Which Ipod Digital Dock?

I am a late comer to this topic, and I seem to have missed the party!

I have always lamented (to anyone who would listen - including at HiFi shops, Best Buy, Dixons, etc) about having no way to get a quality music output from an ipod (you can put music in with ALAC - but how to get it out?) - no one seemed to have an answer.

Evidently i was asking the wrong question, it should have been 'show me a digital dock' please?

There are some posts on this topic - but i would like to ask for your help for an update.

In fact, 2 helps would be great!:

1) What ipod doc(s) would you recommend with digital-out (optical or coax out for use with the new Bushmaster)?

2) Does a Airport Express (optical out) -> Bushmaster deliver comparable sound quality? Or is there a better way to Wirelessly deliver the digital feed to a Bushmaster?

Much appreciate all your help in advance!!

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Mainsystem: NAD C541 CD Player -> NAD C340 Amp -> B&W CW2 Speakers, Ipod/Itunes ALAC- secondary source
Secondary system: Airport Express -> BeoLab 3 Speakers (soon w Beresford Bushmaster)

1) http://www.whathifi.com/Review/Onkyo-ND-S1/
Or the Wadia, but thats not really well spent money IMO

2) Better, i would say... At least more flexible... (Just make sure you feed it with 16/44.1 material, preferably in ALAC, over a cabled connection with WLAN turned off)

But as aways, it depends, on your prefs and habits.
Regards
/Mike

What sort of money, Stuart?

Here are the other cheaper contenders as I see it:

Pure i-20 (£75)
Teac DS-H01 (£130) - Available for £80 at Richers currently
Cambridge Audio iD100 (£150)
Arcam drDock (£200)

All have been pretty well reviewed, and do a similar thing - so probably down to cost and personal preference I would think - plus any personal experiences others may have?

If you want to spend more there is the Wadia 171i (£600) - I'm unsure of anything in between, though.

i have a Pure i-20 and it works a treat. not sure about better 'quality' offerings, but i've used it straight into a pre amp and digitally into a DAC. both work fine, though the remote isn't the greatest.

I also have a Pure i20, it has its own DAC in the base which by-passes the ipod DAC so you can then connect to your amp via RCA's or use the optical or digital co-ax outputs and by-pass the docks DAC by going into your own DAC.
The DAC in the base is very good btw. IMO.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alex_UK

What sort of money, Stuart?

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Generally, not too much - as i only need a clean optical out to feed the Bushmaster DAC

That said - all of the docks are also DACs - it would be good to have a pure dock with digital outs (and no DAC) - perhaps i (we) are not the usual customer.

I hope the Digital out is clean - unmodified in any way.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alex_UK

Pure i-20 (£75)
Teac DS-H01 (£130) - Available for £80 at Richers currently
Cambridge Audio iD100 (£150)
Arcam drDock (£200)

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This is a great list, just what i needed thanks! i have researched them, looking at the feedback (amazon, various reviews).

All are good, and have good reviews - although there was some mention of noise in the Pure i20 video outputs, and some bad power supplies on the Teac

For the price the Teac looks like the best buy currently - thanks for finding the price at richersounds!

Belloire and Bazil - thanks for your reviews too, still i think i will go with the Teac at that price.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AlfaGTV

1) http://www.whathifi.com/Review/Onkyo-ND-S1/
Or the Wadia, but thats not really well spent money IMO

2) Better, i would say... At least more flexible... (Just make sure you feed it with 16/44.1 material, preferably in ALAC, over a cabled connection with WLAN turned off)

But as aways, it depends, on your prefs and habits.
Regards
/Mike

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Mike thanks for the review!

Re: Onkyo, Im not sure if the Onkyo is beter than the Teac - it may be, but since only the Digital out will be used, im leaning toward the Teac due to price.

Re: Airport Express (AE), i would like to ask, just to be sure, are you suggesting that a wifi signal from an Ipod to the AE, and then through an external DAC (Bushmaster) could be better/or at least as good as a wired connection? Have you tried it? that would be very exciting indeed!

I didn't notice the price of the Teac :eek:, might get one myself :eyebrows:

Think I'm inclined to agree that for the money the TEAC is well worth a punt. Not something I need but it would be what I'd do if I did.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stubies

Mike thanks for the review!
Re: Airport Express (AE), i would like to ask, just to be sure, are you suggesting that a wifi signal from an Ipod to the AE, and then through an external DAC (Bushmaster) could be better/or at least as good as a wired connection? Have you tried it? that would be very exciting indeed!

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Nah... Not really, and i realize i wasn't very clear...
I do believe that the iPod with local AIFF files, through a digital dock, into the Bushmaster will sound better than the same iPod with local AIFF transferring wirelessly to an AirPort Express and then through the AE's optical out.

But i also believe that a Mac transferring AIFF files over a wired network to the AirPort Express (with its WLAN turned off) then feeding the Bushmaster via its optical interface will sound better than both of the above scenarios!

I was actually very impressed when feeding my previous Marantz NA-7004 with iPod Touch/Classic via its wired (digital) USB input... :) (Using a standard USB charge cable, that is)

There are too many options today!!! *sigh*

I have tried all of he above options, but have NOT performed serious comparisons, so these are impressions and opinion, rather than fact!

Best of luck to you!
//Mike

That TEAC looks pretty cool especially at the price. I'm using the Pure I20 - cannot say enough good things about it - unlike the others it has been around for quite a while as a bargain. My i20 feeds the digital out to my Cambridge Audio 840 DAC - sounds great.

I've only recently bought the Wadia 170i. Through the same DAC as my CD transport it sounds exactly the same as long as I use Apple Lossless. I'm delighted with it. The Dock is beautifully built but the remote is a pile of garbage. I'd still recommend it on sound quality alone.