Question: I have an older high-end Marantz
receiver, which I now use with my iPod.
Unfortunately, the receiver doesn’t have a
dedicated iPod input, so I use the auxiliary
jack instead. The playback volume is lower
than from other sources. Is there any loss of
fidelity playing an iPod through the auxiliary
input? I know that newer receivers have
dedicated iPod inputs.
JEFFREY S. BALOG / VIA E-MAIL
Answer: The voltage level of an iPod’s headphone output is considerably lower than what you’ll fi nd on the line outputs of a typical stereo component such as a CD player. That’s why you have to crank the volume abnormally high when you connect your iPod directly to your home stereo’s Aux input — an adjustment that also reduces audio fidelity by boosting noise levels.
Plenty of fancy “iPod docking stations” are available in a range of prices. But you can also buy a special cable for under $20 from online stores like CablesToGo.com that will extract a line-level output from your iPod’s dock connector and connect by way of standard stereo RCA jacks to your receiver’s Aux input. Happy listening.
-- Al Griffin
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Al, what you didn't mention in your answer is the fact that the D/A conversion and amp section of the Ipod analog out is TERRIBLE. If you measure the output, you'll find it rolls off in the low frequencies.
The reason why (some) docks are worth the money is that they have their own DAC and amp section, bypassing Apple's horrible design.
Posted by: Tyler | October 21, 2009 at 08:34 PM