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Is it possible to bypass DAC/obtain a digital signal from iPod or other portable player?

post #1 of 6
9/16/10 at 12:18pm
Thread Starter 

Dear Head-Fi,

 

First of all, just to say I am talking about portable use here.

 

Just wondering if it is possible to bypass the DAC in an iPod (or other portable player), and then use a portable DAC/amp? That is to say, can I extract a digital feed from my portable player?

 

If the signal that leaves my iPod has already undergone D/A conversion, using the iPod's crummy internal DAC, surely an external DAC is pointless, because the signal has already been converted into analog, right? But such devices (external portable DACs) exist, so I'm guessing you can bypass the portable player's DAC? Either that, or you have to do D/A conversion twice.

 

If I really have to use the portable player's DAC, surely I'm in trouble, because audiophiles often spend many times the cost of an mp3 player on D/A conversion.

 

And if it is possible to get a digital feed from a portable player (including portable CD players), does this make the quality of 'source' component irrelevant? Am I right in thinking that if you can extract a digital feed, the sound quality of the portable player is irrelevant, as all of that business starts at the D/A stage? If not, can someone recommend a portable player with the best sound quality please?

 

Surely someone makes a portable player that caters for the audiophile market, and has the option of producing a pure digital signal.

 

Finally, are there any portable DAC/Amps you would recommend? Having an all-in-one unit would be better for portable use, but I don't know if such devices exist.

 

Many thanks,

 

Keyse


Edited by keysersoze311 - 9/16/10 at 12:31pm
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post #2 of 6
9/16/10 at 7:05pm

The Wadia 170/171 can do what you want. Apple doesn't allow people to bypass their DAC without licenses, etc.

 

Older Sony DAPs could get line out, but never digital out.


Some of the portable recorders (such as the Sony PCM-D50) have digital out.

 

So it depends ...

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post #3 of 6
9/16/10 at 7:45pm

The iRiver iHP-120/140 DAC can be bypass by using its optical out and feed it to a DAC/amp that has an optical input like the iBasso D10 DAC/amp combo, the iBasso Boomslang and the upcoming iBasso D12 DAC/amp combo. All these iBassos are portables.

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post #4 of 6
9/16/10 at 7:52pm

This thread has some info about digital out from certain players (including Apple products) using this device. That thread also discusses how even digital outs can "sound" (perform) differently based on various things... it's a good read.

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post #5 of 6
9/16/10 at 8:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by keysersoze311 View Post

Dear Head-Fi,

 

First of all, just to say I am talking about portable use here.

 

Just wondering if it is possible to bypass the DAC in an iPod (or other portable player), and then use a portable DAC/amp? That is to say, can I extract a digital feed from my portable player?

 

as others have mentioned there are some players (older iRiver players that have digital out). or you can use wadia or onkyo that are capable of extracting digital out from ipods - though wadia is extremely expensive and neither will do as portable. a new option that is coming out is the solo algorythm, which will allow digital out from ipods, ipad, touch  (and I think iphone). it should be out soon but it's not cheap - around $550. also you will still need to attach an amp, so it will be a tower of Ipod/solo/amp..not sure if you can consider that as portable, with all the interconnect cables..more like transportable unit. 

 

If the signal that leaves my iPod has already undergone D/A conversion, using the iPod's crummy internal DAC, surely an external DAC is pointless, because the signal has already been converted into analog, right? But such devices (external portable DACs) exist, so I'm guessing you can bypass the portable player's DAC? Either that, or you have to do D/A conversion twice.

 

As far as I know you can't D/A conversion twice, since the output is already converted to analogue. you can double amp but not D/A conversion. the DAC/AMP combo's are generally for computer use, bypassing the DAC of your computer. with ipods, only the amp is used. the DAC/AMP combos are useful as they are more compact and used with both your computer and DAPs,.

 

If I really have to use the portable player's DAC, surely I'm in trouble, because audiophiles often spend many times the cost of an mp3 player on D/A conversion.

 

And if it is possible to get a digital feed from a portable player (including portable CD players), does this make the quality of 'source' component irrelevant? Am I right in thinking that if you can extract a digital feed, the sound quality of the portable player is irrelevant, as all of that business starts at the D/A stage? If not, can someone recommend a portable player with the best sound quality please?

 

I

 

Surely someone makes a portable player that caters for the audiophile market, and has the option of producing a pure digital signal.

 

Finally, are there any portable DAC/Amps you would recommend? Having an all-in-one unit would be better for portable use, but I don't know if such devices exist.

 

There are plenty of DAC/AMP combos out there made by different manufacturers (headamp, TTVJ, ibasso, Ray samuels etc). it's best you read up on them and decide for yourself.  

 

Many thanks,

 

Keyse

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post #6 of 6
9/16/10 at 9:01pm

The Solo can also be a digital transport (it has an SPDIF coax out) that you can feed into a DAC with an SPDIF coax input like some of the iBassos.

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