Wadia iTransport iPod Dock Gets Bit-Perfect Digital from iPods!

[TheMarchingMule]

MUSICDIRECT - WADIA - iTRANSPORT Digital iPod Dock

They got it down for Mid-June...hopefully it'll come 'round soon!

EDIT: So wait, using the RCA outputs, can I lead it into say, a Woo Audio 6, and then through my headphones?

[SleepyOne]

I think the RCA at the back just give you signal from iPod itself which won't sound good....... you will need a DAC to connect to coaxial on iTransport to get the most out of it.

Still no sign, hope it appear next week.... must be manufacturing problem in China or something.

[jbm32]

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule

MUSICDIRECT - WADIA - iTRANSPORT Digital iPod Dock

They got it down for Mid-June...hopefully it'll come 'round soon!

EDIT: So wait, using the RCA outputs, can I lead it into say, a Woo Audio 6, and then through my headphones?

The RCA jacks output Line Level Analog Audio direct from the iPod. If that is all you want you can save yourself some money by purchasing the Apple Dock for $50. But if you want the best sound possible the Wadia also outputs Digital, and you will need to feed it to a DAC.

The word I got, two weeks ago, on the shipping delay of the Wadia is that Apple wants to inspect each one for proper operation before releasing them for sale. At least we will know that we will be getting a good unit when they arrive.

[OracleGuy]

Originally Posted by jbm32

The word I got, two weeks ago, on the shipping delay of the Wadia is that Apple wants to inspect each one for proper operation before releasing them for sale. At least we will know that we will be getting a good unit when they arrive.

Do you mean Wadia wants to inspect them? I'd be pretty surprised if Apple was doing the inspecting.

[robster]

Here's an email I got today 6/17 from MD Music Direct,concerning the Wadia Ipod Transports arrival date.



Thanks for the email. It actually shipped from overseas and is in US
> Customs right now. We are waiting for it to clear and we hope to have
> them
> in stock either next week or possibly late this week if the units get
> released.
>
> Best Regards,
> Music Direct Customer Service -
> "It's The Music That Matters"
>
.

[penger]

Thanks for the update!

[jbm32]

There is a pdf FAQ at the Wadia iTransport site, and also at MusicDirect's Wadia page. I'm not sure how long it has been there, but today was the first time I noticed it.

[Champ04]

I JUST GOT A TRACKING NUMBER!!
should be here tomorrow.
WHOOHOO!!!

[flohmann]

For those interested in spending less than the Wadia and/or having an optical digital output from their iPods, DLO has apparently announced an August release date for the HomeDock HD, which sports HDMI and optical digital output for $250 (list, street price probably lower).

Here's a photo.

[spraggih]

it looks nice and sleeker. I am sure some will balk at optical out (saying coaxial is better) but to each his own.

I guess they should sound the same since they are taking the digital out. Of course there is the point of quality parts, best approach to digital out and perhaps *jitter*.

[SleepyOne]

I think my one is coming on Fri, but given the unrealibility of delivery inform so I guess it may or may not appear. Shall see - fingers crossed. Interestingly this item is actually coming out same time in UK as US - usually things come out like 6 months later over here!

Thanks for the inform re: the pdf - it explains the delay! Hope no major crashes or something when I get mine!

[Hirsch]

The Wadia continues to perplex me. In order to get music onto the iPod in the first place, you need to have the music on a computer. A Roku Labs Soundbridge or SlimDevices Squeezebox 3 will allow you to access the music library on your computer directly, if you have an ethernet connection available (wired or wireless). The Slim Center software interfaces directly with iTunes, while the Roku Labs device can interface with iTunes via Firefly server, so there are no format issues. Either device has a digital output, enabling connection to whatever DAC I choose. While the Wadia unit does not require ethernet, it also restricts me to the 160 GB of music I have on my iPod, which is a fraction of the music I have on computer (which is a fraction of my entire music library, but I'm plugging away at it). So, since either the Roku Labs or the Squeezebox let me get a digital signal directly from my computer, why bother to use the iPod as a server at all, when the computer that feeds the iPod will do the job? The only reason for the Wadia I can see so far is that neither of the devices I mentioned output video, but the iPod is not going to get you a top quality video signal in any event.

So, I can get the Wadia, physically connect my iPod to it, and have access to the 160 GB of music on it. Or I can have my computer on, and have access to the embarrassingly large amount of music there at any time, without even having to get my iPod out of its carrying case.

With the ease of using a computer as a music server these days, why would you even want to use an iPod for the job? The only reason I can see would be the absence of an ethernet connection, but wireless routers are pretty cheap these days.

Color me confused.

[spraggih]

I can understand your questions.

Think about this...

Not everyone has a Slimdevices or Roku and want portability-- not to be tethered to their computer in another room.

The GUI on the iPod is better than either the Slimdevices, Roku or even the Duet (I owned a Duet for a week).

If you own an iPod then you already have to synch with your computer so you are accustomed to the iPod "process".

Lastly it keeps the momentum-- you are outside listening to your iPod. You come inside and you take the iPod out of your backpack, pocket, etc. and plug it directly into your Wadia and listen in higher fidelity.

Now I own a Roku -- as a transport to my DAC -- and I hate

a) the poor GUI

b) when using wi-fi it sometimes drops out-- more much than my Inet connection or any other wi-fi transmission

But I love the

sound quality-- really good-- it takes a Freeway and special settings to the same level of sound quality.

[penger]

I remember reading something about the solid state hdds on the smaller capacity Apple products "sounding" better than the Classic. Just another thought. It was something about jitter? But aren't DACs supposed to handle stuff like that?

Maybe I'm just confused too.

[jude]

Originally Posted by flohmann

For those interested in spending less than the Wadia and/or having an optical digital output from their iPods, DLO has apparently announced an August release date for the HomeDock HD, which sports HDMI and optical digital output for $250 (list, street price probably lower).

Here's a photo.

Originally Posted by spraggih

it looks nice and sleeker. I am sure some will balk at optical out (saying coaxial is better) but to each his own.

I guess they should sound the same since they are taking the digital out. Of course there is the point of quality parts, best approach to digital out and perhaps *jitter*.

It's hard to get the information directly from DLO. I did call them, though. From my understanding of the HomeDock HD's architecture, it is not bypassing the iPod's DAC, but instead using a single IC to convert analog audio and video for output to SPDIF/HDMI. So, for audio, you're not getting the bit-perfect digital as it exists prior to the iPod's DAC, but instead as a product of the analog line out being A/D'd to digital.

One hint that supports this understanding is the iPod compatibility list DLO has on their web page for the HomeDock HD, which lists pretty much all iPods with a dock connector. To my understanding, digital audio can not be obtained from any iPod older than the first-generation iPod nano and iPod Video.