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

[Oliver :)]

Originally Posted by guzziguy

I agree that the business model here is very shaky. If it turns that there is a market, Apple can take it at any time by offering a digital out on their iPods and asking for another $50-$100 for it. Among other things this would solve the portability issues. This works with the existing iPods so there is that market, but I agree with JP in that the market here is very small.

Well, one has to realize that here a high end company is putting out a product we all get very exited about, for $350, adding a feature that was pretty much regarded as a given when "portable music" still spelled PCDP: A digital-out. It is not like Apple could not implement a darn 3,5mm toslink next to the dock connector without even disturbing the design much, they just chose not to do so. Nevertheless it was high time somebody did this. Why on earth Wadia would choose a coaxial-out is beyond me though. What I want to know is whether this thing also works with older docking iPods, and whether the built in DAC does a halfway decent job. The omission of a digital-in tells me otherwise, although that would have been a mighty cool feature.

[Vinnie R.]

All,

I posted this here: Wadia Ipod Transport

This is awesome!!!

TomS, there is no SPDIF signal out of the iPod's dock connector. There is a USB port (to load files into your iPod from your computer running iTunes), but you cannot connect an iPod directly to a dac with a USB input. It would be like connecting your USB hard drive to a USB dac... it is not going to play your music files unless there is software that will take the raw data from the music files and decode it to be sent to an internal dac or have it converted to SPDIF to feed an external dac. This is what I believe Wadia is doing, as it is the only way I can see them getting an SPDIF output without having to mod the iPod like MSB does.

MSB has their iLink unit, but requires a mod that they do to tap the I2S data before the internal dac chip and feed it out to the dock connector, and then their dock contains the circuitry to convert the I2S to SPDIF.... but for $2k!

My question is, why is Wadia (who we know makes some very expensive CD transports) only charging $349? I almost thought it was a typo! They claim "bit perfect" output from the iPod, and I just wonder why people would continue to spend the big $$$ on their transports if they can buy a 160GB iPod Classic for $349, fill it up with Lossless or WAV files, and then spend only another $349 to obtain a digital output to feed their dac. This is all assuming that their iTransport's digital output is very good quality of course, but I'm sure Wadia has that covered! Even if 160GB is not big enough, for $349 you can buy another iPod and put all your jazz in one, all your classical in another, etc. It is still very convenient and also transportable (for headphone listening, in the car listening, etc.).

I guess at $349, Wadia is planning on selling a TON of these (and I am sure they will!)... almost seems too good to be true.

I'm really looking forward to this! I can see one of those little Wadia iTransports sitting pretty on top of our SLA powered Isabella tubed preamps with internal dac option (coming soon!).

Vinnie

[vcoheda]

i don't really see much use for this thing.

[hciman77]

Originally Posted by Vinnie R.

All,

This is awesome!!!

....My question is, why is Wadia (who we know makes some very expensive CD transports) only charging $349? I almost thought it was a typo! They claim "bit perfect" output from the iPod, and I just wonder why people would continue to spend the big $$$ on their transports if they can buy a 160GB iPod Classic for $349, fill it up with Lossless or WAV files, and then spend only another $349 to obtain a digital output to feed their dac. This is all assuming that their iTransport's digital output is very good quality of course, but I'm sure Wadia has that covered! Even if 160GB is not big enough, for $349 you can buy another iPod and put all your jazz in one, all your classical in another, etc. It is still very convenient and also transportable (for headphone listening, in the car listening, etc.).

I guess at $349, Wadia is planning on selling a TON of these (and I am sure they will!)... almost seems too good to be true.

The gizmo takes a USB feed and delivers spdif or analog outputs. My Edirol does that, okay it doesnt do video, but it does that for $80, you still need a DAC at the end to get the highest quality. So say $350 for an iPod, $350 for the gizmo and say $300 for a DAC so a grand or so. I would seriously doubt that many typical pod owners, outside of this community would take that route. I like my iPod, it is great at what it does but this seems like too much of a niche market, but I will be interested to see how they do.

[Acoustic Chef]

Originally Posted by Jahn

this is going to be freaking HUGE.

Ya I hope it works out for them, they make some killer gear!

