses the digital signal from the ipod directly to the receiver (and I would prefer an optical out from the dock rather than RCA jacks only).


All the other bells and whistles, I don't care about. I see anything else, including a remote, as just more parts that can break and make the system useless.


Thanks


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