How to listen to music at home?

[kippyy]

Growing up, the highest quality audio involved purchasing a good stereo system thru which one played vinyl, then CD's. Now, digital music is clearly more convenient. Despite having a good stereo system and plenty of CD's, I now listen at home to my Apple lossless music mostly thru my portable rig cause its easier, more intimate/isolating, and I can readily change what I want to hear.
Question:
How can I :
a)retain using my iPhone/iPod as the main source/server of music
b)gain the benefits of a more powerful amp than the Pico
c) Not lose any "data" in the translation
d) Be able to listen thru my headphones or main speakers
e) Avoid using a laptop
f) In 1 simple system
Does this even exist?

 

[apatN]

Maybe the Wadia iPod dock? It is capable of delivering digital out.

 

[krmathis]

Yeah, the Wadia 170i seem like what you're after.
An iPod (don't seem to support iPhone) dock, with both analog and digital outputs. Allowing you to hook up an external DAC/amplifier and play back Apple Lossless files straight from the iPod to a home system in full quality.

 

[kippyy]

Can you use the Wadia/ipod thru a standard home amplifier?
Can you then plug headphones into amp to listen?

 

[krmathis]

^ Yes. It has analog out (RCA) to feed any amplifier. Then plug the headphone into the amplifier to listen.

 

[apatN]

Krmathis is right but the Wadia is the most interesting for people that want digital out from their iPod. It is quite expensive and therefore you might want to consider getting a LOD or line out dock. Basically it is just a cable that you stick in the dock connector and run that to an amp. They can be had for ~20$ and I know a lot of people on these forums will happily build you one.

 

[kippyy]

Thanks! I called the local Wadia dealer who said it does work with the iphone? Anyway, next question:
In general, does the sound quality/bass oomph of an iPod/Wadia/Rotel amp/Snell speaker/subwoofer system usually exceed that of an imod/headphones/Rudistor amp? I'm so enjoying my headphones, that I wonder whether to expand my home system with the Wadia, or create a new headphone system with the imod?

 

[apatN]

That is a question I cannot answer. What I do now is that with the Wadia the sky is the limit. The iPod becomes solely your transport if you use the Wadia's digital out. You can send the digital stream to any DAC and amp you like.