[naddy]

Hi all,

How much of a sound quality improvement is it from using an ipod via lod to portable amp as opposed to using computer and going through a dedicated dac/amp? So my question is not in terms of amp but how much improvement between the dac in an ipod and a dedicated portable dac?

 

[Prog Rock Man]

An ipod Classic with a Russ Andrews GQ-24 LOD into a MF X-CAN amp gives a Dell to Fubar DAC to MF X-CAN amp a very good run for its money. The GQ-24 is £50 or so and since good DACs start at twice that, a LOD is very good value £ per sound.

The same ipod with an iBasso LOD to FiiO E5 also punches well above its price of £35 or so for the two.

It is impossible to really say how much better one is from another, but of the above the DAC is best, followed by GQ-24 and last, but by no means least is the portable with LOD.

Overall, using a LOD really opens up an ipod to its full potential.

 

[naddy]

thanks for the response, but I guess what I'm really trying to ask is that right now I'm using my ipod classic w/ an LOD into an RSA Mustang, if bitrate remains the same for the files on ipod and on computer will I get any upgrade in sound quality using a usb dac fed into the mustang as opposed to the ipod w/lod?

 

[adiZero]

It depends on the quality of the USB DAB. I guess most external DAC's (also the cheapest ones) are of better quality than the DAC inside the ipod (but, the ipod's DAC isn't actually that bad)

IMO a good DAC is almost as important as a good amp. Upgrading your source will give an nice improvement in SQ.

 

[Prog Rock Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by naddy /img/forum/go_quote.gif thanks for the response, but I guess what I'm really trying to ask is that right now I'm using my ipod classic w/ an LOD into an RSA Mustang, if bitrate remains the same for the files on ipod and on computer will I get any upgrade in sound quality using a usb dac fed into the mustang as opposed to the ipod w/lod?

My experience is that with an ipod via LOD to amp sounds better than itunes via DAC to amp, but I experience crackling with itunes on the laptop, the subject of another thread. I would hope that your experience is the otherway around, as it should be.

The DAC in the ipod Classic is good (Wolfson I think) but in the latest generation is was changed and some say it is not as good as before. The Fubar USB DAC opens up the soundstage and add The Supplier it becomes more dynamic. It also means I can now listen to Spotify, which is the best sounding of all.

 

[Lil' Knight]

As said above, it totally depends on what USB DAC you're using. Most DACs in the 250$-range blow the iPod+LOD into water.

 

[krmathis]

The sound quality improvement all depends on the quality of the units in use (DAC, amplifiers, cables, ...), the interface you use to hook the DAC/Amp up to the computer (USB, optical or coaxial S/PDIF), and more.
Example; it does not take all that for an external dedicated DAC to surpass the one built into the iPod

 

[jochen.schell]

I just sold my portable amp.

Sure it was an improvement in SQ, but the difference was not too big, especially when you are on the way, have background noise and cannot concentrate 100% on the music.

I decided not to deal any longer with a LOD and a portable amp, which is quite unprcatical with an iPhone (at least if you also still want to use it as a telephone...).

My home rig using iTunes, an external dac and a good amp sounds WAY better than my portable rig with amp ever did did, so I concentrate now on my home rig and use only a very good IEM on the go.

Jochen