[penbat]

The IPod lineout is widely considered to give better sound than the Ipod earphone socket. But if you use lineout you are bypassing the Ipod's volume control so you need an amp simply to provide that function. Maybe an amp such as the Superdual may benefit the sound as well but that is fairly incidental.

However just using the earphone socket of the IPod and UE-10 does save on clutter and wiring. Does that still give good results ?

 

[lindrone]

Yes, they sound very good directly out of the iPod. I wouldn't bother with carrying around an amp like the SuperDual anyway.

It's either less clutter, or put iPod into a semi-portable desktop system of some sort for me. Doesn't make sense to invest in the SuperDual for half-decent sound & add clutter to your portable setup, when you can invest more for really great sound.

 

[iamdone]

You can use the line-out without an amp. You just buy a headphone volume control cable from Radio Shack for $5 and use the Sik din or imp or that new lineout device that just came out.

I've tried it with my ety and it does make everything cleaner and extends the highs but the bass become even more lacking. With the etys, I still prefer the headphone out.

On the ue10, they might be easy enough to drive that the line-out w/out amp will sound better.

 

[utdeep]

I've had the opposite experience. I think the line out of the iPod provides incredible sound which is vastly superior to the headphone out. I used this with an XP-7 and was very pleased with the results. Until that setup, I was not convinced on the value of line outs and amps.
I don't notice any bass reduction with the line out... with the amp and line out, I notice an increase in impact and deeper bass.

 

[iamdone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by utdeep I've had the opposite experience. I think the line out of the iPod provides incredible sound which is vastly superior to the headphone out. I used this with an XP-7 and was very pleased with the results. Until that setup, I was not convinced on the value of line outs and amps. I don't notice any bass reduction with the line out... with the amp and line out, I notice an increase in impact and deeper bass.

Oh, I completely agree with you when you used with an amp. I'm just talking about using the line out without an amp using the line volume level from Radio Shack. You can use it without the Radio Shack cable but then you have no way to adjust the volume without an amp.

Without an amp, I think the signal is too weak for the etys but it may work for the ue5c, ue10, or the sensas.

I plan to use my ue10 with a battery PPA though the line-out while on the go.

edit: Yes, whenever you use an amp, the line out is the best way to go. Much cleaner and expanded signal.

 

[gorman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamdone I plan to use my ue10 with a battery PPA though the line-out while on the go.

Which one, if I may ask?

 

[iamdone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorman Which one, if I may ask?

The amp? It's a Headsave PPA (when he was making them) with the battery board added. I then added the Laracco discrete diamond buffer and changed the ad8610 opamps to the lt1122 opamps. On the go, I'll use my 40G ipod through the lineout w/sik imp (currently w/etys). The only problem is, I don't have the ue10 yet and will have to wait until August. I have a nice half month vacation coming up that should help the wait though.

I agree with lindrone about adding amps to a portable setup for the most part. I didn't think the xin ones made enough difference to carry around and have the extra hassle. The PPA is way! too big but I bring it back and worth from work and home so I might as well use it on the go as well. I'd never bring it on a plane trip. Too much space.

 

[lindrone]

Just to clarify, I didn't mean that the line-out doesn't make any difference. It's only that in a portable set-up, I don't think the quality of a portable amp + line-out + additional bulk is all worth it for the relative amount of quality increase.

Get a good desktop amp, use the line-out of the iPod that way, it's a much more sensible solution. You get a very good home system from the iPod, and you didn't spend that money on something that's a hassle to carry around.

 

[penbat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindrone Just to clarify, I didn't mean that the line-out doesn't make any difference. It's only that in a portable set-up, I don't think the quality of a portable amp + line-out + additional bulk is all worth it for the relative amount of quality increase. Get a good desktop amp, use the line-out of the iPod that way, it's a much more sensible solution. You get a very good home system from the iPod, and you didn't spend that money on something that's a hassle to carry around.

Did you know that Bob Jew, for one, thinks on balance an SD is the equal of an XP-7 ? ref: http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=76615

 

[Dane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamdone You can use the line-out without an amp. You just buy a headphone volume control cable from Radio Shack for $5 and use the Sik din or imp or that new lineout device that just came out. I've tried it with my ety and it does make everything cleaner and extends the highs but the bass become even more lacking. With the etys, I still prefer the headphone out. On the ue10, they might be easy enough to drive that the line-out w/out amp will sound better.

I think driving phones from the iPod line-out is a very bad idea since there's no real amp to provide the necessary juice. Also, the noise floor is increased quite a deal and is clearly audible, at least with low impedance cans - the line-out is designed to drive easy loads in the kOhm range. It might be a different deal with players that don't bypass the amp for their "line-out" though.

 

[iamdone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penbat Did you know that Bob Jew, for one, thinks on balance an SD is the equal of an XP-7 ? ref: http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=76615

Yes, but Bob did admit has doesn't like the xp-7 with ad8610 opamps in it and that's how the SD is being compared to. I don't know if you can get the SD with other opamps to take the edge off the brightness. That's more my main complaint about the xin amps.