This is probably a stupid question, but would it be possible to attach a device with usb host capabilities to the ibasso (with a usb cable) and play music? Sorry if this is too far off topic.
Yeah, that is a good question, which Kramer asked in another thread, but where I don't remember. The main problem is the USB host specification requires the host to deliver current to power USB devices. For a cumputer plugged into the wall or a laptop with a huge battery that is no problem. This would quickly drain the battery of a DAP if it was used as a USB host for any length of time. I think this issue came up with the Pico.
I have an iriver H320, mabye I'll go buy a cable try it out tonight. I have seen some home made cables that splice a power supply into the cable...hmmm.
See the recent announcement by Wadia, covered at Stereophile, that reveals that current generation iPods (Classic, Nano 3G, some others) can output SPDIF digital to any device with an Apple "authentication chip."
The old (discontinued) Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox 3 has an Optical line out. Actually, the same plug doubles as an analog line-in (stereo mini). I never used the optical facility since I didn't have an appropriate D/A, but there it sits... in my desk drawer, replaced by an iPod Classic 80g.
Actually... it doesn't. My apologies - I remembered wrong. The optical jack on the Nomad is actually a digital INPUT, not output. So useful, perhaps, for nominally portable recording using an outboard ADC or from a computer with optical out, but not for digital output.
Last edited by jamisons; 01-22-2008 at 06:09 PM.
Reason: Incorrect information
First gen Minidisc players MZ-1 and MZ-2P have optical outs. Unfortunately they are not very portable and most of their Ni-Cd batteries are dead by now (and only provided 60 min or so running time even when new! ) But I think they do deserve to be on the list.
Another thing I'd like to add if you feel this is relevant, is a column indicating lossy playback yes/no. I'm pretty sure none of the Sonys will output digital when playing MP3/ATRAC CD's. Unfortunately I found that out AFTER I ran out and snatched a DNE20 on eBay but... well that's my bad for not researching. It says so right in the manual. Can the iRiver CDP's run digital out with MP3 CD's?
I just posted my DCP-150 on Ebay because I haven't used it in several years. The reason I bought the Denon was because it had two DACs and a good analog output stage (I was feeding a Headroom Supreme from the analog outs). While I considered it a bonus that the Denon has digital out, I wasn't equipped at the time to take advantage of it. Mainly, I used my hard-shell-protected Sony D25 for travel (even though it was in a Headroom bag) because of its slim profile and kept the Denon as a pampered backup. For a time, I fed the Denon through some nice interconnects into a Proton 300/301 table radio system I had on speaker stands in my bedroom and was blown away by its coherence, separation and imaging. As a (primarily) home audio guy, I have found that the biggest improvement in CD player sound quality comes from the implementation of multiple, multi-bit DACs, vs. single, single-bit, high sampling rate DACs (no matter how well implemented). This and good solid power supplies do more to improve the sound than just about anything else when it comes to CD players, in my opinion.
__________________ "Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work."-Mark Twain
Home Audio: ARC VT200, ARC LS5 MKIII, Wadia 16, ARC PH3, VPI Aries JMW-10, Benz Glider, Van den Hul MC One, Magnepan 3.5R, Vandersteen 2Wq (2), engineered dedicated listening room
Office: Cary CAD-300sei, Theta Pro Prime II, JVC XL-Z1050TN, Grado RS-1, Sennheiser HD650
Portable 1: Rockboxed Gen. 1 Ipod Mini 32GB, Meier Audio Corda 2Move, ALO Au/Ag LOD, Shure SE530
Has anyone tried, or have knowledge of the LG DP771 portable DVD player. It's the model with the seven-inch screen, but more important and relevant from my standpoint is that it apparently has a digital out and can play mp3 from a flash card in addition to playing CD's (and of course DVD's). Consumer Reports gives the model with the eight-inch screen its highest rating. If it can play mp3 music from a flash card and be picked up through its digital out, and operated with the cover closed, that might answer many of our needs well. It sells for $109 at New Egg, and is carried by RadioShack for about $129.
Sorry if this is too far off topic.
) But I think they do deserve to be on the list.
Linear Mode
