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November 4, 2009 - 10:58am
#1
Another dumb digital question
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Have you looked into a small laptop (cheap laptop) with a USB DAC that has digital out? This should get you out well under $500, but I don't know what "too expensive" is for you.
Most of the 'portable players' are intended for portable use without appliances, so they don't include features like SPDIF or AES/EBU.
My DAC does not have a USB port..I need S/PDIF digital output or Toslink...The Wadia iTransport reads perfect but only works with apple players.
let me ask another question...If I was to buy an iPOD touch (32) and a Wadia iTransport, could I burn CD's on my PC in WAV format, load that file to the iPOD and then use the Wadia's digital out to a Benchmark DAC1 (no USB)???
I am finally understanding that Apple has the only product that will go into a dock and bypass the iPOD's DAC so as to get a straight digital out....If I am wrong please let me know...I would love to do the same thing in FLAC but do not see how.
Wadia's USB DAC will be released shortly.
Kal
Thanks for the info but does my scheme for WAV files, an iPOD and the Wadia work??
I did say dumb question. I really do not know how all this stuff works.
Dunno. I know nothing about iPods.
Kal
Sigh...thanks for the info on the Wadia anyway...The Samsung P3 looks to be a heck of a MP3 player and takes FLAC files..if a new Wadia will work with it, it would solve my issues...IF...That said, so will the Apple if it will work as I describe...
JIMV-
In case you didn't know iTunes/iPods do have a lossless encoding format similar to FLAC called Apple lossless. It isn't nearly as universal as FLAC but it is out there. If you have a large number of FLAC files already there are some programs that will convert them too. As far as encoding things in WAV using iTunes for use on an iPod that works too. There is one major POSSIBLE draw back. The WAV doesn't support metadata which means that the artist name, album, and composer information isn't part of the music file. That's not a major problem UNLESS you move those files from one hard drive to another improperly. If the files are moved the wrong way the only information left is the song title. AIFF files are a bit-for-bit copy of the originals like WAV but they support metadata so files can be moved easily from one hard drive to the next.
Everything I have is on Media Monkey...no APPLE comparability except WAV...
I believe iPods will do straight wave files, but of course you'll be limited by storage. Get a 160 gig iPod (forget the Touch) and you'd be good to go for a while.
I LOVE my Wadia dock and currently have it going into the digital input of a Marantz receiver and the sound is truly excellent.
If I choose to load an album from a CD in WAV how much space would it use?
11 megabytes per minute, to a first approximation.