Wadia iTransport iPod Dock Gets Bit-Perfect Digital from iPods!
Jan 15, 2008 at 6:35 AM Post #181 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif
if that's true, wouldn't all computer based sources using an external dac suffer from the same fault.


You got it.

Steve N.
 
Jan 15, 2008 at 6:44 AM Post #182 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by ezkcdude /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Hmmm...let's call it an iPod.


Funny.
 
Jan 15, 2008 at 6:48 AM Post #183 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by audioengr /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I'm getting one of these and putting the stream through a Pace-Car reclocker just like I do AirPort Express. The clock on the iPod still has significant jitter and this docking station does not fix it.


Steve, do you know this for sure? Wouldn't you have to take it apart to tell? The Wadia could be buffering and reclocking couldn't it? For $350 it seems doubtful, so I'm sure you're correct, but am wondering if you have inside info on how this beastie functions.

Do we know if the dock actually gets a bitstream out of the iPod, or does it access the internal filesystem directly?
 
Jan 15, 2008 at 6:55 AM Post #184 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by jp11801 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
off course you know the squeeze box has a digital out so for $299 (sb3) you could get to the same place instead of buying another ipod and 2x the wadias. I understand the coolness factor but the squeeze box gets you there is a smaller form factor and the new slim server duet does it with a very cool remote interface.


Are you telling me that this: LANShare 3.5" NAS Aluminum Enclosure, USB 2.0 and Ethernet Combo Enclosure (ME740K), Black Color, Free Ground Shipping

plus a Squeezebox could be what we're looking for?

I can't for the life of me figure out why they are going network/wireless crazy when all it needs is a simple USB port to read the drive as an external drive.
 
Jan 15, 2008 at 6:58 AM Post #185 of 428
Jan 15, 2008 at 7:08 AM Post #186 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by rodentmacbeastie /img/forum/go_quote.gif
OK, I know everybody is going crazy about this "innovative product!" My I2S hack must be easier and less intrusive than I originally thought. With some othe suggestions in this thread I have realized that the iPod must have I2S and clock output, not spdif. Why would apple convert the signal in the computer to spdif and then back to I2S? It would make the insides tighter and degrade the signal and most important to Apple, cost them more money!

So with a little thought, I have concluded that all this thing is is a dock with an I2S to spdif receiver and an analog bypass. If this truly is the case, a DIY solution should be simple and cheap! Also, if this is the case, take 1 iPod, add 1 Twisted Pear opus DAC and you have the recipe for a simple to make iPod DAC that will cost $200 less and you will have your iPod Transport to DAC with NO spdif conversion. That should give you better sound than doing it the Wadia way! So how then is this a good deal? You can buy an I2S to SPDIF converter for cheap and save $300. Why does Wadia only charge $350? Because they would feel guilty taking more money! Why is $350 too much in my opinion? Because $100 of that probably goes directly to Apple so Wadia can say it is an official iPod device!


If this makes sense to you, post your opinions. I have been looking for the pin layout to the iPod to confirm.



I hear you, loud and clear in fact. However, MSB does this and they charge $2000. There is one good reason why they can charge $2000 for it: the difficulty of doing the mod you speak of. If not, we'd have a good number of people selling that mod for $300 or less. In fact, if you can do it to a 6G iPod, I would pay you $300 to get that iPod to interface either with a Pico or with the Opus DAC. Seriously. I'm sure I'm not the only one.
 
Jan 15, 2008 at 7:20 AM Post #187 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by Chu /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I really, really hope that this comes to market. It's such a perfect solution for a lot of problems I've had with integrating portable players in my systems.

I am a bit scared though. Apple obviously could have done this themselves if they wanted to, but have chosen not to for quite a while. If I had to guess I would say as a condition of their iTunes distribution licenses -- no bit perfect transfers without DRM -- period.

With all the changes in reverse engineering laws in the last 20 years and explosion of software patents, I'm sure Apple could squish this product if they wanted to. I really hope they choose not to.

EDIT : Considering how raving mad Digg users are for anything Apple I'm amazed noone submitted this yet. Digg it.



Bit-perfect in regards to those substandard compressed iTunes files is an oxymoron.
 
