[jona.p]

Quote:

Sonically, I couldn't tell you the difference. Practically, the diyMod 4G converts the dock's line out signal to a high-quality one and keeps the original headphone jack signal, where the iMod 4G disables the dock's signal and converts the headphone jack into a line out. The diyMod 5G and iMod 5G ought to be the same. You be the judge.

Soo sonically it sounds the same as the Imod or the same as the dock lineout?

Is it really worth it?;p

 

[KoKoKrunch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jona.p /img/forum/go_quote.gif Soo sonically it sounds the same as the Imod or the same as the dock lineout? Is it really worth it?;p

The iMod is not worth it, the DIYmod is like winning lottery. Haha, actually to tell the truth iMod vs iPod isn't a huge huge huge difference in the first place. I spent like US$6 modding... So? Is it worth it? Up to you to decide.

 

[CAvanessia]

From the many posts I've read from head-fi, certain gear --say Koss KSC75 and a CMOY-- will give you MUCH improved performance over a stock earbud with an iPod. However, there are diminishing returns (again, according to the forum since I don't have any high-end gear) once you pass a certain point in gear/music quality/your ears.

I believe the diyMod exhibits this (My caps are not burned in yet!) property. It is definitely better than my original line-out with an amp, but it isn't night and day difference.

It was worth it for me since 1) I like DIY stuff, 2) My nano did not break, 3) I had an amp/LOD/connectors/soldering iron/etc beforehand so there wasn't a huge cost.

edit: KoKoKrunch, I actually changed the cable in my dock to a male usb cable. Because the cable I initially used was very, very low quality, the iPod would only get connected with USB1.1 and wasn't charging! The original cable had 28 gauge wires with shielding I could literally take off with my nails. Very bad quality! I chopped up an extra digital camera transfer cable to find 2 layers of stranded shielding and MUCH higher quality wires. Once I hooked this cable up everything just worked as it should. Moral of the story: use high-quality USB 2.0-rated cables or just chop up your OEM apple cable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoKoKrunch /img/forum/go_quote.gif The iMod is not worth it, the DIYmod is like winning lottery. Haha, actually to tell the truth iMod vs iPod isn't a huge huge huge difference in the first place. I spent like US$6 modding... So? Is it worth it? Up to you to decide.

 

[jona.p]

Thanks. I think im gonna try this. I got a 1st gen nano and its wearing down, screen fails buttons dont work really that well anymore, so got nothing to lose ;P.
Dont have a soldering iron yet, will a ~$40 iron be good enough?

 

[jERiCOh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAvanessia /img/forum/go_quote.gif I believe the diyMod exhibits this (My caps are not burned in yet!) property. It is definitely better than my original line-out with an amp, but it isn't night and day difference.

A little question about the SQ improvement : Do you use Apple Lossless ? I'm trying to figure out why some people don't hear a BIG difference like me. I just got my caps last week and started to build my 3 docks. They are not finished yet (pictures are coming) but I did some test -> CMoy, Grado SR325, No MP3 at all (Only CDs ripped by iTunes in Lossless format). I can Now hear things that I never heard before. The definition of the sound is incredible... it sounds near a good CD player.

First post of the year, Happy New Year Everybody.

 

[CAvanessia]

To be honest, all you need to do is desolder 6 tiny parts and possibly solder ~7 spots. I believe that a $40 is overkill. Find something with a very fine tip if you're going to mod the Nano; it doesn't need to be expensive! I bought an additional Radioshack $7 iron with a stand and thought it was perfect. Save the money for accessories like desoldering braid, solder, the "hands device", and some 30 gauge wire.

 

[iQEM]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jona.p /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks. I think im gonna try this. I got a 1st gen nano and its wearing down, screen fails buttons dont work really that well anymore, so got nothing to lose ;P. Dont have a soldering iron yet, will a ~$40 iron be good enough?

x2...just like my condition when first start this DIYmod...search 30W solder & change the eye solder + buy a magnifying glass to help you see what to solder !

Quote:

Originally Posted by jERiCOh /img/forum/go_quote.gif A little question about the SQ improvement : Do you use Apple Lossless ? I'm trying to figure out why some people don't hear a BIG difference like me. I just got my caps last week and started to build my 3 docks. They are not finished yet (pictures are coming) but I did some test -> CMoy, Grado SR325, No MP3 at all (Only CDs ripped by iTunes in Lossless format). I can Now hear things that I never heard before. The definition of the sound is incredible... it sounds near a good CD player. First post of the year, Happy New Year Everybody.

haven't tried my DIYmod nano since my clickwheel stop functioning (this time for sure)...i really had to grab one...

 

[barqy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vvs_75 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ! Don't forget t remove row of four resistors that you can see on the right!

Hey there, I removed the reisistors to the left of the G and L as seen in the above pic. What was the point of removing the resistors btw?

now my hold switch doesn't work?

edit: i read in a post that you have to bridge something? but i don't remember what

edit: found it: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/3452054-post46.html (but i don't really get this part. I thought I could just solder the wire from c84/86 directly to the cap, then cap to L/R channels????)


