iPod/ Stereo -- Best Connection??

[audiobill]

I want to connect my iPod to my homestereo system.

Anyone here know what's the best connection for the cleanest sound?

My understanding is that the iPod should be connected via bottom port, rather than through the earjack, for the best sound.

I found a product on the net called HomeDock for 99.99 U.S.. Anyone have any experiece with this or any other products.

Your RR expertise is much appreciated.

Thanks-a-ton,

Bill

[Troy]

I firewire it to my computer (which is connected to my mid70s Kenwood and old bookshelves) thru the generic dock it came with and it charges while it plays. Sounds great in this small room.

In the LR I have an RCA to mini jack cord from Chicken Shack (2 bucks) plugged into an AUX on the back of the old rcvr. Clarity is lost there with some high clipping. Fine for most applications and at low volume.

If your rcvr has a firewire connection, just use the dock. Here's a kit with what looks like every kind of connector: http://www.apple.com/ipod/accessories.html

[Mr MidFi]

My advice is to try a low-tech, low-cost solution first and see if it's good enough for your use. I play through a mini-jack-to-RCA cable on my office stereo all day, every day, and it ain't half bad. Even an old cassette deck adapter you bought with your CD walkman 10 years ago might be all you need.

Remote functionality is another issue altogether, and might just be worth $99 to you (especially when combined with possible sonic advantages). But try the no-brain, low-cost options first and see if they do the job sufficiently.

NP: The Kinks, "Sleepwalker"

[audiobill]

Troy and Mr Midfi,

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be trying them this weekend.

I've become so attached to this little device that I'm finding I'm craving it's organization at home.

Thanks-a-ton for your help & expertise,

Bill

[Mike]

Hi Bill,

I use an ipod dock which I picked up cheap on e-bay for about 10GBP, it has a line out so you can connect direct to tuner/cd2/aux inputs on the amp and it charges it whilst its connected, the sound is much cleaner than through the headphone jack output. That would be your best bet IMO.

I found a bit of time to tinker with the itunes software over Christmas, I didn't realise until then you can raise the output for all or individual tracks which is great for older albums to stop you reaching for the volume control. Also you play about with the eq for individual tracks to boost or reduce frequencies which is neat.

Mine is a 20gb U2 special and I'm nowhere near full, I usually record at 160kps, but I would say at least 3-4gb is taken up with the software on the ipod which seems a bit excessive. Still I've got about 12gb left which is more than enough for me so can't complain.

Cheers
Mike

[Mr MidFi]

Hey, Mike...with all that space left to fill on the disc, I think you should look into ripping at 192 kps. The first 1200 songs on my pod, I ripped at 160...but then I switched my default setting to 192 and have noticed a real difference. I think it offers the best compromise between fidelity and compression benefits.

Thanks for the tip on the dock. I might go looking for a used one or clearance model sometime soon.

[Mike]

I think you should look into ripping at 192 kps. The first 1200 songs on my pod, I ripped at 160...but then I switched my default setting to 192 and have noticed a real difference. I think it offers the best compromise between fidelity and compression benefits.

Thanks for the tip I haven't compared the sounds but if you say there's a difference I'll look (listen!) into it, playing it through the stereo I'd want the best sound without going too high sounds like 192 might be the the way to go.

Cheers
Mike

[Mike Anderson]

Hey, Mike...with all that space left to fill on the disc, I think you should look into ripping at 192 kps.

You can do even better than that by using VBR (variable bit rate) encoding. Since some parts of a song contain more information than others, this algorithm finds those parts requiriing more bits and those requiring less. Thus you can maintain the same level of quality for a lower average bit rate.

Check out LAME 3.97b2:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/...howtopic=28124

As far as connections go, I have a cord that plugs into the bottom dock port of my iPod and terminates in stereo RCA on the other end; it is indeed superior to using the headphones jack.

[Mike]

You can do even better than that by using VBR (variable bit rate) encoding. Since some parts of a song contain more information than others, this algorithm finds those parts requiriing more bits and those requiring less. Thus you can maintain the same level of quality for a lower average bit rate.

Check out LAME 3.97b2:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/...howtopic=28124

As far as connections go, I have a cord that plugs into the bottom dock port of my iPod and terminates in stereo RCA on the other end; it is indeed superior to using the headphones jack.

Thanks for that I'd heard of vbr but never really looked into it before.

As for your cable I guess it's one of these http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...ModuleNo=45543

Cheers
Mike

[audiobill]

Hi Bill,

I use an ipod dock which I picked up cheap on e-bay for about 10GBP, it has a line out so you can connect direct to tuner/cd2/aux inputs on the amp and it charges it whilst its connected, the sound is much cleaner than through the headphone jack output. That would be your best bet IMO.

I found a bit of time to tinker with the itunes software over Christmas, I didn't realise until then you can raise the output for all or individual tracks which is great for older albums to stop you reaching for the volume control. Also you play about with the eq for individual tracks to boost or reduce frequencies which is neat.

Mine is a 20gb U2 special and I'm nowhere near full, I usually record at 160kps, but I would say at least 3-4gb is taken up with the software on the ipod which seems a bit excessive. Still I've got about 12gb left which is more than enough for me so can't complain.

Cheers
Mike

Thanks, Mike.

I'll give ebay a try. Also, I'll definitely play with the itunes volume control.

Btw., the newest version of itunes allows you to use VBR via your itunes settings. I've used this, on several of my rips, with decent results.

Cheers and thanks again,

Bill