[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

I see...so Rockbox'ed iPods absolutely cannot be used with high impedance cans due to the fact that they can't be paired with amps (as well as DACs)

You can pair the older Rockboxed iPods with amps, just fine....just not external DAC. But there are a lot of us who already think the Wolfson DAC in the 5G/5.5G iPod Video produces wonderful sound.....so just use an LOD cable to an external amp and you're good to go. 

 

[cooperpwc]

You can also pair an amp with a Rockboxed iPod Classic. The analog ouputs - both headphone and line out - work perfectly.
 
Many of us use external amplifiers with the line out from our Rockboxed Classics.

 

[3ternalDr4gon]

I'm sort of confused, you said in your last post that the Fostex HP-P1 can't be used with a Rockbox'ed iPod

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

I'm sort of confused, you said in your last post that the Fostex HP-P1 can't be used with a Rockbox'ed iPod

The Fostex is an amp/DAC combination unit. You can use amps, just not DACs with the new Classics.

 

[3ternalDr4gon]

So many underlying details...I guess a simple question would be this
 
In the interest of optimal SQ, which is better?
 
iPod 5.5G + iMod --> rockbox --> portable amp
 
iPod Classic 7G --> rockbox --> portable amp/DAC
 
I have K550's, and I find the highs relatively bright/piercing, and can only listen to them at about 50% volume directly out of my iPod Touch 

 

[kothganesh]

Quote:

You certainly can Rockbox an iMod. An iMod just provides a cleaner signal path from an older iPod's internal DAC. There are no such mods for the iPod Classic as the signal path is already very clean. 
 
The older iPods like the iPod Video do not support using an external iAP DAC as they lack the special communication chip. And you cannot use an external iAP DAC with a Rockboxed Classic as i explain above. So if your your definition of optimizing sound is buying an iAP device such as CLAS or Fostex HP-P1, then Rockbox is not the answer for you. If you are happy with the iPods internal DAC, Rockbox is a beautiful thing.

Thank you for the lucid reply. I was wrestling with the Rockbox issue but I already have the CLAS -dB.

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

So many underlying details...I guess a simple question would be this
 
1.  In the interest of optimal SQ, which is better?
 
2.  iPod 5.5G + iMod --> rockbox --> portable amp
 
3. iPod Classic 7G --> rockbox --> portable amp/DAC
 
4. I have K550's, and I find the highs relatively bright/piercing, and can only listen to them at about 50% volume directly out of my iPod Touch 

1. Which is better? Depends on each person's individual tastes.
 
2. You don't necessarily need the iMod procedure....that's a costly option. 5.5 -->Rockbox --> portable amp is pretty darn good IMO. That said,  I do not know how much of a difference the iMod procedure would make.
 
3. iPod Classic 7G can only be used with portable amp/DAC if you do not Rockbox. If you Rockbox, you can use portable amp but not portable DAC.
 
4. The 7G has a brighter sound to it than the 5.5G does, assuming you do not use any EQ adjustments.

 

[szwety]

--Edit: eternaldragons question has already been answered--

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

Thank you for the lucid reply. I was wrestling with the Rockbox issue but I already have the CLAS -dB.

 
You are welcome. Yes, since you have a CLAS -dB, your decision is easy. You use the Classic's OF (Original Firmware). Enjoy!

 

[ThurstonX]

Quote:

So many underlying details...I guess a simple question would be this
 
In the interest of optimal SQ, which is better?
 
iPod 5.5G + iMod --> rockbox --> portable amp
 
iPod Classic 7G --> rockbox --> portable amp/DAC
 
I have K550's, and I find the highs relatively bright/piercing, and can only listen to them at about 50% volume directly out of my iPod Touch 

 
I use the JDS Labs C5 amp with my K550s, and it definitely improves the sound, be it from a Rockbox'd iPod Classic (7G, as you say) or a PC capable of 24-bit/192 KHz output.  I know what you mean about the harsh highs with the K550s direct to the iPod's headphone out. It was very fatiguing. I'd say the C5 smooths out the sound a bit, and definitely helps the low end without being a ridiculously bassy amp (confession: NOT a basshead; C5's bass boost should suffice; lots of opinions in the thread). It's a nice, neutral amp.
 
C5 thread is here

 

[3ternalDr4gon]

Thanks dude, I'll check this out for sure.
 
One last question in regards to the amp/DAC + iPod with Rockbox...
 
When using an amp/DAC with a rockbox'ed iPod, does the DAC portion cease to work, or does the amp/DAC in it's entirety not work? I thought it would be cool to have an amp/DAC to use with my laptop as well as my iPod, even though it may only function as an amp

 

[ThurstonX]

Quote:

Thanks dude, I'll check this out for sure.
 
One last question in regards to the amp/DAC + iPod with Rockbox...
 
When using an amp/DAC with a rockbox'ed iPod, does the DAC portion cease to work, or does the amp/DAC in it's entirety not work? I thought it would be cool to have an amp/DAC to use with my laptop as well as my iPod, even though it may only function as an amp

 
I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that with an amp+DAC unit the DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) is only functional when it receives a Digital signal (makes sense, eh?  As has been explained, with an iPod, the only way to get that digital signal to an external DAC is with the original iPod firmware and a DAC that can talk to it using Apple's proprietary protocol. That would require a Digital Line Out cable from the iPod to a USB input on the DAC.
 
If you look at the Fostex mentioned above, it also has a 3.5mm input, but of course that's only an analog input, and thus the DAC wouldn't have anything to do.
 
Since Apple's protocol is proprietary, there is no way for the Rockbox firmware to output a digital signal to an external DAC. So you'd be wasting the DAC portion of a combo unit on a Rockbox'd iPod. I suppose a good combo unit could be used with a PC (USB out to DAC's USB in; DAC would appear as a USB audio device in Windows). Maybe they all do that. Don't have one.
 
Corrections or confirmation welcome
 
HTH.

 

[3ternalDr4gon]

So in the instance of the Fostex amp/DAC, the DAC wouldn't work, but the amp portion still would right?

 

[ThurstonX]

Quote:

So in the instance of the Fostex amp/DAC, the DAC wouldn't work, but the amp portion still would right?

 
Sure, why not, else there's no point in having an analog input. An amplifier just takes a signal and... AMPLIFIES it It goes without saying that buying an amp+DAC combo is really only useful if you can utilize the DAC, too. As for that model, you should read up on it, as you should about any device you plan to purchase.

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

So in the instance of the Fostex amp/DAC, the DAC wouldn't work, but the amp portion still would right?

The Fostex will not connect to a computer for use as a DAC. So if you can't use the DAC at all, why spend $500 or so on it? You should look into another device, I think.