Connecting iPod to home stereo

Question

Connecting iPod to home stereo

What are the best-sounding options to hook up my iPod to my home stereo? Is there a way to hook up my iPod to my home stereo via a digital connection (i.e. a coax or optical connection)? I have a high end home theater receiver with a very good D/A converters and would like to use the D/A converters in my receiver rather than those in the iPod or iPod docking station.

Posted on Oct 16, 2005 4:16 PM

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Answer 1

Buegie

Level 6

13,331 points

Oct 16, 2005 8:04 PM in response to Cameron Baskey

The cleanest way to connect that I have seen is through the dock connection (via an iPod dock or other manner). I have not seen any optical or digital transfer methods posted here. You may want to throw out a Google search.

See this link for stereo connections: Buegie, "connect to my stereo?" #4, 09:19pm Oct 7, 2005 CDT

I would also suggest encoding in Apple Lossless format for the best possible audio quality as a start.

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Answer 2

Oct 16, 2005 9:18 PM in response to Buegie

Thanks for your suggestions! Both of those products look like they would do the trick.

From the look of those 2 adapters I would guess that the signal that comes through the iPod dock connection has already been converted from digital to analog (that is unless the adapters have built in D/A converters, which I doubt). That being the case, it doesn't look as though it is possible to run a digital connection from the iPod to a receiver (although maybe it can be done from iTunes on my computer...?).

Thanks again!

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Answer 3

Oct 16, 2005 9:57 PM in response to Buegie

I also found this Bluetooth wireless option. It's really cool - it basically turns your iPod into a remote control for your home stereo (and it offers an optical digital connection to your stereo).

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/bluetrip/

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Answer 4

Buegie

Level 6

13,331 points

Oct 17, 2005 7:23 AM in response to Cameron Baskey

My only concern would be the source of the iPod's audio. It appears to be coming from the headphone jack rather than the 'line-out' feature of the dock connection.

Line-out audio is of better quality. How much so may depend on several factors. Sending a 'perfect' (optical or digital) signal of lower quality audio may not be as good as sending an analog signal of a better quality.

Make sure you investigate further....

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