bsjd00

For those of you who have installed IceLink or the Audi iPod solution, how does the sound quality of the iPod compare to an equal file on an SD card?

I remember reading somewhere that the DA converter of the iPod causes signal degredation and that because of this a file on an SD card will always sound better than the identical file on the iPod. Is this true? Or are the two outputs so similar that no difference can be heard?

(I plan on installing aftermarket amps and speakers, which would make any difference even more obvious.)

Thanks to anyone who can post about their experiences...

Tanner

You're not really going to notice a difference between the two. I heard the music played from the Nav+ from a SD card and it sounds good enough. I think where the iPod might have an upper hand is if you use lossless compression which I do myself for almost all my songs. Never heard any uncompressed audio played from the SD card but should sound just as good as a CD.

The weakness in the iPod according to my friend (who does digital/analog design so a lot of that stuff is over my head and has read up a lot on the iPod in where Apple cut corners)) is the amplifier for the headphones. Given that the Icelink plugs into the dock connector not sure how the sound is routed, but in the end, with all the road/engine/wind noise, you're probably not going to tell a difference unless you're listening to 128kbps MP3 as it sounds pretty horrible to begin with.

bsjd00

Or if there is any digital to analog conversion that would degrade the signal?

Tanner

The IceLink doesn't do any D/A conversion, just provides the interface between the headunit and the iPod.

John Stahmann

You would need a lossless compression method like Apple has if you want that kind of sound quality.

Steve K - AVDG

I don't think I'd be too concerned about the output of an iPod's D/A, and associated analogue output amp being inferior to that of the head units [factory or otherwise] D/A and line amp, assuming you have the same quality of data on the iPod vs. the SD card.

A good friend of mine [who is **very** serious/knowledgeable about hi-fi] feels that the analogue output of an iPod is surprisingly not that bad [compared to some digital front ends of *significantly* greater value]. I've personally never used and iPod, so I can't comment first hand. However, I can attest to the big improvements made in the quality of OpAmps over the last few years...it's now definitely possible for something in a small package [an iPod] to deliver the sonic goods.

I'd be more concerned about not using any sort of lossy compression [read: MP3] to store my music...that is gonna make the biggest difference.

Devius

What other format that sounds better than mp3 can be used on an ipod?

Devius

So the output via the headphone jack is digital?

Steve K - AVDG

<ul><li><a href="http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html">http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html</a</li></ul>

Steve K - AVDG

No, I think the only possibility for dig output is via USB [if even there].