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Show us your Head-Fi station at it's current state. No old pictures please...
Jan 12, 2015 at 11:03 PM Post #19,322 of 38,744
heywaj10 said:
Gah! I don't understand that...why are companies not creating lightning capable connectors for audio docks?
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The bigger point is they slowed down on making audio docks, all thanks to the CCK and USB audio in iPads and now iPhones (and the dwindling sales of the wheel iPods and eventually the iPod Touch). In order for a dock to run an iDevice as a transport, they're going to pay Apple for the license to use the chip that enables that. When they pay Apple, that ups the manufacturing cost, which ups the retails cost. If they're competing for a niche market against a $30 adapter and a spare USB cable they have lying around, they won't have much confidence that they can sell a $100 dock if that's all it does. Even NuForce had to drop the iDo to $120, and to think that at least these devices can charge the iDevice on it and output SPDIF.
 
The ones that continue to sell tend to be the ones from established HiFi brands, like Arcam, and I won't be surprised if the reality behind is that the people who have a speaker system with Arcam gear aren't aware of the CCK-USB audio thing, likely older on average, and consider it neat that even their dock has the same badge as their amp. Or even if they are aware, they are probably using an HT system at home, which means video output off the dock plus a functioning remote are necessary for navigation (especially with speakers). Or heck, they might be using their HT receivers instead of paying for the separate docks, since many Network HT receivers have a dedicated iDevice input nowadays (just sucks that they're all in front - I mean, it can be in the rear panel, it's not like you have to disconnect both ends of the cable all the time).
 
Jan 13, 2015 at 2:50 AM Post #19,325 of 38,744
heywaj10 said:
Gah! I don't understand that...why are companies not creating lightning capable connectors for audio docks?
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I was lucky to have had an iPad 3 in mothballs - it's back in service now, dedicated to streaming music via the Pure i-20.
 
Given that the Pure i-20 does such a great job of providing your choice of a Line Out or S/PDIF out to Coaxial or Toslink for only $99, you might want to think about picking up a refurbished (or still new) 30-pin iDevice.
 
Be diligent with researching the iOS versions supported by any older iDevice you consider, as Tidal, for example, requires iOS 7.0 or later.
 
Jan 13, 2015 at 2:54 AM Post #19,326 of 38,744
ejwiles said:
   
Because they'll just get left behind the next time Apple decides to change connectors.  Much safer from a manufacturer's perspective to just go with an open standard like Bluetooth, even if audio quality sucks.
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Good points.  Perhaps the surge toward streaming services, away from file transports, will provide a large enough market of people seeking SPDIF out from iDevice docks for companies like Pure to stay in the game of chasing Apple's connectors.
 
Jan 13, 2015 at 3:49 AM Post #19,327 of 38,744
Don't yet have permissions to upload images to posts so here's my link. If someone would be so kind to attach it properly I'd be very grateful.
 
http://i.imgur.com/6xdRrFn.jpg?1
 
From right to left: my precious Elega DR-119C headphones, Fiio X1 and iRiver s100 portable players, Matrix M-Stage headphone amp, Kenwood DP-990D CD player, JVC TD-R452 cassette deck, Elega DR-247C and JVC HA-S500 standing on a Tannoy Reveal 501A monitor, further back is another same monitor with Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 which I use for PC listening and JVC HA-SZ2000 on a stand, also Beyerdynamic DT770 below next to the mic. Have many more headphones around and in boxes but this was supposed to be a spontaneous photo so didn't put them in.
 
Jan 13, 2015 at 5:12 AM Post #19,328 of 38,744
koalapear said:
  Really enjoying my new setup. Nice and warm!
 

 
Is that an IBM Model M Keyboard? :) Geek hats off!
 
How is that Bottlehead treating you?
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Jan 13, 2015 at 4:27 PM Post #19,331 of 38,744
On the road again. Here is the current travel rig. I hope it measures up!
 

Cans are HD800's with the new 22ga Toxic Cables Silver Widows, Audeze LCD-X & LCD-3f with Nordost Heimdall 2's, Mr. Speakers Alpha Primes with WyWires Red Series and the JH Audio JH16's also using Toxic Silver Widows. Sources are the Audioquest Dragonfly and the Geek Out IEM and 1000. The Amp is the soon to be released Cavalli Audio Liquid Crimson. (www.cavalliaudio.com )
The LaCie HD has the lossless and hi res audio running through Amarra 3.03 and iTunes via Firewire 800.
 
I am doing my best to cope with things....
biggrin.gif

 
Jan 13, 2015 at 4:36 PM Post #19,332 of 38,744
longbowbbs said:
  On the road again. Here is the current travel rig. I hope it measures up!
 

Cans are HD800's with the new 22ga Toxic Cables Silver Widows, Audeze LCD-X & LCD-3f with Nordost Heimdall 2's, Mr. Speakers Alpha Primes with WyWires Red Series and the JH Audio JH16's also using Toxic Silver Widows. Sources are the Audioquest Dragonfly and the Geek Out IEM and 1000. The Amp is the soon to be released Cavalli Audio Liquid Crimson. (www.cavalliaudio.com )
The LaCie HD has the lossless and hi res audio running through Amarra 3.03 and iTunes via Firewire 800.
 
I am doing my best to cope with things....
biggrin.gif
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You are really roughing it 
tongue.gif

 
Jan 13, 2015 at 6:06 PM Post #19,334 of 38,744
destroysall said:
  Now that is a setup I would love to hear and a keyboard I'd love to type on. :)

What did you essentially do to make the wood casing on the Bottlehead? Silly question I know..
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Well, you're going to the AZ meet right? You'll be able hear it there!
 
As far as the case goes it's just Minwax espresso stain and a couple of coats of satin Minwax polyurethane.
 
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