[feh1325]

i'm getting a little dot tube amp soon. i use my bithead and hd580 most the time, but i wanted to upgrade my more stationary rig.

if using the same files, would an ipod's lineout or my bithead's headphone jack be a better source for my little dot amp? also, would my turbodock be a better lineout solution than an ipod dock?

the rig would look like

laptop-bithead-little dot-headphone
or
ipod lineout-little dot-headphone

thanks for reading and any thoughts would be appreciated

 

[Chef Medeski]

The Bithead will always be superior, but the difference will grow exponetially at higher bitrates. The fact of the matter is. Heres the chain you data goes through:


Data --(through DAC)--> Line-out Signal --(through Amp)--> volume adjustable signal --(through headphones)--> sound waves also known as music.

Now, in this buisness every signal piece of the chain is upgraded from standard iPod buisness. Better headphones make for better sound waves. Better amps make for better sounding signals. The fact of the matter is that. iPods's amp, dac, and stock headphones are crap cause they have to be so small and cheap. So, for the iPod setup, you have replaced the Amp and headphones making for a much more enjoyable system. Yet, for the laptop you are replacing the DAC, Amp, and headphones making for complete control of the whole chain. Plus the Bithead's DAC and Amp are matched to be perfect matches for each other.

So, there are only two instance when your iPod will sound better or come close. Itll come close when the files are like less than maybe 256, because with less data to work with obviously a DAC would become less and less useful if that makes any sense. A DAC improves the clarity and soundstage by better translating every bit into a signal. Yet, if there are fewer bits and less information about the song, then the DAC can't do as much. Clarity could be lost in encoding not DAC.

And the other is preference. I use the Bithead, but find its Amp so laid back, though detailed, that it bugs me. I find the highs too sharp with my Etys, the mids lack a punch, and the bass is either there or not. I don't like the Bithead's sound signature. So, while I love the compact DAC/Amp Combo, I can't stand the sound, which makes me have a hard time listening to it. I'm hoping a Tomahawk will be better paid out of the line-out of my iPod than the Bithead for my tastes, since its a different sound signature and made for Etys. Yet, I'm sure the detail and soundstage wouldn't be as accurate or authentic as the Bithead. Yet for me, enjoying the music isn't all about those things, so I'm selling mine.

Yet, if you like its sound. Yes, Laptop is better than iPod all the time, even though the difference may not be worth it if songs are encoded bad.


Ohh I didnt realize you would be using another amp after the Bithead..... thats a tough one. The longer the chain the worst to manage. I would imagine itll still sound better. But you would have to play around with volumes a lot.

 

[feh1325]

i encode at nothing lower than 256 mp3
most is at 320, some is at apple lossless

 

[feh1325]

bump

 

[feh1325]

headfi, don't crap out on me!

 

[James63]

I did the exact same thing at one point...the labtop/bithead/receiver (or per-amp) is much much better than an ipod/line-out/reciever (or pre-amp)

When you get a new computer down the road look into macs. They are VERY good these days and they all have a toslink(optical) out. It make for a very good sounding computer will easy conection options.

 

[elrod-tom]

Another vote for the BitHead, provided that the iPod line out is being run through the BitHead. In other words, if we're comparing the analog signal from the DAC of the BitHead to that of the iPod, the BitHead wins.

Adding another amp to the chain is not the best way to do things...in that instance, it may be better to use the iPod. Of course, you could always buy a Micro DAC.

 

[kingsqueak]

Why not just get a plain DAC to use?

e.g. laptop-> DAC -> LD Tube

Then for the iPod, why bother with the Bithead at all?

e.g. iPod -> LD Tube

From what I've been reading, MisterX and some others do builds of the Alien DAC, which is a USB DAC and would be perfect to add as well.

 

[James63]

I guess I should have said that the bithead to amp is not the best solution...I just assumed you already owned it... A USB dac to amp/reviever is your best bet if you don't mind spending $$$

 

[GreatDane]

Between these options given:

laptop-bithead-little dot-headphone
or
ipod lineout-little dot-headphone


My thought is the first option will sound better but experimenting is needed.

I've done many experiments with the options at my disposal. In this case, an experiment that I did which relates to this topic includes:

My notebook PC >(with USB cable) Porta Corda MkIII-USB>(headphone out w/1/8">RCA) Woo Audio 3 (tube amp) >headphones

...then using the exact MP3 file(high quality VBR <EAC & LAME>), I fed the same music file directly to the Woo amp from the line out on my Zen Vision:M.

My ears told me that the first method sounded better even though more cables were involved. I normally just use my PC>Porta Corda>headphones but I'm always curious and can't help it.

As mentioned, PC>DAC>amp of course is best.