Ipod not for Oldies
Posted by: Trevor on 06 April 2007
Am I getting to old for technology or is the Ipod the most irritating thing to copy a CD to.
The instructions tell you nothing and everything seems to have to go via iTunes even then it did not seem straight forward.
Why could it not be as simple to use as it's design implies.
Trevor
Posted on: 03 May 2007 by Rasher
The mini-jack comes through the headphone amp circuits and is supposed to be 2nd rate for amplifying, although I use it at home into a small system in the kitchen and it sounds great to me. In the car I use a dock that takes the output from the bottom port which is supposed to be loads better, but that still only feeds a line-out into the car stereo via a modulator. With all those connections on the bottom there must be some way to access the digital signal and shove it through an external DAC, which is maybe what this rdock is doing. (?) I can't think what all those electronics are doing otherwise.
Posted on: 04 May 2007 by Rockingdoc
No, you can't get to the digital output unless you send it to a clever (and expensive) man in America. The slot at the bottom of the ipod only provides line out (and power in and ipod controls).
My point is, that having accessed the line out signal via a simple connector plug (as I do), how can Jamie's expensive bit of kit improve on the line signal?
Posted on: 04 May 2007 by JamieWednesday
I have very limited electronics knowledge so cannot answer your question, however it is certainly full of electronics and is quite a bit heavier than you'd expect, think solid small metal brick as opposed to small plastic box, so there's certainly something active in there as well as simply a more solid case (although a small part of it is to link up with their solo players which is kind of redundant here).
Ultimately, it is quite a leap from the old dock right from the off and, without wishing to patronise her, my wife, who is tolerant rather than a paid up HiFi sound seeker, remarked (with no prompting) that something had changed and the sound was significantly better than before from the Ipod (she's much happier while she's doing the ironing now...)
Posted on: 04 May 2007 by Diode100
quote:
Originally posted by JamieWednesday:
I have very limited electronics knowledge so cannot answer your question, however it is certainly full of electronics and is quite a bit heavier than you'd expect, think solid small metal brick as opposed to small plastic box, so there's certainly something active in there as well as simply a more solid case (although a small part of it is to link up with their solo players which is kind of redundant here).
Ultimately, it is quite a leap from the old dock right from the off and, without wishing to patronise her, my wife, who is tolerant rather than a paid up HiFi sound seeker, remarked (with no prompting) that something had changed and the sound was significantly better than before from the Ipod (she's much happier while she's doing the ironing now...)
Might it be you were using the earphone line before, via the iPod amplifier & volume control, and now are using the proper line out ? there is a vast difference in sound between those two options. The base seems to contain the Solo link and some sophisticated charging circuitry. I don't think even Red Wine Audio offer a true digital output.That may have to wait for Apple to get over their iPod video priority, they don't seem much interested in audio these days.
Posted on: 04 May 2007 by JamieWednesday
Well different docks access the circuitry through the pin connector in different ways and with some, the volume control on the ipod still works implying the headphone amp is not being bypassed. Certainly the Arcam avoids the headphone amp completely, which as above is pretty poor given the price/space restrictions. As before, there is no digital out to access. Maybe with DRM being dropped, the next gen from Apple will address this...
Posted on: 05 May 2007 by GerryMcg
I bought an IPOD this week but had to return it as it is not compatible with Windows Vista. Bought a (Creative) Zen instead. I bought this for my wife to download audio books, and it works excellently.
Gerry
Posted on: 05 May 2007 by garyi
Yea, turns out vista is not compatible with a lot of things.
Still they have had 7 years to work on it.
Posted on: 06 May 2007 by JamieWednesday
A Soundburger. I believe (if you can find one) you'd have to pay twice that for an Ipod to sample it's somewhat dubious delights!
