Do all iPod's sound the same?

[j-audio]

no ipods sound the same, its not because of the storage used, its because of the chip. for me ipod classic sounds inferior from older ones, and the 1st gen ipod shuffle sounds better than the ipod touch, though its small, it has in its circuit that no other ipods have, afaik.

[Gino]

I think it will be helpful t specify the model of an iPod Touch when referring to its sound quality. There are 3 generations now. While the community refers to them as "generations", Apple identifies them by period of manufacture. My 2nd gen Touch is officially a Late 2009 iPod Touch. But there is more to nomenclature for this request. The 3 generations have different audio tweaks.

3 sets of distinct sound:

1st gen 8gb, 16gb,32gb (Sept 2007)

2nd gen 8gb, 16gb, 32gb (Sept 2008)

3rd gen 32gb and 64gb (Sept 2009)

Again this is like Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen discussing about the best Honda Civics.

[Mamimili]

Have a shoot out using a dock.

[Gino]

I'm in need of a way to hook my my Touch directly to my car Audsion amp which drives my Dynaudios. While there are iPod receivers out there, I like the simplicity of just a dock on the console or dash. Not much into critical SQ lately. I just let the available music do its soothing thing.

I can use the headphone jack and hope there is enough volume to drive my 2v-4v input amps. Or I can connect a lineout to a preamp with volume control.

[Mamimili]

I'm in need of a way to hook my my Touch directly to my car Audsion amp which drives my Dynaudios. While there are iPod receivers out there, I like the simplicity of just a dock on the console or dash. Not much into critical SQ lately. I just let the available music do its soothing thing.

I can use the headphone jack and hope there is enough volume to drive my 2v-4v input amps. Or I can connect a lineout to a preamp with volume control.

+1, i will (soon) be looking for the same thing.

[Gino]

I've used the headphone jack with a vintage Aiwa home amp with good results. What is the typical input voltage for these amps? I have a feeling it will drive the car amp as well. I used an Analysis Plus iPod cable.

[Mamimili]

As i will soon purchase my very first car amp, i know nothing.
Do amps have a direct usb input or any other direct input? I have no need for a radio or cd player.
Is there a seperate thread for car audio on WS?

[JackD201]

Hyperion, JAA and Audiostar are the car audio vets of WS. Hyperion having been (?) an installer of note and JAA and Val competition hardened. They should be able to help you guys out.

[Gino]

Usually car amps use 2v -4v rca inputs. Some have balance line inputs that look like PS2 connectors. To my knowledge there is no car amp with a usb input since it is just an amp and not a processor.

There are dedicated car head units that are purely digital controllers like the Alpine IDA-X100. This can accept iPod digital signals or read off from a usb stick. Harman also has one with a cool separate naviwheel that you can mount remotely. I like these but if I can do a direct connection why not?

The reason I ask about a DIY preamp is because my amp is at the trunk. I'm afraid long rcas will just put noise into my system. I am also thrilled with a simple volume knob integrated into my console rather than a flashy modern head unit. My car is old but maintained and I like it to have its era-contemporary look. I was toying with the idea of modding a circa 1990s head unit and using its volume knob to control levels. Maybe gut it out to house a DIY preamp with a great volume pot.

[Audiogeek]

As i will soon purchase my very first car amp, i know nothing.
Do amps have a direct usb input or any other direct input? I have no need for a radio or cd player.
Is there a seperate thread for car audio on WS?

Bro, I dont know if my set-up will answer your question directly. My Zune input is thru a hack option installed manually by a friend of mine since my head-unit doesnt have a ready usb or ipod input. so a separate input hook-up was improvised beside the handbrake handle. It works very well, using a high-temp teflon coated, digital-silver coax cable.

The thing is, i always turn off the preamp/processor of my (panasonic) head unit whenever i play my Zune, in a way it bypasses the preamp section and isolate the amplifier as the only active unit in my audio system while my Zune now acts as the preamp-digital player. In a sense, the Zune is feeding an audio signal directly to the amp and save my hu preamp from depreciation. i did not install any external amp but it sounds like having one.

I am not sure if this will work with head unit of your car. enjoy.

[Mamimili]

As i will soon purchase my very first car amp, i know nothing.
Do amps have a direct usb input or any other direct input? I have no need for a radio or cd player.
Is there a seperate thread for car audio on WS?

Bro, I dont know if my set-up will answer your question directly. My Zune input is thru a hack option installed manually by a friend of mine since my head-unit doesnt have a ready usb or ipod input. so a separate input hook-up was improvised beside the handbrake handle. It works very well, using a high-temp teflon coated, digital-silver coax cable.

The thing is, i always turn off the preamp/processor of my (panasonic) head unit whenever i play my Zune, in a way it bypasses the preamp section and isolate the amplifier as the only active unit in my audio system while my Zune now acts as the preamp-digital player. In a sense, the Zune is feeding an audio signal directly to the amp and save my hu preamp from depreciation. i did not install any external amp but it sounds like having one.

I am not sure if this will work with head unit of your car. enjoy.

Thanks. I think i will try a passive volume unit and see what happens!
I have a freebie amp so zero cost and i feel like experimenting.
The other option is to mount a usb equipped receiver under the seat and put a volume control somewhere close at hand.
This is for my Mini and i dont want to clutter the small space with an "unused" reciever.
Cheers!

[Gino]

Same here. What is a passive volume control? Does this deal with the line out signal?

[arnoldc]

The output of a DAP will be enough to drive a car power amp. Gino, what I don't understand is what prevents you from getting the headphone out of your iPod to your poweramp? You get analog output with volume control from the iPod already. If I was doing this, I'd just add mute, which the poweramp may already have.

[Gino]

I have a perception, valid or not, that line out has a better sound. Now, if I use a dock volume will be fixed, hence my inquires.

[Mamimili]

Same here. What is a passive volume control? Does this deal with the line out signal?

I figured an attenuator for each channel after the amp as "passive" volume control. My terminology??
I would just set the amp output level to say 80% or whatever makes sense to my ears as maximum volume, then adjust as required using the two attenuators which also do duty as balance control (i like dual volume knobs, lived with Audible illusions preamps for too long to go without).

Arnold, am i way off with this idea?

[Mamimili]

Apologies to Marty for hijacking the thread

[marty_e]

Folks, hijack away! It's all in the process of learning anyway.

[arnoldc]

Gino, ok sige, I'll concur with that. So, you only need to get a simple volume control, which as a passive device, will introduce it's coloration and its own characteristic. That to me, negates the entire purity thing, unless you get a DACT, and that's subjective.

ps.

Paul, we're on the same track, but different preferences.

pps.

Grant posted a tiny preamp published by a well known high-end audiophile magazine. If you guys want to go that route, it will be a boring project for Rene

[Gino]

Is it possible that the earphone connection will sound more natural than the lineout with the simple volume control?

[arnoldc]

Gino, here's what I did just recently...

1. Sansa Fuze, mini to mini stock wire, to the Audio input of my car's system.
2. Sansa Fuze, DIY lineout to mini, to the Audio input of my car's system.

I can't hear a difference. It could be that I have a crappy audio system (10 drivers with SRS Circle Surround, SRS Circle Auto) or I just don't care to strain myself looking for differences anymore.

So what did I ended up with?

Option 2 Better safe than praning