Cleric

I am under the impression that connecting an ipod via its headphone connector to the AUX input can result in lower sound quality compared to using the bottom connector of the ipod to the AUX input. Is this true? I am probably the only person left on this planet that does not own an ipod, but if the sound quality from an ipod is as good as using mp3 burned dics then I may consider purchasing one.

I know some will say that mp3 is a lossy format anyway so why bother? Well, I guess I just want to best quality given what I have, expecially if I can control it. I burn my mp3s using LAME using the preset: alt-extreme which is a variable bitrate with very high quality and I cannot tell a difference 99.9% of the time from its uncompressed version. I would like to keep quality levels as high as possible.

vin 78

The AUX connection would allow you to maximize the volume on the ipod (you could adjust the volume on the ipod), this would allow you to send a stronger signal to the source.

The integration kits that connect the ipod via. the dock connector usually will not allow the user to adjust the volume, which in some cases, is not good.

Other then that, they should sound the same.

Suneet

I would not use the headphone output. The reason is that this goes through the iPod's interal amplification circuitry, and anytime you amplify something, you add noise and distortion. It would be better to use a dock connector and to get the line level output from the iPod, which bypasses the amplification, and then run that as an RCA to a deck. This way you only amplify it once, and not twice. Thats what I did with my iPod setup. Belkin makes an iPod car charger that also gives you access to the line level output, I have a cable running from the base of that charger to my new Pioneer HU which has an Aux in, and this gets as loud as anything else that the deck can put out. If you amplify an already amplified signal you will hear a lot more noise/distortion.

TAsunder

It also depends a bit on which version of ipod. The ipod videos have greatly improved sound quality coming from the headphone out. Previous versions, the SQ improvement you get going from the dock connector is quite remarkable.

One thing to consider is that you can't use other dock connector accessories if you use the dock connector for the car stereo.

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

The headphone jack works just fine. On a shuffle it actually works better.

Cleric

Thanks for the replies everyone. It all adds to more food for thought and is something I am going to take into consideration before I buy an ipod.