[tight_budget]

I agree with you that the classic LOD connection works best. However, I currently use my ipod touch for a lot of stuff other than music. I don't own an iphone, and I use apps heavily on the touch. To downgrade to a classic just for music is going to be tough and carrying two devices around is not appealing. I'd rather live with an ungainly LOD/adapter connection than lose all my apps on a classic.
 
The reason I don't own an iphone is the same, I don't want to carry two phones around. I have to use the crappy blackberry my company gives me for work emails.

 

[georgelai57]

Guys, if I have inadvertently misled anyone, I apologize but given that others in this hobby rang the same set of alarm bells I dont believe I was hasty in doing so.

I have outlined my concerns re the $5 DAC in the $30 adapter, so I'll leave it there - we need feedback on sonics and ergonomics when the adapter is released in October. Till that happens, I believe the only folk who will be hearing anything from the Lightning port will be the owners of the aforementioned transports - CLAS and Fostex and possibly others that I'm not aware of. Personally, even if LOD cables do continue to work with the new adapter, is that the configuration you want to base your portable rig on ? Purely on the basis of storage capacity and singularity of purpose, I cant see why 'portaphiles' married to iTunes as their content delivery mechanism would opt for anything other than the Classic as a music player. Its simplicity is its biggest strength, IMO. We can hee and haw about a 'possible upgrade', but I just don't see that happening. The Classic could well join the iRiver H* series as one of those players that leaves you wondering why the hell they stopped making it, and where you can get a decent secondhand unit.   :eek:

Personally, I'm not wild about iTunes on Windows and I prefer FLAC rips of my CDs to 256K AAC iTunes downloads, but I would be hard pressed to tell the difference with much of my music - particularly in a portable setting. That said, I still use iTunes to avoid buying albums that have two decent tracks accompanied by 10 or so mediocre 'album fillers' - I know that's sacrilege, but there you have it. Even with the lopsided Aussie pricing, the iTunes store is a Godsend out here in the boonies.  And I think I just talked myself into buying another 160GB Classic.  :rolleyes:

Anyway, back to the topic - Apple need to be a whole lot clearer in their specifications, IMO.    

I don't think any apology is necessary. We all love our music.

 

[bixby]

Quote:

Yes I found that Dan Frakes article via Twitter, though I think we got the jump on him re: the DAC. Apologies, but which is your blog? Agree that I'll believe it all when I see/hear it. Clear, it ain't.

Hi, my blog is in my signature at the bottom of each post, just click on the blue text.

 

[DigitalFreak]

Interesting read to say the least. Glad to see the main question got answered but I still have others that seem to have no answer on this thread. For starters even though the new adapter has a built in DAC is it a carbon copy of the DAC the iPhone/iTouch uses or is it a crappier sounding DAC that will sound terrible once amped? Another thing I'd like to bring up even though the adapter does provide analog out am I the only one on this thread who isn't fond of the idea of having a big white Apple adapter sticking out of my shirt pocket like a flag or jabbing me in the family jewels when in the pocket of my jeans. Right now my rig is a Touch Fiio L9 DOC and a ALO RX MKII. Throw in this new adapter and my rig will go from slightly bulky to outright silly looking.
 
Another question I'd like to bring up, considering the new connection is now digital out wouldn't it now be easier to just get a specially made cable not unlike the one linked to on the thread and just feed a DAC/amp combo like say a Leckerton UHA-6A MKII or has Apple completely sand boxed the connection so as to not allow anything unless it's licensed through them? Heck if it was possible I might even try and find someone to send an Apple certified cable to to chop one end off and attach a mini USB connector for my Leckerton UHA-4.
 
I'm very much tempted to run out and buy a new Classic. My old Classics audio is constantly cutting out when I play songs now so I'm guessing the writing is on the wall for my old Classic. I feel sorry for the old Classic line, it's only a matter of time before Apple decides it won't manufacture Classics anymore and it becomes a casualty of so called progress. Pffttt progress, I wish the world would open their eyes and understand that sometimes when something works so well there's no need to quote "render it obsolete or supposedly fix it and make it better". I think an iPod Classic is definitely on my must buy agenda.

 

[bixby]

Quote:

Guys, if I have inadvertently misled anyone, I apologize but given that others in this hobby rang the same set of alarm bells I dont believe I was hasty in doing so.
 