Also, I tried to fit the BG caps into the top left corner (like seen in the commercial 'imod' picture), but now my ipod won't close properly? There's a little ribbon bit that prevents it from closing properly since the BG caps are there now


any suggestions?


thanks a ton

 

[joneeboi]

barqy:

I checked my iPod 4G click wheel 20GB and it does seem like a really tight fit. What you might want to invest in is a 60GB backing. It might be a bit expensive, but it would solve your problem. What you could also do is route the wires to where KoKoKrunch put the BG caps and back up tot he headphone jack. There's still enough space to send wires down and up inside the iPod, so that would solve your problem. Keeping wires short would be optimal since the inductance of the long wires messes with the high frequencies. That's just a sacrifice we have to make with these portable audio solutions.

xnothingpoetic:

I'm glad we could help. I'm not sure what the dude did to get banned, but I did PM jude, asking what I needed to do if I were to offer diyModding services for people. He just referred me to the Member of the Trade Head-fi Rules/Terms of Use, so I guess we haven't offended anyone just yet. At any rate, let's remember how to get along according to said Rules/Terms of Use:

[size=x-small]Be polite. We encourage debating -- even heated debating -- in the forums, but avoid defamatory statements, personal attacks, racial slurs, name-calling, and cursing at others in the forums.

defamatory: see defame below.
defame: 1. disgrace; 2. to harm the reputation of by libel or slander.
libel: a statement or representation published without just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt.
slander: the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another's reputation.

[/size]I won't say that the iMod is a terrible product or that Red Wine Audio is a terrorist organization, so please form your opinions on your own.

If anything, we owe both Red Wine Audio and the iMod for doing what they do because without them we wouldn't be here. I personally won't budget my money for an iMod, but that's just the way I'll spend my money.

jona.p:

What I meant was that the diyMod has practical advantages over the iMod. Theoretically, they do sound the same. Also, since iPod parts cost so little, you could even bother fixing that baby up. Check Tangent's articles on Getting Started in Audio DIY. A $10 pencil tip soldering gun is perfectly fine for this application. Most of the soldering is surface mount, so not too much heat is required.

CAvanessia:

I'm not sure it's a quality issue with your cables but more like a specification difference. Nevertheless, your point is well taken. And for the record, those "hand devices" are typically called "helping hands."

 

[barqy]

@jone boi:

you mean koko did this:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...i/DSCN3237.jpg

it seems that koko routed to the Line out dock rather than the headphone jack eh?


how does vinnie make enough room to put the caps on the top right corner?


also, can anyone tell me why the hold switch doesn't work any more (possibly after de-soldering the 4 resistors) to the left of the G/L here: http://usera.imagecave.com/vvs_75/800p.jpg

I don't get how to fix it

-i read vvs75's explaination I linked 2 posts above, but I'm still confused, should I not have de-soldered those resistors

thanks in advance

 

[CAvanessia]

jon what do you mean when you mentioned the quality issue with my cables?also what are he specification differences you mentioned? Do you mean that we have different gear and thus the quality is different?

Note to self: don't bring iPod touch to campus anymore

 

[joneeboi]

barqy:

I couldn't explain to you why your hold switch doesn't work beyond the fact that you removed those resistors. The easy and impossible solution would be to put those resistors back, but that's probably absurd at this point. An easier solution is to procure for yourself a new one via ifixit, eBay or any of those iPod part sources.

Also, I don't know how RWA fits those caps in the iMods. You might just have to fiddle around with the caps until it does fit. I got my iPod to close with the caps there, but one got a little squished. If you're a little more careful, you could probably pull it off.

CAvanessia:

What I meant was that there are low and high quality USB 1.1 cables on the one hand and there are low and high quality USB 2.0 cables on the other hand. The way you worded your posts makes it seem like USB 2.0 cables are automatically high quality when compared to USB 1.1 cables. I just wanted to make the distinction that you can have varying qualities in either format. I'm no expert on USB, but I can only imagine that USB 2.0's higher transfer speeds results in thicker wire in the cable and probably improved shielding. Here's a thread I found through Google: Do USB 1.1 cables work with USB 2.0 devices? - Everything USB Community.

 

[CAvanessia]

Jon:

Yes -- absolutely. There are different grades of quality for USB cables. From what I understand and what my cousin (engineer at a relevant company) told me, real USB 1.1 standard cables *should* work fine for most USB 2.0 applications. However, many manufacturers noticed that the standard is overkill for USB 1.1 applications. They can lower the quality substantially without any problems and therefore they do.

My point was that a USB 1.1 cable will have ambigious quality of construction. The recommendation for USB 2.0 standard sort of "guarantees" the minimum threshold to get good performance out of our iPods. This is assuming the manufacturers aren't lying about the compliance with the standards.

edit: my Sonicaps are coming tomorrow. Impressions and pictures to come tomorrow night.

 

[vvs_75]

Quote:

Originally Posted by barqy /img/forum/go_quote.gif @jone boi: you mean koko did this: http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...i/DSCN3237.jpg it seems that koko routed to the Line out dock rather than the headphone jack eh? how does vinnie make enough room to put the caps on the top right corner? also, can anyone tell me why the hold switch doesn't work any more (possibly after de-soldering the 4 resistors) to the left of the G/L here: http://usera.imagecave.com/vvs_75/800p.jpg I don't get how to fix it -i read vvs75's explaination I linked 2 posts above, but I'm still confused, should I not have de-soldered those resistors thanks in advance

you got PM!

 

[joneeboi]

CAvanessia:

I followed your lead on the USB/line out cable. My dad and I are always juggling between who gets to use the single iPod USB cable we have. I figured that I had so many USB 2.0 cables around, it wouldn't be any trouble to incorporate one into the line out I was already fabricating. It is indeed annoying to have another USB tail hanging out of my dock, but it's more important to me to have charging while playing capability instead of having to switch cables to charge and transfer and all that. Thanks a lot for sharing.

edit: Photo time. Notice the sweet duct tape-covered line out. I'm all about the money savers. Also, notice the melted blob on the top of my dock. That's how I know which side is up.

Finally, Christine, why aren't you bringing your iPod touch to school anymore? Are the mean kids making fun of you for being a prosumer again? Tough break.