Ipod to preamp...whats the frequency kenneth??

Whats the best (cheap) way to connect an Ipod to my preamp?

Eric, you ask for the best/cheap way to listen to your Ipod through your pre.

Remember that while you don't always "get what you pay for" it is always true that the best is never the cheapest and the cheapest is never the best.

That being said get a cable at rat shack that plugs into your Ipod headphone jack and splits the signal into RCA left & right channels.

Plug them into your pre.

It works and its cheap.

Let us know what you do.

It's even cheaper if you order it from monoprice~

OK Im gonna start with a cheap cable.

Is there a docking station made with all the plug-ins, like USB, Ipod,Smart phones, etc etc??

Get a Line Out Adaptor to RCA (Called a LOD cable). It will at least take the devices headphone amp out of the equasion and send the unamplified signal from your device and turn it into RCA. They cost about 50 online IIRC (only DIY options availible) but I hear good things about them.

Otherwise look at just a cheap dock that matches the brand of your reciever (Onkyo, Denon, ect).

so, at bob's we had just that conversation. only to find that the audio from the data port is the same as the headphone. only if you use a d/a will there be a difference.

I dont have a I phone.....or anything like it....you can drive over my cell and still use it.

What I'm saying is I dont know jack about how they work, but if you can use one of these
on your puter cant you use one on your I phone?

Theres been some discussion on them in other forums....they say theyre the cats ass...

http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=83

so, at bob's we had just that conversation. only to find that the audio from the data port is the same as the headphone. only if you use a d/a will there be a difference.

I agree its the same audio, however it didnt pass through the internal amplifier of the headphone jack so it in theory has less noise. Or did you guys bench it out and whatnot?

I can be totally wrong, but that was I thought the whole reason lots of guys get LOD cables for their dedicated headphone amps, it removes the internal amplifier part of the conversion, its still the same data however.

Pardon my audio ignorance but what does a DAC do.

Pardon my audio ignorance but what does a DAC do.

DAC = Digital To Audio converter. Its the chip that takes a purely digital signal 1's and 0's and makes it into an analog waveform. If your using a receiver the DAC is in the receiver as it takes the digital signal (provided your using HDMI, Optical or Coaxial) and converts it to your analog waveform which then goes to your amp section or dedicated amp.

I went and made my own custom cable to run from the dock port straight to RCA. workers perfectly, and is the best possible audio from the iPod. Very easy to do, and cost about $10 and 15 minutes. I'll post a photo on the parts and finished cable. Any other comparable cable on eBay was running $50-200. Crazy !!!

Just buy a cheap LONG RCA to 1/4" headphone jack, cut the end, and solder 3 wires. It's easy.

Pic of cable.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... t=1&ref=nf


Here are the connectors I bought.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/140769600155?ss ... 1438.l2649

Try your cables, but the sound will be much better if you are using a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC). We have this little jewel that does a great job:
http://www.douglasconnection.com/HRT-iS ... reamer.htm
I've had some very good feedback from those who have bought the iStreamer.

Thanks for everybodys info and help!