Ipod Classic

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by hbbfam, Mar 2, 2020.

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  1. Professor Batty

    Professor Batty Forum Resident

    Location:
    Anoka Mn
    I could never warm up to my 160gb classic/iTunes and ended up giving it to my niece.
    On the other hand, I did install a sound system for a restaurant and the owner, who had wonderful taste in music, used a 160gb classic set on random playback for 12 hours a day, six days a week, for 14 years. The only restaurant where I actually looked forward to hearing the background music.
     
  2. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    My understanding is the ipods with the following model numbers use the Wolfson dacs: MA448 / MA450 / PA448 / PA450 MA444 / MA446 / PA444 / PA446 / MA664. These are 5.5 gen, or 5th gen enhanced. I can't recall where I found this info, but it seemed definitive. I have also read the 5th and 5.5 gen ipods have the Wolfson, but the info seemed less reliable. Maybe I'll crack open my 5th gen and verify the dac chip on the board.

    You can find the model number by going into settings. My 5th gen ipod is MA146 which denotes 5th gen. BTW, the number on the back case means very little.
     
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  3. Jam757

    Jam757 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Thank you for the information. The one I purchased was supposedly a gen 5 (not 5.5) with the Wolfson chip. I too have read that the 5 and the 5.5 had the Wolfson but again nothing to confirm if that is indeed true. Either way I'm very impressed with the sound quality and storage capacity of the device.
     
  4. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    Ok, I took my 5th gen apart for a look inside. There's a Wolfson dac in there for sure. So the 5th and 5.5 gen do have the Wolfson. All of the model numbers I listed a few posts ago have the it. Whew.

    Actually, I'm glad I verified it one way or the other. Now all that said, I'm not sure I can hear the difference between the 5th gen and the 7th gen, but I don't have any way to do an A/B test without a 30 second minimum swap. They both sound great to me.
     
    Jam757 likes this.
  5. Jam757

    Jam757 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Thanks for confirming, that is great. Yes, I also own a 7th generation and always thought it sounded great too. There might be more of a difference with my IPhone XR which for awhile has been my primary player until I got this little dynamo.
     
    timind likes this.
  6. Tim 2

    Tim 2 MORE MUSIC PLEASE

    Location:
    Alberta Canada
    Reading the about posts I assume you folks are using the pods as portable units ?
    I use my pod as a back-up in my second system most times. I plug it into an Arcam DR DAC to access the digital output, charging feature and remote. I then send the digital signal to my main DAC.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  7. rpd

    rpd Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    Is there any advantage of an iPod classic vs the current iPod Touch, from a sound quality/ease of use standpoint?
     
  8. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    160 Classic, great player. Love making Playlists, or just shuffle the 8,000 songs I got on it.
     
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  9. rpd

    rpd Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    I think I’m finally going to sell my classic. Never thought I’d do this. But, I just never use it. I use my iPhone for music exclusively...
     
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  10. Jam757

    Jam757 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    You could easily sell it but I own two and actually completely phased out music from my phone as I prefer to have it separate and just use the phone for pics. I bought a souped up 5th generation off of EBay with one terabyte of storage, thing is absolutely incredible! 5th generation still has the Wolfson chip
    too.
     
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  11. rpd

    rpd Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    Mine is the most recent generation with the highest storage. I always liked the idea of a music only device, but I don’t think I have touched it all year...
     
  12. formbypc

    formbypc Forum Resident

    1. It's instant, one press of the dial wakes it, another press and it plays. If it's already awake, single press to play. I haven't used a current iPod Touch, but if it's anything like the phone, I imagine it's a Press Home, swipe up, select Music, select Artist scenario before it will do anything. Correct me if this isn't the case.

    2. The switch-activated nature of the dial means you'll never pick it up and accidentally swipe an unintended action on the screen

    Does the iPod Touch have Cover View? If not, that's another advantage for the classic. Absolutely the best way of scrolling through a library on a mobile device.
     
