iPod direct to amplifier??

[05crewcab]

Has anyone done this? I dont have any desire to listen to the radio, or play CD's or anything like that. I just want sound from my iPod. I am thinking if I get a mini-jack to RCA cable can't I just hook it up directly to a 4-channel amp?

[biasracing]

yes sir I have done it before. You can connect the ipod directly to an amplifier via the 3.5mm jack to rca, or there are cables that connect from the ipod interface to rca's. The volume will not be as "amplified" as it could be and you want good strong signal. It would be beneficial to run the signal through a line driver, eq, powered crossover, or some other interface "audio control, audison"

[jimmydean]

I have done this and will be doing it again shortly. Just run a 12v switch to power the amp on. You can get the signal amplifiers that might work well, but mine went plenty loud before and with 800w RMS, I don't think I'll have an issue this time, either.

[GCncsuHD]

Mini jack to RCA works fine, I have done this before, but you won't get as good quality sound going through the mini jack as you will through the dock connector.

[05crewcab]

Thanks Guys,

I just figured it was SO much easier hiding just an amp under the seat than trying to hide a headunit and getting a remote, and blah blah blah all set up when all i need is iPod...

are there Dockconnector to RCA cable adapters? I have only seen the mini-plug to RCA

[GCncsuHD]

Yes, and no. They don't work with some newer generation Ipods

[jimmydean]

I don't have an iPod (I hate iTunes and all other Apple crap, sorry) so I just use a headphone to RCA out of my MP3 player. Hell, I did that in my '69 VW in 1988 using a Rockford Fosgate Punch 75 amp and a Sony Sport Walkman

[AceX]

As mentioned, you CAN do it, but it is not the best way to do it. You have very limited ability to tune, and the signal coming from the iPod is just a few millivolts. You'll send the amps into clipping very quickly. Clipping = bad

My friend Fred from Arc Audio has done several high end systems using the iPod as the only source. Here's his email reply when I asked him about this subject:

Originally Posted by Fred Lynch, Arc Audio

We have done quite a few systems with the use of a IPOD of IPAD as an interface....


The most important thing here is to not use the headphone jack as the audio out on the system. We have exclusively used some parts from PAS/Peripheral company to accomplish the best sound out of these applications.....

We use a part called IS-76 which uses the 18 pin cable on the bottom of the Ipod or Ipad..... then we use another piece called the LC-1 which is a inline RCA based level control..... ... Then typically we will use an item line a XEQ or KEQ7 processor so we can have some tuning for the system and also to bump up the voltage into the amplifier since the Ipad and Ipod's only have milivolts of power to provide as signal power..

Then right into the amplifier...


Hope this helps..

Fred LynchArc Audio Inc

[05crewcab]

Thanks for all the responses. I now have some direction, although it seems it isnt as straight forward as I had hoped.

[jimmydean]

Originally Posted by AceX

As mentioned, you CAN do it, but it is not the best way to do it. You have very limited ability to tune, and the signal coming from the iPod is just a few millivolts. You'll send the amps into clipping very quickly. Clipping = bad

My friend Fred from Arc Audio has done several high end systems using the iPod as the only source. Here's his email reply when I asked him about this subject:

Interesting, I don't have an iPod, but my Sansa MP3 player didn't cause issues in my last system at all with clipping. Granted, I'm not showing my system, but I also know how to tune it, too. And maybe I just got lucky.

My '66 will be an interesting test since it might get shown a little when it's all done. I'm not saying the audio jack is the best way, just the easiest.

[05crewcab]

Originally Posted by jimmydean

Interesting, I don't have an iPod, but my Sansa MP3 player didn't cause issues in my last system at all with clipping. Granted, I'm not showing my system, but I also know how to tune it, too. And maybe I just got lucky.

My '66 will be an interesting test since it might get shown a little when it's all done. I'm not saying the audio jack is the best way, just the easiest.

Doesnt it depend on the input sensitivity of the amp? The Alpine I have goes down to 0.2V which is where your output from your mp3 player must be? iPod must put out alot less than that...

[jimmydean]

200mV is what my amp is rated for. I know the max voltage of the iPod is like 2v vs 5v for most decks, I'll measure my Sansa tonight and see. I am about a month out from installing, but I'll measure and see.

My VW was a walkman, my Grand Prix was a discman, 'cuda was also a discman, and in my Toyota I used a minidisc player. I used the Sansa in my last system and plan to use it initially in my '66 until I get my dash finished.

[65Gregg]

Here is a thread on this very thought, it was posted on the HAMB. I am sure there are variations but as everyone has, said it will work..

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=548824

[jimmydean]

I measured .35v out on my MP3 player. While far from ideal, it's above the minimum and again, I've never had issues. While I use my MP3 player as a source, I still spend for good hardware, so that might be why I don't have issues.

[05crewcab]

found this chart on the level the ipod outputs...

http://beavishifi.com/articles/headphonejack/


Ipod headphone jack 2.84 V
Ipod line out jack 2.94 V
Apple Universal Dock "Line Out" 2.01 V
Typical component CD player Line Out 5.76 V


this couldn't be right could it??? if so i would think it should work with just about ANY amp and sound decent with no clipping...


can anyone measure thier own??

[AceX]

Off the bat, I'm going to advise taking those measurements with a grain of salt. These are maximum outputs, not the point where they will go into clipped power or be sending tons of distortion down the line.

[cjracer96]

ya. i kinda want and ipod hook up for like a casset player for my truck