Digital out from ipod?

[systemerror909]

I recently received a catalog from Audio Advisor and noticed that the Monitor Audio i-Deck was described as being able to bypass the iPod's dac and use its own converters for better sound. I have yet to see any docking stations offering any digital outputs such as spdif, am I missing something or do these products not exist?

 

[audioengr]

I dont believe it's real. You must modify the iPod to get anything digital out. I have dissected an 80 Gig video iPod and it only has serial data, half-speed bit-clock and word clock, no master clock. It is possible with some logic to create S/PDIF from this, but I2S is more difficult. I had planned to do I2S.

MSB has the only S/PDIF interface for iPod to my knowledge.

Steve N.

 

[Leo-]

Is there *any* portable dap (hdd either flash-based) with usb digital out?

 

[manaox2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo- /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is there *any* portable dap (hdd either flash-based) with usb digital out?

There are a lot of portable pc alternatives that can fit in your pocket.

 

[systemerror909]

Wow, that MSB is expensive.

Heres a link for what I'm reading:

Monitor Audio - i-Deck iPod Sound System-Audio Advisor

I just got an ipod and I'm wondering what sort of hardware I can pair it with.

 

[IPodPJ]

That's one heck of a claim. If true, it would be impressive. For those who don't wish to read the article, here's the important stuff:

"Audiophile-Quality DACs on Board
The i-deck features the latest Digital Amplifier technology with Digital ICs and its own audiophile-quality Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) resulting in virtually noise-free playback.

This process carries digital files directly to the i-deck’s volume control before converting to analog. The i-deck simply bypasses the iPod's built-in DAC and uses its own superior DAC to produce enhanced audio output. By streamlining the conversion process, the i-deck reduces distortion that occurs with other iPod companion players.

"We know of no other system level products that route digital data extracted from the iPod through separate, high-quality DACs, and we applaud Monitor Audio's pioneering efforts in this area," observes AVguide Monthly for December 2005. "This is the way to get really superior sound from the iPod."

"The i-deck turns the iPod into a true home audio server, feeding a digital signal directly into a high-quality DAC," observes Mark Fleischmann in the January 2006 issue of Home Theater magazine. "You can hear the difference. The veiling effect I've noticed on puny analog preout circuits is conspicuous by its absence."
"

And if true, it better damn well have an optical or coax output. If it doesn't, the system is about as useless to 99% of us as a brick.

But if it does have one, I'd buy one tomorrow, if the claims made are true. For $149, it would be the cheapest option around, only comparable to MSB's overpriced $2,000 toy.

 

[Leo-]

I´m sorry, I´m sorry for my dumb questions, but I´m trying to figure out how this digital source stuff works.

I don´t understand how the iDeck would bypass the iPod´s internal dac, unless it is modified (as audioengr stated).

Besides pc-based stuff (notebooks - what else?), what kind of device is able to pair with the new dac/amps like the Pico and Predator? Both have usb audio-ins. I haven´t been able to find any small portable mp3 player with such usb audio-outs - maybe I´m looking for the wrong stuff?

It would be great if it were possible to transform stuff like mobile phones into hi-fi sources!

 

[clarke68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audioengr /img/forum/go_quote.gif I dont believe it's real. You must modify the iPod to get anything digital out.

Actually, Steve, I have long hoped that you would pick up one of the Monitor Audio units, tear it apart and let us know just WTH is going on with the thing.

One of the reports I read early on said that the iDeck actually has an ADC/DAC stage...if true it wouldn't bypass anything but the iPod's headphone jack. However, I've never read anything from Monitor Audio (only from dealers & reviewers) suggesting there's any digital circuitry in the unit at all.

I have an iDeck, and while it can't help you get a digital signal out of your iPod, it is a fabulous sounding unit, easily the best $150 sound system I've ever heard. The onboard amp plays at something like 7-16 watts, so I've always wondered how the thing would do driving a pair of K1000s or some really efficient horn-loaded speakers.

 

[systemerror909]

I've emailed people at i-deck's site asking for further clarification of this. Hopefully I'll hear back soon. As for digital outputs, you can see from the pictures that it unfortunately is lacking them. What i'm wondering is if there is a way to hack the internal mechanism.

 

[hciman77]

Never Mind

 

[manaox2]

Leo has the right idea. What is so hard to believe that it could using the iPod as a drive? You mount it as an external hard drive, of course it can get the digital data off of it to send to its own DAC... The iPod does connect to USB via the lineout dock and that thing surely is big enough to house a mini PC. Thats what I would do.

Note that they did not say S/PDIF output anywhere on there, just that it grabs the digital data which only requires it to be a host for the iPod, like a computer.

 

[videocrew]

You're right, if they used it as an external drive, it would work. Except that they don't. Because the iPod interface still works. Also, unless the supposed internal computer were running iTunes, you wouldn't be able to play songs you downloaded from the Apple store. Face it, this is very unlikely to be anything but BS marketing.

 

[manaox2]

ha, I didn't think about it that way. Who wants to call them out on it? And what average iPod owner would believe the customer?

 

[hciman77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by videocrew /img/forum/go_quote.gif You're right, if they used it as an external drive, it would work. Except that they don't. Because the iPod interface still works. Also, unless the supposed internal computer were running iTunes, you wouldn't be able to play songs you downloaded from the Apple store. Face it, this is very unlikely to be anything but BS marketing.

If you rip your own stuff it might be okay though? The iPod interface just decides what you play, once the bits have been extracted from the drive something else could pick them up ?.

When you transfer MP3 files from an iPod to a computer using good old Windows drag and drop the iPod File structure is prety messed up, the filenames are random and the files are in pretty random folders, I have no idea why they chose to do this

But the MP3 files themselves are still playable as MP3 files from a PC hard drive using any media player that supports MP3, so all the data is there and you dont need iTunes to play them back. I dont know about Apples own formats, I refuse to use them

So it might be possible with MP3 anyway ?

 

[manaox2]

Yeah, that could work by matching id3 tags, but I agree that I don't see how it could take the iTunes DRM songs and send them straight through the DAC without breaking some copyright laws. I would love to design this myself, but I'll stick with my iMod and laptop.

The dock idea seems silly to me when you usually have a computer around. Sheesh, buy some speakers and a receiver/DAC if you really want quality. Just buy some computer speakers and build an alien DAC if you want it on the cheap.