[De1taE1even]

Hey everyone, first post here, and I'm looking for some recommendations based on my unique situation.
 
I work in a secure facility that does not allow any electronics with wifi, bluetooth, or external media storage (SD Card, etc).  Not knowing about the external media storage restriction, I bought a used Fiio X5 from a friend (for a whopping $170 including 2x64GB SD Cards).  I was completely satisfied with the player, using it through an O2 amp to my Senn Momentums.  Unfortunately, the X5 is out, so now I'm back to the drawing board.
 
Here's what I need out of a player:
1. No wifi, bluetooth, gps, or any other emitter.  
2. No SD Card.  The player can have a slot for en external card, but I can't use the card.  I can only use internal storage.
3. A fair bit of internal storage (preferrably at least 32GB)
4. The ability to get the pure unaltered digital signal out of the player for input into a desktop DAC (I have a decent flac/alac collection, so this is important)
 
The only solution I've found so far is using an iPod Classic, through a doc such as the Pure-i20 (I've read that the i20 outputs an unaltered digital signal), then use the i20's coax/optical out to feed an external DAC/Amp.  The problem with this is, Apple discontinued the Classics, and now they're going for $400-$500 on ebay/amazon.  I will NOT pay that kind of money for a dang iPod.
 
I went to the local pawn shop, and they had no classics.  One MAJOR consolation prize is that they had a set of Beyerdynamic DT770pro's buried underneath a bunch of beats phones, and I got them for a whopping $50!  I didn't know much about these cans other than they receive a decent amount of praise, even at regular price.  I happened to have my X5 in the truck, so I grabbed it, hooked it up, and was VERY pleased.  Best sound I've ever gotten out of $50, I can be sure of that.  I'm anxious to listen to them side-by-side against my Momentums.
 
Maybe I'm just screwed, but I hope there's a player out there that I missed.  Maybe some old product that I can find on eBay or something.  Thanks for the help!
 
-Dave

 

[ProtegeManiac]

You can always just use a plain 5g iPod (60gb goes for around $100 on eBay)  and a decent amplifier. I mean, your mind will be preoccupied with your work and the DAC makes the least amount of difference, so this can save you a bit of space and money on the digital transport dock. If anything, just get a cheap dock to hold the iPod upright and maybe charge it (here's one that can charge it for just a bit more over the Apple sync dock). Pair that with something like a Schiit Magni or Vali and including the DT770 that you got for around the price of a Superlux knock-off, you might just go a little bit over $300. Alternately, you can skip the dock and the Schiit amps and go for a Fiio E9 since it has a 30-pin iPod dock built into the chassis, so this makes everything more compact.

 

Alternately, you can get a player like this, but I don't know if it's still available anywhere. It has a good amp in it already but navigation through the contents can be a PITA on that small screen.

 

[cel4145]

Is your desktop DAC USB? Might be bigger than you want, but you could look at old netbooks. How about an Acer Aspire One? The wifi card is removable: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Acer+Aspire+One+ZG5+Internal+Wireless+Card+Replacement/3778. They have big hard drives. You could probably find one for $150.

 

[De1taE1even]

 

You can always just use a plain 5g iPod (60gb goes for around $100 on eBay)  and a decent amplifier. I mean, your mind will be preoccupied with your work and the DAC makes the least amount of difference, so this can save you a bit of space and money on the digital transport dock. If anything, just get a cheap dock to hold the iPod upright and maybe charge it (here's one that can charge it for just a bit more over the Apple sync dock). Pair that with something like a Schiit Magni or Vali and including the DT770 that you got for around the price of a Superlux knock-off, you might just go a little bit over $300. Alternately, you can skip the dock and the Schiit amps and go for a Fiio E9 since it has a 30-pin iPod dock built into the chassis, so this makes everything more compact.

 

Alternately, you can get a player like this, but I don't know if it's still available anywhere. It has a good amp in it already but navigation through the contents can be a PITA on that small screen.

Yep, this is actually what I'll be doing today.  I already have a 30GB 5gen that works, though I'm pretty sure the hard drive is dying.  That's why I got the X5.  I was able to side-by-side listen to the exact same flac files using both players.  The iPod, using my O2 amp, sounded good, but it was definitely not placebo telling me how much better the X5 was.  Even if I have to spend some cash, I'd REALLY like to get back to that type of sound quality.  After looking on Amazon more, I can get a used 160GB iPod classic for around $200.  Assuming that's what I go with, I need to find what DAC to go with.
 
This may seem like a stupid question, but what to y'all think about this Denon shelf unit?  Do you think it has a DAC comparable to some of the nicer iPod docs by TEAC, Cambridge, Arcam, etc?  Maybe I'm way off base with that one, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

 

[De1taE1even]

Is your desktop DAC USB? Might be bigger than you want, but you could look at old netbooks. How about an Acer Aspire One? The wifi card is removable: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Acer+Aspire+One+ZG5+Internal+Wireless+Card+Replacement/3778. They have big hard drives. You could probably find one for $150.

Right now, I don't have a desktop DAC.  I was using the DAC inside the X5, then analog line-out to my headphone amp.  Now that I can't bring in the X5, I need both a player, and a DAC.  Bringing in a netbook is a really interesting idea that I'd never thought of, though.  Just out of curiosity, I'm going to ask security about that one today, but I doubt I'd be able to bring it in.

