[Erico9001]

My current setup is just a superlux hd668B and a fiio e5 amp, so I need a good source. I'm already going to either buy either a good sound card or a dac, but I want something for when I am away from my computer. 
 
My issue is that my portable listening device is my phone while all lods I have found are built for ipods only. I'm not getting an ipod since I can't afford an expensive device that has an expensive battery which will only last a few years (nor do I want to afford something like that). So... I guess if a usb lod does not exist I will have to put up with worse sound quality when away, but this would also make my amp useless buy.
 
So here let me list out my options I am considering:
- Get a usb lod
- Put up with the bad sound quality while away from computer
- Buy a cheap (I mean it) ipod with at least 8gb of space and lasting battery life along with a fiio l9 lod
 
I suppose if you are viewing this and you don't have an answer you could help me choose between 1) Asus Xonar DG sound card and 2) Fiio e10 or Fiio e7 dac for my computer

 

[ClieOS]

There is no such thing as a USB LOD, so the short answer is no, it doesn't exist.
 
Get yourself an Sansa Clip+ or Clip Zip.

 

[cel4145]

There is no such thing as a USB LOD, so the short answer is no, it doesn't exist.

Get yourself an Sansa Clip+ or Clip Zip.

+1

The Sansa Clip+ and Clip Zip have SQ on order of an iPod or iPhone.

 

[Erico9001]

Looks very good for the price but aren't those usb meaning lods would do not plug into them? 
 
Meh, have I misunderstood the purpose of a lod?
 
I thought it was to bypass the bad sound card of ipods and other mp3's in order to maintain the sound quality from the beginning of the setup. Kind of like a dac for portable devices.

 

[cel4145]

You don't need to hook the E5 up to a Clip+. It's a good sounding mp3 player with a good sounding headphone amp all on its own. Then, you can add a microSD card to it for as much storage as you want.

 

[GaryWA]

  Looks very good for the price but aren't those usb meaning lods would do not plug into them? 
 
Meh, have I misunderstood the purpose of a lod?
 
I thought it was to bypass the bad sound card of ipods and other mp3's in order to maintain the sound quality from the beginning of the setup. Kind of like a dac for portable devices.

You have misunderstood what a LOD is. A LOD is a cable (for iPhone/iPod) that carries a digital line out signal that goes into a DAC/AMP. This cable is also called a USB OTG cable for Android.
 
I second the Sansa Clip+ (maybe rockbox it), an iBasso DX50, or a Fiio X3. They don't need external amps like the E5.

 

[ClieOS]

  You have misunderstood what a LOD is. A LOD is a cable (for iPhone/iPod) that carries a digital line out signal that goes into a DAC/AMP. This cable is also called a USB OTG cable for Android.
 
I second the Sansa Clip+ (maybe rockbox it), an iBasso DX50, or a Fiio X3. They don't need external amps like the E5.

 
Just to be clear, LOD stands for 'line-out dock', a docking cable or an actual dock / cradle that carries the line-out signal from the source to the amp - and line-out signal is ALWAYS analog, not digital. On iPod / iPhone that carries a digital signal to a DAC is not called a LOD, as it doesn't contain any line-out signal at all. At most it is a Lightning-to-USB interconnecting cable. The term 'LOD' comes from an older era of iPod and iPhone that has the 30 pins connector, which does contain the line-out signal that we use to feed to the amp. It doesn't work on the newer Lightning connector generation of iDevice any more. Hence the reason why there is no such a thing as 'USB LOD', as USB is fully digital and thus doesn't have any line-out signal in it, so you can't make a LOD out of it.

 

[Erico9001]

Thanks guys! It's great to have my confusion cleared. I was about ready to hit myself. It's also a great feeling to know that I don't need to buy an ipod and can instead use a substitute.
 
This may be my last time posting on these forums, so as a probable closing remark, I want to mention how paralysing it is for me to think about how like 75% of my friends are buying ipods for over 100$. Of these friends, all of them either use cheap earbuds which bend their hair cells too far, or have bought beats which whirlwinded away their money. These methods of audio listening just seem uberly overused since there's so much better. Therefore, as I'm listening to music, whether it be rock music or Pokemon music, I'll be thankful that I did research. I also will recognize that I wouldn't have been able to do this without the generosity of you all on the head-fi forums. Thanks!
-
Shulk For Super Smash Bros. 4!

 

[Chui]

Just joined and glad I read this thread.  From reading other posts, I too thought that a LOD carried the digital signal to connect to a DAC via USB.
 
That being said, I just bought a Cypher Labs Solo R and Duet that I plan on using with my iPod touch (not a new Lightning model).  I see in looking at all of the photos of everyone's rigs most everyone has a small (short) 30 pin (not LOD?) to USB cable connecting their iPods to their DAC's.  Where can I get such a cable, short of using the cable that came with the iPod I use to charge it?
 
Does everyone just make their own?  I am looking to extracting the digital signal out of the iPod and feed it to the Solo R.
 
Help?????
 
Thank you in advance,
 
Jeff

 

[ClieOS]

Pretty sure the Cypher Labs Solo R already comes with both 30pins-to-USB and Lightning-to-USB cable.

 

[Chui]

It did, but I would like to at some point get a better cable than the one that came with it.  I am using it currently.  But I am fairly sure not a great deal of resources were put into it (as is most 'free' cables that come with any piece of equipment).  There has to be vendors out there that make these cables.  Not only the 30 pin to USB but a mini to mini as well.

 

[ClieOS]

  It did, but I would like to at some point get a better cable than the one that came with it.  I am using it currently.  But I am fairly sure not a great deal of resources were put into it (as is most 'free' cables that come with any piece of equipment).  There has to be vendors out there that make these cables.  Not only the 30 pin to USB but a mini to mini as well.

 
It is digital cable with very short length, meaning you won't be able to improve the SQ even with an ultra expensive cable. So why bother? Unless of course you want someone to take your money and enjoy it. If it is not broke, don't fix it.

 

[Erico9001]

Follow up: The sansa clip+ is amazing - been using it for a long time now. Tyvm to the people on this thread.