[Jackcell]

So for the past few months I have been using the forums to educate myself on the would of HiFi sound. You guys are really great.
 
So imagine my excitement when I was looking around my house and found an unused ipod 5th gen. 60 gb. It was my fathers but he never used it so he GAVE it to me. No JOKE! 
 
Well I immediately put rockbox on it and have been playing with it for months. I also re-ripped my entire collection to flac with EAC. But I digress. 
 
So I want to take my Amazing iPod to the next level. I've been doing some research and found out about the Red Wine iMod. So here are my questions;
 
What are the benefits of doing this iMod to my iPod? 
 
How much better is the sound quality than that of my rockboxed only iPod?
 
How does the iModded ipod measure up to offerings from other companies (HiFi Man, Cowon, Colorfly, and Sony to name a few)?
 
I decided to go this route rather than get a phone/dap like the s3. After all I already have a free iPod. 
 
Please suggest anything you can think I left out. 

 

[namaiki]

What headphones or other do you have connected to your iPod?

 

[Jackcell]

Right Now The ATH-m50. But I'm in the market for a good IEM to pair with the iPod if you have a suggestion?

 

[AKG240mkII]

The iMod does absolutely nothing unless you use the line-out to feed an amplifier .

 

[DMinor]

The ipod 5g alone is a very very fine piece of sounding DAC if paired with decent iem's and better yet rockboxed and FLACed.

 

[Jackcell]

Quote:

The ipod 5g alone is a very very fine piece of sounding DAC if paired with decent iem's and better yet rockboxed and FLACed.

 
Cool. That is very good to hear. So the change in sound quality is minimal at best? (When played through the line out un amped)
Quote:

The iMod does absolutely nothing unless you use the line-out to feed an amplifier .

Again It seems as though I forgot to provide all the Information. Sorry. I will be using a portable DAC/ AMP in the future. I was thinking about starting with something a little less expensive like the Fiio e17, then if I like that, invest a little more. 

 

[Jackcell]

Also to add, At this point I'm considering the Shure se215 or the ath-ckm500. I don't really know yet because this is my first venture into IEM's. So I'd like to see. Don't know if this helps.

 

[wavoman]

With the iMod, you need to use a specific line-out cable, usually built by ALO.  This combination takes the analog audio directly off the Wolfson DAC.  Now you feed that in to a very fine portable amp, not a cheap one, and you WILL hear a SQ difference from the stock unit, at least with good headphones or IEMs.
 
Vinnie at Red Wine is the best and will explain it further to you if you contact him.
 
I have two complete 5.5 Gen iMod rigs and I love them.  We're not talking cheap here, especially when you add in the cable (look for it used).  I got both my iMods at substantial discounts because Vinnie donated them at various NY Head-Fi meets and I won both auctions below list price (one auction was for a complete unit and the other was a certificate to mod my own unit, which I found cheap on eBay).  Like I said, Vinnie and RWA are the best!
 
I did not Rockbox the units, since it is easy enough to convert 96 x 24 FLACs to 48 x 16 ALACs with no audible loss of SQ.  I download 96 x 24's or rip them from DVD-A's.  Sound amazing on the iMods.  Certainly better than the stock HP output.  With a stock unit + normal LOD and a nice amp maybe the SQ difference is a lot smaller, don't know, never A/B those.

 

[Jackcell]

Quote:

With the iMod, you need to use a specific line-out cable, usually built by ALO.  This combination takes the analog audio directly off the Wolfson DAC.  Now you feed that in to a very fine portable amp, not a cheap one, and you WILL hear a SQ difference from the stock unit, at least with good headphones or IEMs.
 
Vinnie at Red Wine is the best and will explain it further to you if you contact him.
 
I have two complete 5.5 Gen iMod rigs and I love them.  We're not talking cheap here, especially when you add in the cable (look for it used).  I got both my iMods at substantial discounts because Vinnie donated them at various NY Head-Fi meets and I won both auctions below list price (one auction was for a complete unit and the other was a certificate to mod my own unit, which I found cheap on eBay).  Like I said, Vinnie and RWA are the best!
 
I did not Rockbox the units, since it is easy enough to convert 96 x 24 FLACs to 48 x 16 ALACs with no audible loss of SQ.  I download 96 x 24's or rip them from DVD-A's.  Sound amazing on the iMods.  Certainly better than the stock HP output.  With a stock unit + normal LOD and a nice amp maybe the SQ difference is a lot smaller, don't know, never A/B those.

Holy ****. That Cable is rather Expensive. I'll really have to wait for a while down the road. It says on the red wine website that the line out from the ipod is still usable, does that mean it is improved? 
 
By the way, thank you for the plethora of useful information. I greatly appreciate it.

 

[ManAtWork]

If anyone really serious on the SQ, the investment of iMod with its proprietary socket cable is worth every cent you paid. The improvement in clarity of sound can be heard clearly.

 

[Jackcell]

I was reading that the 5th gen ipod I have is inferior to the newer iPods in terms of sound quality. Is there any truth to this?

 

[antberg]

Jackcell,many will tell you the 5 and 5.5 gen classic are the best ipod ever sound quality wise.

 

[Jackcell]

Quote:

Jackcell,many will tell you the 5 and 5.5 gen classic are the best ipod ever sound quality wise.

Even with stock hardwork, and only rockboxed?

 

[DMinor]

I was reading that the 5th gen ipod I have is inferior to the newer iPods in terms of sound quality. Is there any truth to this?

Unfortunately the opposite.

 

[antberg]

By my understanding about what i can read here,the main difference i due not from the firmware used,but because it has the best Dac between all the Apple Dap's,the Wolfson Dac.