 

[cel4145]

Right now, I don't have a desktop DAC.  I was using the DAC inside the X5, then analog line-out to my headphone amp.  Now that I can't bring in the X5, I need both a player, and a DAC.  Bringing in a netbook is a really interesting idea that I'd never thought of, though.  Just out of curiosity, I'm going to ask security about that one today, but I doubt I'd be able to bring it in.

I've used an ODAC with a netbook before, which is why I thought of it. Worked fine.

What file format are you storing your music in? If FLAC or some other lossless, know that 320k mp3 is virtually indistinguishable most of the time, and an 8GB player would provide a lot of storage. Try Foobar's ABX test if you have not, and confirm it for yourself.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Yep, this is actually what I'll be doing today.  I already have a 30GB 5gen that works, though I'm pretty sure the hard drive is dying.  That's why I got the X5.  I was able to side-by-side listen to the exact same flac files using both players.  The iPod, using my O2 amp, sounded good, but it was definitely not placebo telling me how much better the X5 was.  Even if I have to spend some cash, I'd REALLY like to get back to that type of sound quality.  After looking on Amazon more, I can get a used 160GB iPod classic for around $200.  Assuming that's what I go with, I need to find what DAC to go with.

 

Why not just replace the HDD on the 5g that you have? AFAIK you can use a larger capacity HDD on that with no problems aside from swapping out the backplate for the 5.5g's, and you get a shiny new backplate too. While you're at it, get the extended battery also.

 

http://www.rapidrepair.com/shop/ipod-video-parts.html
 
 

 
This may seem like a stupid question, but what to y'all think about this Denon shelf unit?  Do you think it has a DAC comparable to some of the nicer iPod docs by TEAC, Cambridge, Arcam, etc?  Maybe I'm way off base with that one, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

 

I'd go with tweaking the iPod because it's cheaper and more compact. And I'd trust the headphone amp more - we're not sure about how well it doesn on whatever impedance version DT770 you have.

 

[De1taE1even]

I've used an ODAC with a netbook before, which is why I thought of it. Worked fine.

What file format are you storing your music in? If FLAC or some other lossless, know that 320k mp3 is virtually indistinguishable most of the time, and an 8GB player would provide a lot of storage. Try Foobar's ABX test if you have not, and confirm it for yourself.

No go on the netbook says security, which is what I thought he'd say.
 
I have a fair bit of 16bit/24bit flac/alac, and the rest of my music is mp3, with a wide range of quality from 128k to 320k.  Most of my newer mp3s are  320k.  It'd be fun to do an a/b test, to see if I can actually tell.  Maybe I'm just kidding myself.
 
The primary difference I hear is with the DAC.  Call it placebo if you want, but at similar volume levels, using the same source file, I could absolutely tell the difference between my iPod and the X5, whether using the O2 amp, or straight out of the headphone jack.

 

[De1taE1even]

 

 

Why not just replace the HDD on the 5g that you have? AFAIK you can use a larger capacity HDD on that with no problems aside from swapping out the backplate for the 5.5g's, and you get a shiny new backplate too. While you're at it, get the extended battery also.

 

http://www.rapidrepair.com/shop/ipod-video-parts.html

I could definitely do that if I'm happy enough with the sound quality of the 5g.  I'm just not sure that I am, yet.  To extract the digital signal to use an external DAC, I'd have to buy a new iPod anyways, because only the firmware in the newer generation products support digital output.  Valid suggestion though.  If I end up deciding just to keep using the 5g, I'll just use it until the HD finally dies, then replace/upgrade it.

 

 

I'd go with tweaking the iPod because it's cheaper and more compact. And I'd trust the headphone amp more - we're not sure about how well it doesn on whatever impedance version DT770 you have.

True.  I was thinking of still using my headphone amp, out from the Denon, depending on how the Denon does with output power.  I was more interested in the DAC that's inside that unit.  May not be a viable option though.  I just happened to come across the unit and thought it'd be a good fit for my desk, because I've also wanted some speakers for that rare case that I'm the only one in my area.  I also might use the CD player from time to time.

 

[cel4145]

I have a fair bit of 16bit/24bit flac/alac, and the rest of my music is mp3, with a wide range of quality from 128k to 320k.  Most of my newer mp3s are  320k.  It'd be fun to do an a/b test, to see if I can actually tell.  Maybe I'm just kidding myself.

You should definitely try it. You might find it to be way more difficult than you thought, and not worth worrying about lossless for your media player.

 

[De1taE1even]

I stopped by another pawn shop today and they had an 80GB iPod Classic and I talked them down to $50 (it's a bit beaten up).  So, I'm committing to the iPod classic, running through the Pure i-20.  What I still have left to decide is what DAC to buy.  I'm going to keep using my O2 amp, for now, and probably pick up a tube amp later, since I've read that the DT770's pair well with the warmth of a tube amp.  Maybe a little dot.  Side note: As much as Iike my Senn Momentums, I find that I tend to listen to the DT770's more often.  Who'd've thought that I'd like a $40 set of pawn shop cans more than my $300 Best Buy cans?  
 
I'd love to hear opinions on a DAC, as I do more research.  I'm not going to as a question as dumb as "which DAC is best for around $$ dollars?" because, well, I know better, and subjective questions like that aren't usually taken seriously (for good reason).  As I continue to research and contemplate, I'd love opinions, if you have them, knowing what my setup will be.  Right now I'm looking at the Modi2 Uber, but I'm not afraid to spend a bit more if there is a clear cut winner given what I've chosen so far.
 
Thanks for the help, y'all!