[Mihaz]

Greetings,
 
I am no expert on the matter, which is why I'm coming here to double check if I'm doing things correctly.
 
I work long hours and I wanted good quality music. After a bit of research, I decided to go with AKG550 and the Pico DAC / AMP with ALAC library. I use an iPod classic 160gb.
 
Here is a quick picture: http://imageshack.us/f/12/yycs.jpg/
 
From what I understood reading difference articles on the matter, I simply had to get a line out cable to plug in the input and plug my headphones directly in the output next to it. This is what you see on the picture above.
 
However, I do see the micro-USB port on the back of the device is, I believe, the DAC. Should I be plugging my iPod in that port with an adapter, or am I doing things correctly already?


I know it will sound like a noob question to most. I'm trying to learn! I've spent alot of time reading on these forums and so far, it's fascinating.
 
Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[s0lar]

Now you are using the iPod's DAC and you send the "line-out" signal to the PICO amp.
You could bypass the iPod's DAC with a compatible iDevice USB DAC. For some iDevices you can also use the camera connection kit usb adapter and use other USB DACs but I have no experience with that and do not know wheter or not it will work with an iPod.
 
The line-out from the iPod is pretty good and the PICO is a great amp.

 

[proton007]

  Greetings,
 
I am no expert on the matter, which is why I'm coming here to double check if I'm doing things correctly.
 
I work long hours and I wanted good quality music. After a bit of research, I decided to go with AKG550 and the Pico DAC / AMP with ALAC library. I use an iPod classic 160gb.
 
Here is a quick picture: http://imageshack.us/f/12/yycs.jpg/
 
From what I understood reading difference articles on the matter, I simply had to get a line out cable to plug in the input and plug my headphones directly in the output next to it. This is what you see on the picture above.
 
However, I do see the micro-USB port on the back of the device is, I believe, the DAC. Should I be plugging my iPod in that port with an adapter, or am I doing things correctly already?


I know it will sound like a noob question to most. I'm trying to learn! I've spent alot of time reading on these forums and so far, it's fascinating.
 
Thank you in advance for your help.

 
The iPod DAC is alright. Don't spend money on another DAC to get your iPod to run with the existing one.

 

[Mooses9]

   
The iPod DAC is alright. Don't spend money on another DAC to get your iPod to run with the existing one.

you feel the ipod dac is better than the pico dac?

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I am no expert on the matter, which is why I'm coming here to double check if I'm doing things correctly.
I work long hours and I wanted good quality music. After a bit of research, I decided to go with AKG550 and the Pico DAC / AMP with ALAC library. I use an iPod classic 160gb.
Here is a quick picture: http://imageshack.us/f/12/yycs.jpg/
From what I understood reading difference articles on the matter, I simply had to get a line out cable to plug in the input and plug my headphones directly in the output next to it. This is what you see on the picture above.
However, I do see the micro-USB port on the back of the device is, I believe, the DAC. Should I be plugging my iPod in that port with an adapter, or am I doing things correctly already?
I know it will sound like a noob question to most. I'm trying to learn! I've spent alot of time reading on these forums and so far, it's fascinating.

For audio quality improvement, you would need to replace the iPod with a source that has a USB port (which portable Apple audio products do not comes with), such as a computer, Mac or PC (desktop or laptop), that could connect to the USB input on the Pico, which would allow to take advantage of the Pico's WM8740 DAC chip.
 
Or get a DAP (Digital audio Player) with a better DAC chip then the iPod, such as the Fiio X3 ($200) or the iBasso DX50 ($240).

 

[linglingjr]

if you switch to a somewhat recent android device, most of them support audio out that lets you use external dacs with OTG cables.

 

[proton007]

  you feel the ipod dac is better than the pico dac?

 
I don't know, but it doesn't bypass the iPod. Buying another DAC just to bypass the iPod is kinda absurd.
 
However, be my guest if you have money to splurge.

 

[Mooses9]

   
I don't know, but it doesn't bypass the iPod. Buying another DAC just to bypass the iPod is kinda absurd.
 
However, be my guest if you have money to splurge.

well personally. when i had a ipod touch 4g, i used the cypher labs algorhythm solo and a alo audio mk2 amp, so i completely bypassed the dac and amp in the ipod.

 

[Mihaz]

Thank you all for the feedback! I have a better understanding of what would be necessary to bypass the DAC.