    Eric_Generic likes this.
  13. razerx

    razerx Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sonoma California
    I have only ever used my iPod classics as transport for portable DAC/amps. I have had as many as 6 but now down to 2 due to hard drive failure. Also current Macs and ITunes are no longer compatible. I am now using and iPod Touch with a Mojo Chord. The 256gb Touch is crazy expensive at $500 near as pricey as the 256gb iPad Mini. I should just get a proper music player like the Astelle & Kern.
     
  14. Chazro

    Chazro Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Palm Bch, Fl.
    [QUOTE="razerx, post: 25770938, The 256gb Touch is crazy expensive at $500 near as pricey as the 256gb iPad Mini. I should just get a proper music player like the Astelle & Kern.[/QUOTE]

    This past month I purchased a brand new (refurbished) 5.5/256gb, the U2 commemorative version, for roughly $250 bucks!
     
    JeffMo, razerx, Jam757 and 1 other person like this.
  15. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    This past month I purchased a brand new (refurbished) 5.5/256gb, the U2 commemorative version, for roughly $250 bucks![/QUOTE]
    Congrats! A couple months ago I purchased a mint 5.5 U2 commemorative version for $50. Popped in a new battery and an iflash card with 768gb of memory! I dig the red click wheel.

    The problem with the 5.5 gen is, I don't know how to get the digital signal out to a dac. That's no problem with my 7th gen.
     
  16. razerx

    razerx Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sonoma California
    This past month I purchased a brand new (refurbished) 5.5/256gb, the U2 commemorative version, for roughly $250 bucks![/QUOTE]

    I have the same U2 iPod purchased used already SSD converted. I would convert my dead classics but have already moved on to the next generation DACs compatible with the lightening Touch iPods.
     
  17. JakeMcD

    JakeMcD Forum Resident

    Location:
    So Central FL
    My classic 160 is the only thing keeping me from plunking down for a DAP like an A&K. At this point it's a staring contest with me thinking "When are you ever going to die?" Other than the occasional need for a hard reset, it is still singing like the day I bought it. I marvel at the thing. It has the most musical mileage of anything I have ever owned.
     
  18. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    I have the same U2 iPod purchased used already SSD converted. I would convert my dead classics but have already moved on to the next generation DACs compatible with the lightening Touch iPods.[/QUOTE]
    Does the ipod touch plug directly into the dac, or do you need a device between the touch and the dac?
     
  19. razerx

    razerx Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sonoma California
    You need the Apple Lightning to USB Camera adapter: iPod Touch to the camera adapter then to the DAC via a USB to micro USB cable (for the Chord Mojo). There are also aftermarket “audiophile” cables licensed by Apple that connects the iPod Touch directly to the DAC.
     
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  20. timnor

    timnor Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    Here is some info about the 5.5 including serial numbers. Do all these have the Wolfson dacs ?
    How to identify the sought after Gen 5.5?

    I'm completely new to this. Can someone explain how you convert to SSD and install a different OS ?

    By the way I'm still using this when I go jogging !
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2021
  21. Timos

    Timos Forum resident

    iTunes is awesome.

    The only complaint I have is not being able to access “hidden” tracks that begin before track 1 of a CD. And not being able to fade on tracks imported to your iPod or iPhone.
     
    Bingo Bongo likes this.
  22. dave9199

    dave9199 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Durham, NC
    How much?
     
  23. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    I'm not familiar with your ipod model, but check youtube for available video tutorials. If it can be done, you'll find a how to video.
     
  24. JeffMo

    JeffMo Format Agnostic

    Location:
    New England
    I've got an iPod nano that just gave up the ghost and stopped working. It won't even take a charge when I plug it in. Is it worth trying to replace the battery on that? I suppose it is too small to upgrade the hd. Any suggestions?
     
  25. Bingo Bongo

    Bingo Bongo Music gives me Eargasms

    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    Couldn't hurt to get a quote.
     
    JeffMo likes this.
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