Understanding Wadia 170i Transport

[edgejazz]

Trying to understand this device and the benefits it can provide. Perhaps those who are using it, or have used it, can help. My questions are,

1) If the Wadia 170i unit itself has its own internal DAC, why is it necessary to use an external DAC to truly benefit its digital output?

2) If using an external DAC, and in order to benefit Wadia's high rez digital signal, should it be connected only thru digital output (from external DAC) to the preamp, int-amp, or receiver? Or can it go analog RCA from external DAC to any of said components (using high quality IC's of course)?

2) If using only Wadia 170i's analog RCA output (without external DAC), is it the same as using a mass market iPod dock with analog RCA output? If not the same, is there really a superior sonic performance.

I'm interested only about the audio performance for lossless playback, not video. Thanks in advance.

[Ajani]

The simple answer is that the Wadia is designed primarily to be a means of extracting a digital signal from an ipod (ipods don't have a digital output)...

[edgejazz]

I stand corrected. Just learned the Wadia 170i transport does not have an internal DAC. The iPod's own internal DAC will be utilized if connecting only via Wadia's analog or digital output going to the preamp, int amp, or receiver, whatever the case. In this setup, there's nothing special and it's the same as using any iPod dock. Therefore, an external DAC is necessary to extract the bit-perfect lossless files from iPod and deliver it thru the rest of the system.

[EricFromSweden]

Thanks for this input! What a scandal ! And what a ridiculous piece of hardware then..: just a Digital to Digital "extensioner" !?!?!?! ;(( And that for 380 $$$ ? No way! I was planning to buy one, but I expected it to have an internal DAC that would outperform the iPods.
Bye Wadia! Drop De@d!

..might as well buy a cable for the iPod that includes a digital output and connect it to a "real" DAC directly...

[EricFromSweden]

..well, there is a lot to learn regarding Apples digital output signal...
and I read something interesting at http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1182558 by DanBa (Thanks):

Quote:
This is my understanding:

There is no restriction from Apple to bypass the iPod's internal DAC when accessing a MP3 / AAC-encoded file or lossy file on the iPod:
iPod: play a lossy file => LPCM stream => ASD-51: digital coaxial output for iPod => LPCM stream => external DAC

There is a restriction from Apple to bypass the iPod's internal DAC when accessing a LPCM WAV / Apple Lossless-encoded file or a lossless file or “raw digital audio” on the iPod:
iPod: play a lossless file => bit-perfect LPCM stream => dock including the Apple's authentication chip: digital output for iPod => bit-perfect LPCM stream => external DAC

“"Authentication" refers to Apple's authentication chip, which essentially tells the iPod that it's okay to output raw digital audio or video data to the chip-enhanced component. The authentication chips are only available in Apple products or from products made by Apple-licensed third-party developers.”
http://www.stereophile.com/news/010408wadia/
End Quote.

Wadia responded by me via mail that they are paying a license fee to Apple also for the 170i...

Thanks

[nightflier]

$300 for the license fee, $20 for the actual device, and $60 for marketing. Does that about cover it?