[Kibble Fat]

Hi, 
 
As the title implies, I'm wondering if I can use my AMB Gamma2 DAC at work.  The problem being that I might not be able to install certain software.  Is there a program that can relay the digital data from my iPod, through my work PC, to a DAC?  Or do I have to plug in an external with all of my music and try to get a player like Foobar2000 installed?
 
I'm sure this has been asked before so I apologize for my ignorance...
 
Cheers,
 
Eric

 

[Roseval]

If you want to use a DAC, your iPod must deliver digital out.
There are a couple of iPod docks who do.
 
Another one might be having a iPod compatible media player on the PC.
This probably allows you to sync so download the files from the iPod to the PC.
Now you use the media player on the PC to play over the outboard DAC
 

 

[Kibble Fat]

Thanks for the reply Roseval!
 
Docks used to extract digital out from an iPod cost more than double what a capable laptop costs.  This doesn't make much sense to me.  Is there benefit to having a system like this besides plug-n-play? 
 
Unless someone has a nifty solution, I'll probably just load up all my music on a portable external and play through whatever player I can get to install.

 

[shrimants]

Idea: put all your data on an external drive and use a portable version of something like VLC, SMPlayer, or songbird in order to play music at work. You wont have much luck with the ipod digital output route because IIRC there was only 2-3 products that have successfully liberated digital output from an ipod. Those products START at around 500 bucks.

Another idea: rather than try to do digital out from your ipod, use your ipod+LOD -> portable amp in order to get the sound signature you want. You are using IEMs so large amounts of amplification arent necessary, though ipods have abysmal volume output. it just barely drives my M11+ at around 80% volume.

Look at the head-fi TV episodes. The dude (i think its jude but i havent been around long enough to know) has what looks like a home made bomb in one of them. He has the algo labs algorhythm solo connected to a his ipod, and then the other end connects to his amp, which in turn can drive anything up to and including his Audeze LCD-2's. The battery life isnt THAT great but unless you are going on some sort of extended road trip or business trip, I dont see you actually needing more than 4 hours of battery power in one sitting. And I'm pretty sure his entire setup was limited to something like 6 hours when driving giant giant headphones.

 

[Kibble Fat]

I've tried Jude's setup.  It's extremely good, but far too pricey for me.  I just want to put my desktop DAC to good use since I do more than 90% of my listening at work.
 
BTW:
shrimants, there is a Kalamazoo meet tomorrow.  Head over to the head-fi meets forum section and check it out if you're interested... you might even be able to catch a ride there.  At least make a post in the thread so you'll know about future meets in the Detroit/AA area.

 

[shrimants]

Ask your friendly work tech support if its possible to run portable applications off of a USB stick or if they have that disabled. if they dont, you will easily be able to plug your DAC in to your work laptop and plug your USB drive into your computer. the usb drive will have all of your music and this little gem on it: http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=184

if your DAC is plug and play, you will be able to use it that easily. Worst case scenario you may need to change the output device on your computer, and thats generally not an admin only privelage. if it is, screw microsoft.

EDIT:

I saw that meet and it sucks but the timing is horrible. I'd really like to go with my girlfriend because my parents dont trust me to be off alone (long story). Not to mention, I have only my laptop and A5's on hand instead of my turbines and my Y1/Y2 (which is in repair in kalamazoo ) I'll post there though so i know about any future meet ups. I've been wanting to check out various on ear headphones because thats my next large purchase aside from an arduino and some electronics stuff. I had her listen to my monster turbines and she was taken aback. They've been in warranty repair since then so I havent quite gotten her to convert to the audiophile side. She has a very 7th grader taste in music (3000 songs, 2980 artists, 2990 albums) but she does appreciate good vocals, especially female vocals. And corny, testicle scrunching lyrics. Right now her music is in an abysmal state, and if you are a true audiophile this might make you vomit: itunes 128kbps m4a converted to 320kbps mp3, put on a google Nexus S completely unorganized without any tags pointing to the correct song, and she's listening to this all through the plastic bundled headphones that came WITH HER PHONE. It would be amazing to show her some proper equipment and have her listen to, say, B&W 800 diamonds out of a proper dac, powered by McIntosh pure class A tube amps.

 

[Kibble Fat]

Will try the portable installation of Foobar2000 on my external.  There's no reason it shouldn't work!  Thanks!