[tyrion]

Mac Mini/500gb drive/Duet (or pick you DAC) = $1100. It's more than the iTransport with the same DAC but you get 340gb, an excellent, tiny footprint computer. Yes it needs a monitor but if you download Salling Clicker you can completely control iTunes without a monitor. It works great. For an office rig, I would use my computer, external drive and Duet (as an example) = $700
You get 340 gb more and the Duet + iTransport + $850. I guess I could be missing something but I don't get this either.

[Mr_Sukebe]

I'm a bit confused here.
The info states that this unit has analogue outputs, meaning that it MUST also have an internal DAC. The real question is whether it's any good.

[hciman77]

Originally Posted by Mr_Sukebe

I'm a bit confused here.
The info states that this unit has analogue outputs, meaning that it MUST also have an internal DAC. The real question is whether it's any good.

It houses a DAC but it also passes out a digital signal which you can connect to a separate DAC.

[frozenice]

Why would it have to have a DAC in it? It could just have a line out from the iPod.

It will be good if someone can build a smaller portable unit with USB output.

[ZephyrSapphire]

Originally Posted by frozenice

Why would it have to have a DAC in it? It could just have a line out from the iPod.

It will be good if someone can build a smaller portable unit with USB output.

It's because the iPod will have a Digital output which needs a DAC. What's the whole point of having a digital output without a DAC. And I suppose they have a built in DAC for those who don't want to have an external DAC.

[jp11801]

Originally Posted by MASantos

Yeah, but a Mac Mini isn't portable and requires being started, a screen, etc.

This allows you to keep the ipod's portability and have high quality sound at home too.

ok maybe I'm missing something but you need a computer to get the music on to your ipod??
Please understand I am not trashing the wadia interface but I see it as a limiting solution for an extremely small audience. Most people will not even understand what this product does in the general ipod buying community.

Actually the mini does not require a screen after you set it up. I can control my mac mini using a palm device or most cell phones with either blue tooth or wifi. I'm glad most are excited about the wadia I just don't see it as a particularly good buy when I can go mini and get so much more

[tyrion]

Originally Posted by hciman77

It houses a DAC but it also passes out a digital signal which you can connect to a separate DAC.

That was my mistake, I originally thought it had a DAC then read some more about it a thought it didn't have a DAC. If the DAC is good then this could be a decent solution except for the limited storage of the iPod. If not, then I would go back to my earlier post.

[hciman77]

Originally Posted by frozenice

Why would it have to have a DAC in it? It could just have a line out from the iPod.

It will be good if someone can build a smaller portable unit with USB output.

It has a DAC for those who dont want to (or cannot) connect it to an external DAC so you get an analog out.

If it just gave you the line out from the iPod it would be using the Pod's DAC which would make it less of a bargain

If you had a unit with a USB out feeding a separate portable USB DAC you would be lugging three units around, begins to stretch the definition of portable. Plus the DAC would have to have a headamp or you would need a separate amp viz 4 units held together (and some seriously big pockets)

[hciman77]

Originally Posted by tyrion

That was my mistake, I originally thought it had a DAC then read some more about it a thought it didn't have a DAC. If the DAC is good then this could be a decent solution except for the limited storage of the iPod. If not, then I would go back to my earlier post.

It would be overkill for my MP3s and lossless would halve its capacity (?) , how compact is lossless anyway ?

[jp11801]

Originally Posted by hciman77

It has a DAC for those who dont want to (or cannot) connect it to an external DAC so you get an analog out.

If it just gave you the line out from the iPod it would be using the Pod's DAC which would make it less of a bargain

If you had a unit with a USB out feeding a separate portable USB DAC you would be lugging three units around, begins to stretch the definition of portable. Plus the DAC would have to have a headamp or you would need a separate amp viz 4 units held together (and some seriously big pockets)

I read the press release a few times and did not see mention of a dac section did I miss it or was there another source for that information? Personally $349 for $349 I can not see them including a better dac then is already in the ipod considering cost of the case, components and software and chips to read the raw usb digital feed and to convert that into sound or video. IO really thought this was an alalog pass through as well can anyone confirm that there is a dac in there??