I have outlined my concerns re the $5 DAC in the $30 adapter, so I'll leave it there - we need feedback on sonics and ergonomics when the adapter is released in October. Till that happens, I believe the only folk who will be hearing anything from the Lightning port will be the owners of the aforementioned transports - CLAS and Fostex and possibly others that I'm not aware of. Personally, even if LOD cables do continue to work with the new adapter, is that the configuration you want to base your portable rig on ? Purely on the basis of storage capacity and singularity of purpose, I cant see why 'portaphiles' married to iTunes as their content delivery mechanism would opt for anything other than the Classic as a music player. Its simplicity is its biggest strength, IMO. We can hee and haw about a 'possible upgrade', but I just don't see that happening. The Classic could well join the iRiver H* series as one of those players that leaves you wondering why the hell they stopped making it, and where you can get a decent secondhand unit.   

 
Personally, I'm not wild about iTunes on Windows and I prefer FLAC rips of my CDs to 256K AAC iTunes downloads, but I would be hard pressed to tell the difference with much of my music - particularly in a portable setting. That said, I still use iTunes to avoid buying albums that have two decent tracks accompanied by 10 or so mediocre 'album fillers' - I know that's sacrilege, but there you have it. Even with the lopsided Aussie pricing, the iTunes store is a Godsend out here in the boonies.  And I think I just talked myself into buying another 160GB Classic.  

 
Anyway, back to the topic - Apple need to be a whole lot clearer in their specifications, IMO.    

No apology, heck we need to figure out what is going on sooner rather than later.  Ah, the $5 or less dac chip and power supply and analog stage and premo filter and noise regulators all in a $29 adapter.  I see your point on the Classic but way, way back when I listened to it, I felt the Touch a slightly better sounding unit out of line out.  That is why I hunted down a 32 GB 2nd gen model.  I am unusual though, as I only listen to AIFF CD rips and swap new music into my Touch when I need a change.  I hope someone Apple is seeing some of the confusion as well and perhaps putting it in the "we don't dare do it that way again" file.
 
Cheers

 

[miceblue]

So the Lightning port/adaptor does support analog out? What does "does not support iPod out" mean then? I read a news article saying the new iDevices will not work with current/old dock speakers.

I would get the Classic for nostalgia's sake but I'm short on $$ at the moment. I use a Sansa Clip Zip as my music player, and an iTouch as my portable internet/email checker since I use FLAC and dislike using iTunes.

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

 has Apple completely sand boxed the connection so as to not allow anything unless it's licensed through them? 

 
My understanding from that Cypher Labs blog entry is that this is very much the case. Everyone who is extracting the digital stream from the iDevice from Wadia onward would have paid handsomely for that privilege. 

 

[burnspbesq]

Thunderbolt and Lightning, very very fright'ning me.

 

[John In Cali]

Quote:

So the Lightning port/adaptor does support analog out? What does "does not support iPod out" mean then? I read a news article saying the new iDevices will not work with current/old dock speakers.
I would get the Classic for nostalgia's sake but I'm short on $$ at the moment. I use a Sansa Clip Zip as my music player, and an iTouch as my portable internet/email checker since I use FLAC and dislike using iTunes.

iPod out is used so cars can interact with the iPhones controls thought the 30 pin. Here is a decent explainer.
http://gizmodo.com/5943125/that-stupid-ass-expensive-iphone-adapter-wont-support-video-and-ipod-out

 

[alpha10]

Ok, so the adapter has a DAC, just as I predicted, now the last question I have, how do I get the digital out for use with my Pure i-20 ?

 

[googleli]

So is there any conclusion on whether I will be able to use my CLAS or HP-P1 with the iPhone 5?

 

[Buckster]

on a positive - do we think this means a higher chance of digital out directly to a DAC ? - (well with some mini adapter - like the IPAD)

 

[John In Cali]

Quote:

on a positive - do we think this means a higher chance of digital out directly to a DAC ? - (well with some mini adapter - like the IPAD)

Yes it does look like that is so.

 

[elfary]

Breaking News - UPDATED APPLE STORE INFO ON THE ADAPTER -
 

Overview

This adapter lets you connect devices with a Lightning connector to many of your 30-pin accessories.* Support for analog audio output, USB audio, as well as syncing and charging. Video output not supported.
 
 
Thus is official now that there's line out signal off the adapter and hence iPhones are still capable of line out via the adapter. Which still puts them above Androids and WP8 devices in that very realm of the line out (Let's see how much time passes by before the competition copies this kind of adapter)
 
Whether the quality of this signal is as good as the previous line out port is to be assessed. I really doubt about it but...you never know.
 

 

[georgelai57]

Perhaps us head-fiers were noticed by Apple