iPod and 24 bit / 48kHz music

I understand that my iPod Touch will play 24/48 music as long as it is Apple Lossless format. The question I have is, do I need to use a DAC or a headphone amp through the dock connector in order to hear it at 24/48?

Or will it play 24/48 through the heaphone jack?

What do I need in order to play the files back at 24/48?


Thanks.

 

I'm pretty sure the 24/48 file is downsampled when put through the headphone port.
I just use a fiio portable h/amp,attached to the iPod, with a dock connector /usb cable.
That way, the IPod's dac is bypassed. The 24/48 files do sound good that way.

 

Do I need the whole DAC part? Or would something like this work - http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-L11-Connector-Charge-iPhone/dp/B008EKON56/ref=sr_1_22?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1361228919&sr=1-22&keywords=Fiio headphone amplifier ipod

I'm guessing using just the dock connector to a pair of headphones won't do the trick?



FWIW, I would prefer something small and mobile because I'd like to carry it in my car. I will not be using it at my computer. Maybe it's not worth spending time/money on.

It would just be so much easier if iPod would output 24/48 through the headphone port.

 

You guess right. That's the unconverted digital sound coming out there.
This is the adaptor I use, I need the u shaped short cable.
http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-L9-L-Shaped-Cable-iPhone/dp/B004QVNNI0/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_y

along with
http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-E07K-Portable-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B00A9LHLQ6/ref=pd_sim_e_2
I use sennheiser hd600 phones with that. No doubt there are better portable amps than the fiio.But at that price I doubt there are much better. And I have heard a lot worse at that price.

If I'm not that bothered, which is 80% of the time, I'll just plug in Senn hd595 straight into the iPod.
I mainly listen to the iPod when moving around, either at diy, walking the dog, etc.
I have a little pouch constructed for the iPod + amp, with suitable holes in it for cables and easy access to the menus screen, if I want to go that way.
It is a hassle. But spending the time to make the pouch, reduced the hassle to tolerable.
If you mean playing iPod music through the car head unit, that's another question.

 

I will be playing it in my car via Aux port that connect to my radio (not USB). It's one of the ones in the Volkswagen that connects inside the glove compartment.

I don't think it's worth the money/effort right now. I think I'll wait until this iPod is either really old or breaks and then think about putting money into one of the big ones, and a headphone amp for it. Thanks for your input.

 

If you want to play iPod 24 bit files in your car then you need a head unit with a 24-bit D/A converter, connect the iPod direct to USB port on the head unit. You don't use a headphone amp in those circumstances.

 

Does the iPod down sample to 44.1 using the headphone jack too? Or just the 24 to 16 bit? I have the 5th generation iPod video

 

BUMP!
I'm looking for confirmation that the iPod Touch down samples to 48/24-bit to 44.1/16-bit through the headphone port. I have downloaded music from HDtracks, and I down sample 96/24 to 48/24 for my iPod use, thinking I'm preserving as much integrity of original audio files as possible. But if the iPod is down sampling then that just spoils everything!

 

It doesn't make sense to downsample and then convert to output through the headphone port. That is adding a whole step of processing (which means more battery use). I doubt the iPod does that. The real question you want to ask is whether the digital to analog converter and related circuitry built into the iPod is good enough to hear the benefits of hi-rez. Don't forget the quality of the headphones as well.

 

Down sampling is necessary because the original audio files are greater than 44.1/16. I just don't know what the headphone port is doing, why would it down convert? My headphones are decent enough Beyerdynamic T70p which cost more than the iPod itself.

EDIT: Wait, if the Headphone port is down converting then that defeats the purpose of Apple's own Lossless encoding ALAC.