Need advice on Dac/Headphone combo

[Clueless731]

New user here. Need advice on a combo Dac/Headphone amp. Just recently purchased a new set of V-Moda Crossfade M-100's. Wanted to use it with my 120gb iPod classic. Was looking at several choices such as the Fostex, ADX, and Fiio. I also see that the prices vary greatly.Since the headphones are not High end audiophile headphones, I'm wondering which one would give me the best quality sound. Thanks for the help

[Holowlegs]

Hello there

 

I use an early version of a Headstage amp which I am happy with. I use it with an Ipod classic, and a set of V-Moda M 80 and my RHA T10 IEM.

 

I don't use the Dac side of it, just the amp with a FiiO L3 Line Out Dock Cable

 

It may be worth looking at just amps as well.

 

Cheers Frank

[flatmap]

As Holowlegs reported, you can get the audio line out signal from the iPod Classic and feed that into an amp. That's how I always did it with my Classic. Was very nice. I'm sure that getting a 'made for iPod' DAC would still be an improvement, but you might find that the cost to benefit ratio is a bit high.

[bogi]

iPod Classic doesn't have digital output, so IMO with iPod you don't need to search for DAC+Headamp combo but for pure portable headamp.

 

You didn't specify your price limit but taking the sensitivity and price of your headphones I can suggest JDS Labs C5 amp, which is very neutrally sounding and uses digital stepped attenuator.

[maelob]

Please dont sell short your vmoda m-100 Ipod combo -they are audiophile tools in my book lol.

+1 on jds labs c5 amp for ipod.

however if you want a better player consider fiio x3 or x5

[hesson11]

I'm a little out of my depth here, but the Pure i-20 iPod dock does, in fact, extract the digital signal from the iPod. While the Pure doesn't have a headphone output, shouldn't there be a way for a headphone amp/DAC to extract the digital signal?

 

Pure i-20 review | TechRadar

 

-Bob

[wwaldmanfan]

I'm a little out of my depth here, but the Pure i-20 iPod dock does, in fact, extract the digital signal from the iPod. While the Pure doesn't have a headphone output, shouldn't there be a way for a headphone amp/DAC to extract the digital signal?

 

Pure i-20 review | TechRadar

 

-Bob

 

That review is 4-1/2 years old. I had one of those--a dreadful POS. B&H was the only store in NYC that even sold those at the time. I think I bought the only one they had in stock. Why is that?

I don't know why, but it took the line-level signal from my 64GB iPod Touch and distorted the heck out of it. YMMV.

I quickly unloaded it on ebay, then decided to get real with this hobby.

[hesson11]

That review is 4-1/2 years old. I had one of those--a dreadful POS. B&H was the only store in NYC that even sold those at the time. I think I bought the only one they had in stock. Why is that?

I don't know why, but it took the line-level signal from my 64GB iPod Touch and distorted the heck out of it. YMMV.

I quickly unloaded it on ebay, then decided to get real with this hobby.

 

The age of the review and the quality of the Pure unit isn't really relevant to the original poster. The point of my question was that if the Pure can extract a digital signal from the iPod, wouldn't it be possible for a headphone amp/DAC to do the same. Bogi stated that the iPod has a no digital output, and I'm wondering why a headphone amp/DAC would not be able to extract a digital signal when the Pure unit can.

-Bob

[davide256]

Wouldn't waste my time on an iPod classic as other than casual listening; get a pair of grado SR-80's for in home use with it. If you want to roam outside the home, its time to look to an iPhone as the DAC section in the iPod classic is dated, and you don't have wireless support for headphones.

[wwaldmanfan]

The age of the review and the quality of the Pure unit isn't really relevant to the original poster. The point of my question was that if the Pure can extract a digital signal from the iPod, wouldn't it be possible for a headphone amp/DAC to do the same. Bogi stated that the iPod has a no digital output, and I'm wondering why a headphone amp/DAC would not be able to extract a digital signal when the Pure unit can.

-Bob

 

 

Digital output from iPod - How's it done? | Steve Hoffman Music Forums

[hesson11]

Thanks for that link, ww!

-Bob

[bogi]

Bogi stated that the iPod has a no digital output

 

Under usual circumstances (for example using a cable only) you cannot access digital out of your iPod. It appears on the dock connector, but is encrypted and requires something like license from Apple and additional decoding circuit. Something like Pure-i20 mentioned above is not intended for portable use and the OP does not specify how the poster wishes to use his iPod. Clueless731 didn't respond to any of the following posts to clear that.