[portal2poe]

I've been slowly educating myself about DACs/Amps/Docks since last fall (2013) when I decided my wife was going to give me the B&W P7s for Christmas.  (fantastic btw)
 
Problem 1: MFI drives up the cost of everything.
Problem 2: I like things to look decent on my desk, and don't want the CCK and a snarl of cables dangling off my iPhone 
Problem 3: Very (very very) few DACs and DACs/Amps claim that their product will charge a lightning iOS device while carrying out its primary duties.
 
 
I've not tested any of these products...I'm relying completely on Mfg website claims/specs.
Here are the products I've found that claim to (or promise they will when actually selling) any/all of these activities natively (charge and do DAC/amp stuff).  I'm sure there are others but these are the ones I've found:
 
Arcam irDAC
dac: Burr-Brown TI PCM1796
price: $699
http://www.arcam.co.uk/products,rseries,usb-dacs,irDAC.htm

Arcam rDock-uni
dac: Burr-Brown TI PCM1502
price: $299
http://www.arcam.co.uk/products,rseries,ipod-docks,rDockuni.htm
(fyI: this is the ONLY dock i've found that natively will present/charge/dac-ify lightning iDevices)
 

Sony PHA-2
dac: Wolfson WM8740
price:$517ish
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-PHA-2-SONY-Headphone-Amp/dp/B00FKIRR4O
 
Sony UDA-1
dac:??
price:$799
http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/usb-dac-amplifiers/uda-1

V-Moda Vamp Verza
dac: Burr Brown & AKM DAC? (I think the AKM is the iDevice dac)
price: $598ish
http://v-moda.com/vamp/
 
Myro:air
dac:Wolfson M8741
price: $599
http://www.myrocontrol.com/myroair
 
CypherLabs Theorem 720 DAC
dac: CypherLabs???
price: $799
http://www.cypherlabs.com/products/theorem-720-dac/
 
CEntrance HiFi-M8
price: $699
https://centrance.com/products/hifi-m8/
 
Alpha Design Labs X1
dac: ESS-ES9023
price: $375
http://www.adl-av.com/products/headphone_amplifiers/x1/
 
 
Sure am hopeful that we can expand this list when other more informed folks chime in!
 
Thanks,
Nathan

 

[portal2poe]

Really???  No one has seen any other devices that can do what I'm describing???  Or maybe I'm just the only one who owns an iPhone and is irritated that these are our only choices???  Or maybe I'm the only one who cares??  Or maybe you're all jealous that I got P7's for christmas?

 

[flatmap]

I have not used them, but I believe the  CypherLabs DACs and their DAC/Amp work with iDevices. For example the Theorem 720 product page says, "Large capacity battery charges Apple devices while playing up to 18 hours."

 

[papa kief]

I have the CLAS -DB. Works well with my iPhone 5. Sounds great and it does charge the device as advertised. I believe it retails for about $600.

 

[portal2poe]

Cool!  Thanks!  I've added the CypherLabs Theorem...question though...can you have the theorem plugged into a wall and charging its own battery and doing its thing with an iDevice playing (and charging), or is it a "one or the other" type deal?  Just curious.
 
Nathan

 

[papa kief]

I don't know about the Theorem but I know you can with the Solo -DB. I don't know your price point but you may want to also look at the Chord Hugo. Works well with iDevices with the Apple CCK and/ or Bluetooth. Sounds amazing. I have both and I may put my CLAS up for sale after hearing the Hugo.

 

[georgelai57]

The Theorem can be charged and be used at the same time. The same for the Centrance M8.