PURE i-20 Digital Dock for iPod/iPhone with Hi-Fi Quality Audio and Video Output

I think some of the reviews above have missed the real point of the i-20 for audiophiles, it provides an excellent spdif output from an iPod. Used with an external DAC the sound is excellent and having tried some of the alternatives (Wadia, Onkyo) I'm not convinced their digital outs are any better despite the much higher prices. In fact, once I ran the i-20 from a linear PSU it was better than the Wadia.

I wanted to bypass the internal iPod DAC to get some better sound quality and plumb the output into a better amplifier. The Pure i-20 allows you to do this, but that comes with some drawbacks: this is by far the cheapest iPod DAC on the market, and it sounds like it's the cheapest. The sound quality that comes out of this DAC is bright by any standard, on the verge of harsh. I find that I can't turn the volume up on my amplifier very far before the sound produced from the DAC output on this device becomes so bad, that I have to take my headphones off and stop listening to music for a while.
 
It does make a nice iPod Dock, but it doesn't do anything by itself other than allowing you to hook your iPod up to some other audio component. It has no speakers, just an array of outputs on the back panel (which does include Toslink and video, which some may find useful).
 
There is a reason this is an inexpensive unit. It really is not worth the money. I wasted $90 bucks on this thing, and I honestly wish I could return it. Sadly I've had it too long. It is a very handy design, if you're into that kind of thing. It holds my iPod nicely so it doesn't wander around my desk at work, so there's something to be said for that. It charges the iPod so I don't have to keep the cable connected to a USB port or charger (which would have been 70 bucks cheaper to buy).
 
Basically, I'm not happy. I didn't want to spend hundreds more on what seemed like the only other alternatives to this device, so I took a chance. I'm sorry that I bothered. On the other hand, if I keep the volume set low, it's not so bad. I plumb the output into a Bravo V2 and use it at work, and after getting used to it for a couple weeks, I've learned how to deal with the harsh high end: keep the volume low. That way, my ears aren't glowing bright red when I go home at night.

 
**I won't be commenting on the build quality or the features of the DAC, this is a sound quality vs the Apple dock review only.**
 
The Pure-i20 is a very well priced product COMPARED to the other Ipod dacs out there BUT the sound quality upgrade is small compared to a normal apple dock and it could be a waste of money depending on what you are buying it for.
 
This was test rig:
 
Rega Ear headphone amp
Audioquest Golden Gate interconnect (£60)
[a very 'clear' revealing interconnect, used for both docks]
Cambridge Audio Pacific interconnect (£40-ish?)
Apple dock
Pure i-20
Ipod Touch 2g
Senheisser 439 closed back headphones
 
Testing method
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Using one interconnect for both docks (Audioquest - with an adapter for the apple dock) and then different cables (Cambridge Audio Pacific)I swapped between the Apple dock and the i-20. All the time using the same amp and headphones.
 
Findings
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1)Simply using the Apple dock and plugging it into a good amp improves the sound HUGELY, clarity, soundstage, dynamics, the lot.
 
2)Using the Pure i-20 gives only around 20% more quality on top of that imho.
So, you will get a greater improvement in sound quality from your Ipod simply by plugging it into your hifi or headphone amplifier! I couldn't believe this either. I had assumed it was the DAC in my iPod Touch 2g which was poor, not at all, the amp driving the headphones is the weak link!
 
But don't be to enraged if you've just bought an i-20 and not listened to it yet. There is a noticeable difference between the normal apple dock and the i-20 but it's not huge, just incremental. 
 
Imho, using the i-20 you get 20% better..
- clarity, space around the instruments.
- reduction in treble harshness, which you may only hear with the normal dock if you have a good quality interconnect anyway.
 
But on the downside..
- you get a more laid back sound.
Laidback sounds ok right, well maybe not. The Apple dock's sound involves me in the music, using the i-20 I had to turn up the volume just to feel slightly excited.
 
In Summary
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-You may wish to demo a i-20 before buying.
- There are advantages with the i-20 over the Apple dock for example the number and types of connections on the back of it.
-Compared to many of the other DACs out there it's a steal. You just may not need it.

Sound is clean but colored.