[frtorreira]

Hi all!

I just ordered a pair of Beyerdynamic's DT 880 and a HEADPHONIA Portable Headphone Amp PRO. I own a 1st gen ipod nano which I currently use with my Grados SR80. My question is, in order to take advantage of my new equipment, should I buy a dock line-out cable or is the nano headphone lineout OK? Would the dock lineout significantly improve the SQ?
I am newbie and would also appreciate any comments on my future babies

 

[epaludo]

Yes, definitely.
The line out dock will bypass the crappy ipod internal headphone amp. Then you'll connect the line-out to your external amp. The result will be a lot better.
You can also connect the ipod headphone out to your external amp, but this way you'll be amplifying the signal twice which is NOT good. You'll get distortion by doing this.
So again, yes it's very worthy to get the line out dock ...

 

[epaludo]

If you start hunting for a ipod line out dock, you could PM TURBO. He makes very good quality docks for reasonable prices. You can also ask for custom sizes ...

 

[frtorreira]

Thanks, I just sent a PM to Turbo. I hope the cable won't be very expensive.

 

[frtorreira]

Hello again,

I just got an answer from Turbo. It seems his dock to mini cable is $20 more expensive than one I found at qables (the cheapest one sells for ~$32, without shipping). Qables also has more expensive cables. Do you think I will notice the difference with my new equipment between $54 and $32 cables? I do not want the cable to be my weak link, but on the other hand maybe the difference between cables is not a big deal at all and only contributes to the peace of mind of high-end audiophiles. What's your opinion?

Thanks!!

 

[Orcin]

headphone jack output vs. lineout via any dock cable = huge improvement
Turbo or ALO dock cable vs. Qables or SIK dock cable = minor but noticeable improvement

BTW, this opinion comes from a guy who spent $75 on a Cryo Dock.

 

[mrarroyo]

I have used Turbo's cables and docs they are very well made and sound very nice. Plus being a long time member here allows a direct line.

 

[frtorreira]

Well, I ordered a cable from barqy. He said he used the same components as turbo for half the price. I hope it will work fine. Thanks anyway for your advice!