Help me chose a replacement for my Touch 4G

[timtrace]

Greetings,
 
My Touch 4G 64GB was stolen a few months back.
 
I used my Touch 4G as a portable player while working out.  I could watch video while riding an elliptical, then listen to compressed audio while lifting.  Also I could load up on games and toss it to the kids on long car and train trips.
 
And for work?  Every weekend I would cue up some WAVs on my Touch 4G, plug it into a SendStation PocketDock and route the signal through a Radial JPC into a 25KW professional sound system while tuning the rig to the performance space.  Then between band sets I'd queue up a playlist of compressed dance tracks.
 
All of this worked great for me.  Then some person ripped me off.  Die, scumbag.
 
For the time being I'm using my Galaxy SII phone while working out, and my Windows 8 notebook with a FIIO E10 at gigs.  The phone's doing OK but I'd rather have a separate device for entertainment -- notifications keep popping in, and the battery gets drained and stuff like that.  The notebook is cumbersome and is often overkill when I just need to roll off a WAV or two at soundcheck.  But that E10 sure does sound AWESOME.
 
A replacement should have the same or better SQ.  I could carry an LOD or a USB DAC for use at shows.  I probably won't use a DAC while working out -- but it shouldn't be too hard to meet or beat the SQ of the Galaxy SII headphone amp.
 
I have to admit to being partial to IOS devices for this kind of application, but I'm no stranger to Android devices either.
 
What do you folks think?  Could I get a Touch 5G 32GB and achieve what I consider to be workable SQ with a LOD when necessary?  Or what about a Nexus 7 tablet with an E7 or E17?
 
THANK YOU!

 

[thegrobe]

Among my gear is a 5G iPod touch. Although it does not have a line out (lightning connector)..and I do not have the lightning-30 pin adapter...I find that the headphone out signal is crystal clear, clean and flat. Pretty darn good. It can go out to a headphone amp and work just as well as any line out on any iPod. The only other iPod I have that is close in SQ is my 5.5 video DIY mod via line out. Neither is better when amped, just different "flavors"
 
Go with another touch..if it worked for you before? 

 

[timtrace]

Go with another touch..if it worked for you before?

I've read that SQ can vary between iPod releases. I think I read that the Touch 4G was one of the better ones. If do then I want to be careful about taking a step backwards with SQ.

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

I've read that SQ can vary between iPod releases. I think I read that the Touch 4G was one of the better ones. If do then I want to be careful about taking a step backwards with SQ.

Aren't the 4G Touches still being sold by Apple? At least you know what you're getting then, and it would be cheaper than a 5G.

 

[goodvibes]

Other than output impedance, I prefer the t3 to the t4. It's better via LOD for instance. If you want drive capability, the t5 beats them both but I haven't heard one yet. It has more processing power for codecs and a very low output impedance.

 

[timtrace]

Whoops, my mistake, my Touch was 3G.

 

[timtrace]

Is there any way to do an LOD on a 5G?

 

[thegrobe]

Quote:

Is there any way to do an LOD on a 5G?

You can get the lightning to 30 pin adapter, which then can use a standard LOD cable. The adapter is around $30 if I recall. Because the 5G touch outputs only digital, there is a DAC chip in the adapter. I don't know the SQ of that adapter chip however.
 
What I do to use it with an amp is just max the volume, run a mini to mini cable to the amp and bang! Works just as good as any line out on any Apple product I have ever tried. Really clean signal. As far as the SQ, I have had many many iPods over the years and currently have 4 variations (5G mod, 6G classic, 7G classic, 5G touch). As I said, I think the 5G touch has the best overall SQ, except maybe a tie with the modded units. This is just my opinion, and is of course subjective and you would get different answers from different folks...I think the SQ of the latest touch is a winner. MY opinion.
 
BTW- I use Heir Audio 4.A and 8.A customs and LCD-2 which are certainly resolving enough to bring out flaws in source equipment. I hope this helps you a bit. 

 

[mpawluk91]

I got a modded 5.5, a itouch 4 64gb, and a itouch 5 32 gb.

Overall the fact that the 5th gen touch doesn't have LOD really hurts it, I've tested it many times. The video and 4th gen itouch sound amazing with LOD to an amp. Now if I'm using headphone out on all of them then the 5th gen touch wins pretty noticeably

 

[timtrace]

What do you folks think of my alternate Nexus 7+Fiio idea?

Thanks for all the great input!