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Does listening to iPod through USB cable+iTunes bypass the iPod's DAC?

post #1 of 10
12/29/11 at 11:56am
Thread Starter 

Sorry for the beginner's question, but I can't seem to find the answer. I'm contemplating a USB DAC/amp (fiio E10 or Audinst) to use with my headphones. I'm planning to plug the DAc into my Macbook and use iTunes/Bitperfect. Problem is, my entire library is on my iPod. If I use the USB syncing cable that comes with the iPod to listen to it through ITunes, will this bypass the DAC inside the iPod? Does this sound better or worse than listening directly to an iPod through a line-out cable?

 

Thanks in advance! Alex.

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post #2 of 10
12/30/11 at 1:45am

Wut.

 

 

 

 

 

A DAC plugs into the computer. You listen through iTunes. You can't play from the iPod through the computer into the DAC. The files need to be on the computer. Do you never Sync your iPod?

 

The lineout sounds better than the headphone out from the iPod if fed into an amp/DAC, but a standalone DAC from the computer would usually sound better.

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post #3 of 10
12/30/11 at 5:47am
Thread Starter 

As it happens, I don't sync my iPod because I don't have a spare 80 gigs on my Macbook's hard drive. So the files are only on my iPod. But when I plug the iPod via the sync cable to the Macbook's USB port, it shows up in iTunes and I can play the files. My question is, when the iPod is accessed this way, am I listening to the iPod's DAC or the DAC inside my laptop. Am I just bypassing the iPod's headphone jack, or the DAC inside it, too?

 

This question does make sense, I promise ;)

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post #4 of 10
12/30/11 at 6:16am

Macbook --> DAC/Amp device --> headphone : You are using external DAC, i.e. from the DAC/Amp device

iPod --> Macbook --> DAC/Amp device --> headphone: You can think that the iPod is just a storage unit, and you didn't listen to the iPod nor Macbook DAC but still the DAC from the DAC/Amp device says fioo E10

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post #5 of 10
12/30/11 at 6:34am
Thread Starter 

Thanks MezzoBello--but what if I'm just listening to the iPod through the Macbook's headphone out? Which device is doing the digital to analog conversion? Is the Macbook just using the iPod as a hardrive and bypasses it's amplification/DAC circuitry?

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post #6 of 10
12/30/11 at 6:40am

Right, USB cable doesn't carry analog signal. So, apparently Macbook's DAC is used for digital to analog conversion for that setup.

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post #7 of 10
12/30/11 at 7:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MezzoBello View Post

Right, USB cable doesn't carry analog signal. So, apparently Macbook's DAC is used for digital to analog conversion for that setup.



The USB dock on the iPod can carry both an analog and digital signal. 

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post #8 of 10
12/30/11 at 7:55pm

 

AFAIK, dock to mini yes, analog signal. but surprised me in case dock to USB as related to this thread, could you please elaborate and name some application? would be interested to know.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tronz View Post



 

 

The USB dock on the iPod can carry both an analog and digital signal. 


 

 

 

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post #9 of 10
12/30/11 at 9:59pm


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by MezzoBello View Post

 

AFAIK, dock to mini yes, analog signal. but surprised me in case dock to USB as related to this thread, could you please elaborate and name some application? would be interested to know.

 


 

 

 



If you're trying to bypass the DAC inside the iPod through the USB cable connection. You'll need one of these devices:

 

Wadia 171i 

ipoddocks_wadia_171i.jpg

 

 

Fostex HP-P1 

HP-P1_Top.jpg

 

 

Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo

an_unsurpassed_Listening.jpg

 

 

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post #10 of 10
12/30/11 at 10:55pm

No longer surprise then

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