[Jlm86]

Also, to do a true line out from a 5.5, to fostex amp or something like that, how do you do that if I have a stock player?
Thanks. Good forum

 

[Hard Head]

Quote:

Q from newbie..
Compared to say a galaxy S3 or something on that level , what is SQ difference if I get a 5.5 stock player?
I'm an engineer so I have a tendency to build stuff, but don't know if I want to spend the hours tinkering..
Thanks

 
IMO, you'd get better sound from an S3 with Voodoo audio installed, and a good player app.  Plus, the availability of doing digital out, with the proper kernel installed.  You can't get a digital signal out of an iPod to use a separate DAC, though the internal DAC is highly regarded.
Quote:

Also, to do a true line out from a 5.5, to fostex amp or something like that, how do you do that if I have a stock player?
Thanks. Good forum

 
You can do a line-out using a LOD (Line-Out Dock) which are readily available, from a couple bucks for a cheap one, to $hundreds for a hand-crafted and silver wired job.  However, to get the best sound out of it, you'd want to do the DIYMod on it (see http://www.head-fi.org/t/269604/the-apple-diymod-my-take-on-the-famous-imod-56k-killer-featuring-3g-4g-5g-and-nano-1g).  Still won't get you a digital signal out of the iPod, but the best sound post-DAC possible.

 

[Jlm86]

Thanks...
I have huge mp3/flac collection and would like to get a nice dap/amp combo for about $250 or so..
I've found some pristine 5.5 ipod on Craigslist, for $125 from private party...
I'm confused on amp though, to just run the audio out to a older Foster amp, is it worth fooling with that part?

Where might I get a second hand rig all configured?

 

[ardgedee]

Any classic-style iPod including the 5.5G has a decent line-out already -- for $20 you can get a Fiio line-out dock, for more you can get hand-built LODs, or you can make your own for about $5 in parts. This does not require opening up the case; it's a stock feature. Look up "fiio lod" on Amazon or other online store and you'll see what you need.
 
If you feel like hacking you can do the DIYmod to improve the audio quality of the line-out.
 
You can't get digital-out from the 5.5 G, although you can from the 6G and 7G.
 
The real value of the 5G and 5.5G these days is as a source device to use with an outboard amplifier. Personally I think sound quality from the headphone jack on the 5G (the 5.5G should be identical) is okay, especially with full-sized headphones, but not great; Apple's current hardware is much better in that regard, and so are many other company's products. Things have improved quite a bit in five or six years.
 
The iPod does not natively handle FLAC files. You'll have to install Rockbox to do that.

 

[Tronx]

If you are well prepared, you can change internal stock amp to something better.
As an example:
 
http://s17.postimage.org/skj35xm9b/IMG_1306.jpg

 

[cmarti]

Quote:

If you are well prepared, you can change internal stock amp to something better.
As an example:
 
http://s17.postimage.org/skj35xm9b/IMG_1306.jpg

Which amp is that one?

 

[Tronx]

Hand made amp (production is in China with small wholesale).
Based on UDA1380. One russian guy made this project and placed order to print this amps to some chinese factory.
 
 
http://s21.postimage.org/t4fi9l3x3/IMG_0176.jpg
 
 
http://s21.postimage.org/wt5792dxz/IMG_0178.jpg

 

[cmarti]

Quote:

Hand made amp (production is in China with small wholesale).
Based on UDA1380. One russian guy made this project and placed order to print this amps to some chinese factory.
 
 
http://s21.postimage.org/t4fi9l3x3/IMG_0176.jpg
 
 
http://s21.postimage.org/wt5792dxz/IMG_0178.jpg

That looks sweet! Would love to listen to that iPod

 

[Tronx]

It sounds bit better than imoded lineout with FiiO e11 amp

 

[Hard Head]

Next up...
 
DIYAMPMOD!!
 

 

 

[Yves S]

Quote:

[size=small]mini pci-e Msata SSD to 40pin ZIF adapter card as tohiba or hitachi zif hdd[/size]

 
http://www.ebay.com.sg/itm/221118000473?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_2272wt_1050
 
SSD was mSATA Crucial 256GB
 
 

[size=small]mini pci-e mSATA SSD to USB 2.0 or 2.5 SATA adapter card with case+screw driver just in case porject failed I can use the mSATA as external Drive[/size]

 
http://www.ebay.com.sg/itm/221156804993?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_2298wt_1050
 
These worked for me, and I hope it works for you if you decide to go a similar path.  But if it doesn't work for you,  please don't blame me. 

 
I went for the same approach but got the mSATA Crucial 32GB as a cheap fix for a broken HDD in my 160GB iPod Classic 7G.
I was able to format the SSD as FAT32 and exFAT and got it to work as an external drive for my PC.
 
When I place the SSD + ZIF adapter in the iPod, it shows the red cross for both FAT32 and exFAT file systems.
My iPod is not recognized by windows or iTunes, so there is no way to restore it.
Diagnostic mode indicates there is a problem with the HDD.
 
Would there be a difference between the 32GB and 256GB mSATA Crucial SSD causing it not to work?
Any other ideas that I can try?
Maybe I got a broken mSATA - ZIF adapter, but is there a way to test this?

Thanks in advance for your help,
Yves

 

[davidcotton]

Unlikely it seems for the 7th gen. You may have been better off going for a 240 toshiba hard drive on ebay instead. all reports I've read suggest that at this time msata mods only work on 5.5 gen for some reason.

 

[SiGiE]

Quote:

 
I went for the same approach but got the mSATA Crucial 32GB as a cheap fix for a broken HDD in my 160GB iPod Classic 7G.
I was able to format the SSD as FAT32 and exFAT and got it to work as an external drive for my PC.
 
When I place the SSD + ZIF adapter in the iPod, it shows the red cross for both FAT32 and exFAT file systems.
My iPod is not recognized by windows or iTunes, so there is no way to restore it.
Diagnostic mode indicates there is a problem with the HDD.
 
Would there be a difference between the 32GB and 256GB mSATA Crucial SSD causing it not to work?
Any other ideas that I can try?
Maybe I got a broken mSATA - ZIF adapter, but is there a way to test this?

Thanks in advance for your help,
Yves

 
I used the same ZIF adapter but with a Crucial 256GB mSATA on a Ipod Video 5.5Gen. When it did not work on my first attempt, I also thought that problem was the ZIF Adapter or mSATA.  I did a few attempts doing best effort to get the tiny ribbon (hdd connector) aligned, properly inserted, and snuggly connected (via clip).  Finally on the 3rd attempt, It worked. I also recall having problems related to the battery being empty and thought that I needed to replace the battery.  It turned-out that the ribbon for the battery (there are 2 ribbons) loosened.  These were the only issues I recall, and am quite happy to say that for the past weeks, I did not experience any other problem.  Oh yeah, with a large capacity mSATA, it is always good to upload music files in small batches of maybe 10GB.  I tried to upload all my music files at one go (7000 songs) and recall that it was taking hours to upload using a mac mini with an SSD, as well.  The Ipod back cover was warm, and did not complete the upload, in one go. Best to upload in smaller batches.  I don't have a 7G to test and confirm that the mSATA will work just fine. Sincerely wish you can get your mSATA to work with your 7G.

 

[Analoog]

Quote:

It sounds bit better than imoded lineout with FiiO e11 amp

Where could I get this amp?

 

[Tronx]

Quote:

 
I also recall having problems related to the battery being empty and thought that I needed to replace the battery.  It turned-out that the ribbon for the battery (there are 2 ribbons) loosened. 
 

Could you explain in details, how did you fix this battery problems