Is anyone running their IPOD through their McIntosh receivers? If so, how are you doing so.
Thanks!
If you use the analog output (headphone jack) from an iPod connected to your McIntosh, you are using the digital to analog converter in the iPod. If you use the output from an iPod dock, you are bypassing the iPod's volume control circuit which improves the sound but you're still using the iPod's DAC.
The DAC is a very critical component for digital playback and the iPod's DAC are not in the same class as your McIntosh equipment and therefore, use of the iPod as a direct source will not yield the best sound that your McIntosh can provide.
So the trick for using an iPod in a high-stereo would be to use a high-quality DAC (the DAC inside the MCD500 for example) with the iPod. The problem is that the iPod design does not allow easy access to the digital stream for use with an external DAC.
Of all the iPod docs out there, I think only one company, I think Wadia, makes an iPod dock that does extract the digital signal directly, but this dock is expensive and you still need a DAC to go with it.
However, if you have an iPod, you have a computer nearby with all the music on it that's on your iPod. So, as others have mentioned, you can get a good DAC and put it between your computer and stereo and get much better results than using the iPod's analog outputs. The better the DAC quality, the better will be your results.
That's the solution I've come to at this point and my iPod(s) / iPhone are relegated to portable, non-critical use with headphones and in the car.