DAC is the way or am i wrong?

[orys]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plonter /img/forum/go_quote.gif until now i also used the ipod through the line out and it was great,but i have always thought that i can get a more clean sound without going through the ipod's dac or any other player built in dac.

up until now did you use something like this?
iPOD LINE OUT DOCK CABLE FOR HEAD PHONE AMPLIFIER - B4 - eBay (item 380088864218 end time Dec-16-08 20:10:39 PST)
as i want to test my ipod first since i am new to all this and that line-out cable for the ipod is kinda cheap.

 

[plonter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by orys /img/forum/go_quote.gif up until now did you use something like this? iPOD LINE OUT DOCK CABLE FOR HEAD PHONE AMPLIFIER - B4 - eBay (item 380088864218 end time Dec-16-08 20:10:39 PST) as i want to test my ipod first since i am new to all this and that line-out cable for the ipod is kinda cheap.

something like this. i uses the "sik ram din" which i bought from headroom(ofcourse you can pick it up in many places...)where i bought all my gear until now. its even cheaper. only 21.95 bucks. its really great and starting with the ipod's line out is a great entry level to serious audiophile sound i think. i love the ipods sound, very flat and farward, cold, but still warm when the music calls for it. ofcourse it also depends on your amp.

 

[plonter]

by the way... what is the best way(if there is) to connect the computer to the dac..? usb,coax,or optical? is there a difference?

 

[orys]

hmmm
being a complete noob i will try to answer your question just logicaly and without any experience.
i think it should be the USB. that is because from what i found out and was told also, most DACs are external sound cards. So if your DAC will act as the soundcard it will mean that the only way to connect it on the PC will be USB. otherwise this will mean that you will use your computers soundcard which if it is not a good one with low latency and other important factors which i persoanly dont know, it will pick all bad signals and send it to the DAC. Also by using optical and coaxial it is meant that you will have to use a soundcard in your PC.

 

[orys]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plonter /img/forum/go_quote.gif something like this. i uses the "sik ram din" which i bought from headroom(ofcourse you can pick it up in many places...)where i bought all my gear until now. its even cheaper. only 21.95 bucks. its really great and starting with the ipod's line out is a great entry level to serious audiophile sound i think. i love the ipods sound, very flat and farward, cold, but still warm when the music calls for it. ofcourse it also depends on your amp.

can you point me to that online shop?
is there an RCA cable too?
because a good one on ebay retails for $135!!!

 

[orys]

why doesnt imod exist for generation 6 ipods?
does this mean that mine that is gen 6 is useless?

 

[plonter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by orys /img/forum/go_quote.gif can you point me to that online shop? is there an RCA cable too? because a good one on ebay retails for $135!!!

HeadRoom - Right Between Your Ears

this is your site to everything from headphones to amps and dacs and all around accessories, including what youre looking for.

 

[plonter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by orys /img/forum/go_quote.gif hmmm being a complete noob i will try to answer your question just logicaly and without any experience. i think it should be the USB. that is because from what i found out and was told also, most DACs are external sound cards. So if your DAC will act as the soundcard it will mean that the only way to connect it on the PC will be USB. otherwise this will mean that you will use your computers soundcard which if it is not a good one with low latency and other important factors which i persoanly dont know, it will pick all bad signals and send it to the DAC. Also by using optical and coaxial it is meant that you will have to use a soundcard in your PC.

it sounds very logical...but what i dont understand is this: i thought that the digital outputs(coax and optical)when plugged with the dac will bypass the soundcard also, like the usb port.
and another question: isnt the usb port counts as digital output?

 

[plonter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by orys /img/forum/go_quote.gif can you point me to that online shop? is there an RCA cable too? because a good one on ebay retails for $135!!!

SiK White ram din for iPod @ HeadRoom - Right Between Your Ears
here's a direct link for the "sik ram din" lod cable for ipod. you can find also a much more expensive dock cables as well,but this one is doing the job faithfully, and the sound is amazing,(again...depends on your amp)

 

[orys]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plonter /img/forum/go_quote.gif it sounds very logical...but what i dont understand is this: i thought that the digital outputs(coax and optical)when plugged with the dac will bypass the soundcard also, like the usb port. and another question: isnt the usb port counts as digital output?

dude, coaxial and optical are outputs that you find on computers soundcard or onboard motherboard soundcard. this is what i mean. USB should be something different. so if you dont even have a soundcard onboard, the usb will still work.

 

[orys]

this is more likely what i must get i think.
HIGH END iPOD LINE OUT DOCK CABLE TO RCA FOR AMPLIFIER - eBay (item 200255554933 end time Dec-16-08 19:43:37 PST)
only if there was a cheaper version.

 

[plonter]

ok. so the usb will be the right choice for my dac then.
can i use also the cd-rom as a cd player? will i hear it through the usb port..?
or maybe its only through the soundcard's digital outputs?

 

[orys]

i am pretty sure you will hear it as long as the dac will act as an external sound card.
can someone advise please?

 

[Brighten]

For dac options you could enjoy your Canamp now and wait a few months to get a dac only HeadAmp Pico. The current portable one gets rave reviews around here.

 

[dallan]

There are several usb dacs out there now that are pretty good. The musical fidelity v-dac, the Cambridge dacmagic(i just bought) both have a usb computer input and i think both have optical and coax input for use from your cd player, i know the dac magic does. vdac is $299 and dacmagic $399. I have a higher end one but the dacmagic is quite an improvement over the computer soundcard - 3d.
Good Luck
Oh and you can use a LOD - line out dock without getting imod. Ipods are so fragile and i have replaced many, i don't know if the imod voids the warranty, always wondered that, and if it doesn't and you trade it in for a new one at the applestore, they give you non imod and you have to remod to fit your equipment. Several cable companies make the line out docks.