iPod ?

[Formerly YB-2]

Anyone using a newer iPod as their digital source for travel?
Can one download music to an iPod in hi-rez formats?
Easy to organize, operate, etc.?
About how many albums will fit into its 128GB storage?
Certainly a convenient size.
Thanks for any info/feedback.

[SAPHANA]

I would choose iDevices only if I am stuck with iTunes.

All the asks about SQ(hi res), storage, player app can be much better addressed with a portable music player with good DAC chip, SD card support, and Android OS.

[rnrmf1971]

If you mean the still available iPod Touch which is solid state, it should work the same as an iPhone, which is what I use. Yes, you can download hi-res onto the iPod Touch.
For either an iPod Touch or iPhone, I recommend downloading the Onkyo HF player, which is free. It plays Music with better quality than iTunes and has numerous audiophile settings. For an additional cost (nominal), it will even play 192/24, DSD, and most files from your phone as I recall.
Well worth it and great sound as far as I’m concerned. I’m generally using it while traveling or on the go and can’t imagine what more a dedicated player could offer me under the imperfect conditions I listen in. In fact, I can’t imagine a more convenient way to listen to music in great quality with little hassle or inconvenience.

[Formerly YB-2]

Originally Posted by rnrmf1971

If you mean the still available iPod Touch which is solid state, it should work the same as an iPhone, which is what I use. Yes, you can download hi-res onto the iPod Touch.
For either an iPod Touch or iPhone, I recommend downloading the Onkyo HF player, which is free. It plays Music with better quality than iTunes and has numerous audiophile settings. For an additional cost (nominal), it will even play 192/24, DSD, and most files from your phone as I recall.
Well worth it and great sound as far as I’m concerned. I’m generally using it while traveling or on the go and can’t imagine what more a dedicated player could offer me under the imperfect conditions I listen in. In fact, I can’t imagine a more convenient way to listen to music in great quality with little hassle or inconvenience.

Sounds like a good, no/low hassle way to go, which is what I'm after.
Is it possible to download one's own music from CDs to the iPod or must one go thru iTunes or Spotify, etc.?

[rnrmf1971]

Originally Posted by Formerly YB-2

Sounds like a good, no/low hassle way to go, which is what I'm after.

Is it possible to download one's own music from CDs to the iPod or must one go thru iTunes or Spotify, etc.?

You can use all your own files, ripped from your own discs. That’s what I’ve done.
Basically, you load your PCM based files (I forget if flac was added to the list) through the iTunes application, and sync your iPod or iPhone to the computer that is running iTunes and has the files.

You can rip either compressed with quite respectable sound quality or uncompressed with no quality loss.

Also, you don’t have to use iTunes to rip. You can use dbpoweramp, among many, to get bit perfect rips. Then drag the rips into the iTunes app’s library.

For DSD files, the Onkyo app has a special helper tool to facilitate getting those files onto your device. iTunes won’t handle DSD.

Someone above mentioned the default dac resolutions that iPod and iPhone support and I believe that’s the case using the Music app (what iTunes was renamed on iDevices). But the Onkyo player, among others will play back hi res files at their native resolutions that you load into the Music app. I just looked at my iPhone and saw that the Onkyo app is capable of playing the hi-res files, but one needs to bypass the iPod/iPhone dac - by using the camera connector kit described, above, and while that's a convenience compromise, if you're set on using the device to play back those high bit rate files, you have to bypass the internal converter.
Also, by hi-res, we are talking about over 48kHz. The lossless rips from your discs play perfectly through headphones, dongles, etc.

DSD files do get converted to PCM by the Onkyo player, however. I haven’t tried playing DSD files so I can’t vouch for how that sounds but the PCM upsampling options in the Onkyo app aren’t too bad and come in handy based on the headphones or system you listen through.

Check out this good article:
https://www.whathifi.com/advice/how-...-your-iphone-0

Another option besides the iPod Touch, if you want higher capacities of 256 and 512GB, might be to look at a used iPhone, and not activate it - basically use it only with WiFi, like an iPod Touch. I think that would work.

[PHC1]

Glenn, if music is all you are interested in, why not consider one of the digital audio players (DAP)??? https://www.themasterswitch.com/best...-audio-players

[Mouse]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Glenn, if music is all you are interested in, why not consider one of the digital audio players (DAP)??? https://www.themasterswitch.com/best...-audio-players

Hey Serge,
I've been thinking of an Astral and Kern player but the 256 gb is really a turn off for the price so I've been putting it off. Aside from that limitation, would I be better served with an iphone connected to a pocket amp/dac like the new MHA50, or an Astell and Kern dedicated player?

Right now I'm rocking out on my iphone with tidal app with IEM Shure se846 with a silver litz ALO cable with lightning jack. I also use Campfire Audio Andronica with the same type of cable.

[rnrmf1971]

Originally Posted by rnrmf1971

You can use all your own files, ripped from your own discs. That’s what I’ve done.
Basically, you load your PCM based files (I forget if flac was added to the list) through the iTunes application, and sync your iPod or iPhone to the computer that is running iTunes and has the files.

You can rip either compressed with quite respectable sound quality or uncompressed with no quality loss.

Also, you don’t have to use iTunes to rip. You can use dbpoweramp, among many, to get bit perfect rips. Then drag the rips into the iTunes app’s library.

For DSD files, the Onkyo app has a special helper tool to facilitate getting those files onto your device. iTunes won’t handle DSD.

Someone above mentioned the default dac resolutions that iPod and iPhone support and I believe that’s the case using the Music app (what iTunes was renamed on iDevices). But the Onkyo player, among others will play back hi res files at their native resolutions that you load into the Music app. So in that case you wouldn’t need any other accessories if you want to keep it real simple, without the need for an external dac. DSD files do get converted to PCM by the Onkyo player, however. I haven’t tried playing DSD files so I can’t vouch for how that sounds but the PCM upsampling options in the Onkyo app aren’t too bad and come in handy based on the headphones or system you listen through.

Check out this good article:
https://www.whathifi.com/advice/how-...-your-iphone-0

Another option besides the iPod Touch, if you want higher capacities of 256 and 512GB, might be to look at a used iPhone, and not activate it - basically use it only with WiFi, like an iPod Touch. I think that would work.

Oh, I keep mentioning the Onkyo app and it’s worth noting that you don’t do anything special to have this app access your music files on your device. The Onkyo app sees the music files in the Music app of your device, and you search, sort, and play the files as if they were natively in the Onkyo app.

[Formerly YB-2]

Originally Posted by rnrmf1971

Another option besides the iPod Touch, if you want higher capacities of 256 and 512GB, might be to look at a used iPhone, and not activate it - basically use it only with WiFi, like an iPod Touch. I think that would work.

Hmmm.......... that could be a good choice. My wife's 6S is due for the "free" upgrade in Dec. Will check out if I can get it when she does. Have to figure out if it is 256GB or 512GB.

Thanks for all the other info.

[rnrmf1971]

Originally Posted by Formerly YB-2

Hmmm.......... that could be a good choice. My wife's 6S is due for the "free" upgrade in Dec. Will check out if I can get it when she does. Have to figure out if it is 256GB or 512GB.



Thanks for all the other info.

I realize I was confusing iPhone and iPad capacities.
iPhone maxes out at 256, I think,and the first model to have that was the iPhone 7.
The 6s was maxed at 128GB capacity, if memory serves me.