[daverich4]

Wadia makes a dock that bypasses the DAC in an Ipod. I was wondering if anyone made a cable that does the same thing so I wouldn't have to have that big box on the table. Moon advertises cables that bypass the amp but I don't think that's the same thing. I have a 160G Classic Ipod and a Headroom Desktop with a Max DAC in it. Thanks.

-dave-

 

[Currawong]

You can't bypass the DAC with a cable. There's only the Wadia transport that uses software to bypass it, but it's not by any means a small dock.

 

[hypoicon]

As far as I know, the Wadia product is the only way to get a digital signal out. I got mine a few days ago and I love it. It blows away using the USB hook-up on my MacPro. I'm amazed at how gorgeous the thing sounds.

 

[Alai]

Lol. That would be a high-tech cable.

 

[qusp]

conceivably you could do it in a cable because you are just accessing the I2S data from the dock, the same way the USB cable does when you play direct from itunes with your syncing cable hooked up. but knowing exactly how to do that is a neat trick. the wadia dock only needs to be so big because it has spdif and a nice digital clock in there.

 

[daverich4]

Thanks for all the replies. There seems to be a difference of opinion whether there's software involved or just knowing which connections to use. Does the Wadia dock require a power source? If not, I'm not clear how software would be involved. I know Wadia licensed their dock with Apple so if there's no software involved, perhaps at some future time a cable maker will do the same. Guess I'll just have to listen to more music while I'm waiting.

-dave-

 

[hypoicon]

The dock does involve software. It handshakes (taking 5-10 seconds) with a variety of different generations of ipod with varying degrees of functionality.

On older models, the ipod interface does not work and you have to use the wadia remote to control it. On my 2g iTouch, the ipod works normally.

Yes, the Wadia has an external power source-- it is not simply a cable.

 

[paradoe]

It could not be possible...

 

[wuwhere]

Well, if you bypass the iPod's DAC, then what's the point of having an iPod? How would you convert the digitally encoded music back to analog?

 

[hew]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wuwhere /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, if you bypass the iPod's DAC, then what's the point of having an iPod? How would you convert the digitally encoded music back to analog?

Isn't that the rational of portable dac/amps like the Predator?

 

[wuwhere]

Unless the DAC chip is in the cable itself, so the iPod is just a storage for the digitally encoded music in its internal HDD.

 

[myinitialsaredac]

Its essentially a portable harddrive then. The point is that you could use a better offboard dac and amp, instead of the wolfson inside of the ipod.

It has to be software based.

Dave

 

[wuwhere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hew /img/forum/go_quote.gif Isn't that the rational of portable dac/amps like the Predator?

Absolutely, you don't need an iPod anymore. You feed the the Predator with digital music through its USB and it converts it to analog, amplifies it then feeds it to your headphone.

 

[wuwhere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by myinitialsaredac /img/forum/go_quote.gif Its essentially a portable harddrive then. The point is that you could use a better offboard dac and amp, instead of the wolfson inside of the ipod. It has to be software based. Dave

Make sense. So how much is this DAC cable? Wadia does not make inexpensive products.

 

[JamesL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by myinitialsaredac /img/forum/go_quote.gif Its essentially a portable harddrive then.

Actually, it would be a portable hard drive with a screen, playback features, and one that can easily sync with your PC.

I would love to have something like that so I'm not always tied to the PC