Jan 15, 2008 at 7:27 AM Post #188 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by pingong /img/forum/go_quote.gif
agree. $350 to own a Wadia. Ping


Let's be honest here. This is like the Mark Levinson stereos in cars, while a real Mark Levinson system costs more than the car. How about those Zeiss lenses in $500 cameras when a real Zeiss lens alone costs (a lot) more than the entire camera? The branding game is getting a little out of hand.
 
Jan 15, 2008 at 7:38 AM Post #189 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by OracleGuy /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Steve, do you know this for sure? Wouldn't you have to take it apart to tell? The Wadia could be buffering and reclocking couldn't it? For $350 it seems doubtful, so I'm sure you're correct, but am wondering if you have inside info on how this beastie functions.

Do we know if the dock actually gets a bitstream out of the iPod, or does it access the internal filesystem directly?


It has to. Otherwise the control, like track selection would be on the external device. Also that would mean that the iPod would be used as if were any old external hard drive and that any external hard drive could connect to it with a simple adapter. This is what happens when you plug in an iPod or any external hard drive/USB drive/DAP into an Xbox 360 or PS3. The control transfers to the gaming console.
 
Jan 15, 2008 at 7:40 PM Post #190 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by sxr71 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Let's be honest here. This is like the Mark Levinson stereos in cars, while a real Mark Levinson system costs more than the car. How about those Zeiss lenses in $500 cameras when a real Zeiss lens alone costs (a lot) more than the entire camera? The branding game is getting a little out of hand.


totally agree that branding is a game, no matter how you view it. Ping
 
Jan 15, 2008 at 9:33 PM Post #191 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by sxr71 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Let's be honest here. This is like the Mark Levinson stereos in cars, while a real Mark Levinson system costs more than the car. How about those Zeiss lenses in $500 cameras when a real Zeiss lens alone costs (a lot) more than the entire camera? The branding game is getting a little out of hand.


yeah but this isn't a non audio company adopting a high end name for the sake of a caché. This is the actual company releasing a product that will only be sold by it's dealer network. Up until now Wadia had entry level products at like 7k. This is a chance for them to do something on par with MSB and make some descent money, because dealers can only sell so many 10k dollar cd players. If you get my drift.
 
Jan 15, 2008 at 11:24 PM Post #192 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by OracleGuy /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Steve, do you know this for sure? Wouldn't you have to take it apart to tell? The Wadia could be buffering and reclocking couldn't it? For $350 it seems doubtful, so I'm sure you're correct, but am wondering if you have inside info on how this beastie functions.

Do we know if the dock actually gets a bitstream out of the iPod, or does it access the internal filesystem directly?


The only way that they would be reclocking it is with a PLL, which is just as jittery. It is more likely just S/PDIF buffered out and impedance matched.

No one else is reclocking they way that it is done in the Pace-Car.

Steve N.
 
Jan 15, 2008 at 11:26 PM Post #193 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by sxr71 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Are you telling me that this: LANShare 3.5" NAS Aluminum Enclosure, USB 2.0 and Ethernet Combo Enclosure (ME740K), Black Color, Free Ground Shipping

plus a Squeezebox could be what we're looking for?

I can't for the life of me figure out why they are going network/wireless crazy when all it needs is a simple USB port to read the drive as an external drive.


The primary advantage of the Wadia is that ALL of your music is portable and you listen only with the iPod. I find it rather inconvenient for home use myself. SB3, Sonos or Duet is more user-friendly.

Steve N.
 
Jan 15, 2008 at 11:30 PM Post #194 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by sxr71 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I hear you, loud and clear in fact. However, MSB does this and they charge $2000. There is one good reason why they can charge $2000 for it: the difficulty of doing the mod you speak of. If not, we'd have a good number of people selling that mod for $300 or less. In fact, if you can do it to a 6G iPod, I would pay you $300 to get that iPod to interface either with a Pico or with the Opus DAC. Seriously. I'm sure I'm not the only one.


Once you get the digital output from the iPod, it does not matter that it is not I2S. You can put it into a reclocker S/PDIF and come out I2S at inaudible jitter levels.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
 
Jan 17, 2008 at 7:03 PM Post #195 of 428
Quote:

Originally Posted by HiFi FOR METAL /img/forum/go_quote.gif
... until now Wadia had entry level products at like 7k.


A few years ago the 830 ran about 1/2 that amount. I'm pretty pricing was similar for follow on product (801?). Don't know about their current line.
 
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