C.E.S. 2008 - Show Reports !

Thanks for putting that in.

this one sounds like a good alternate digital transport.

something more heer..

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/ces2008/preshow_ces2008/

interesting that Harbeths monitor 40 is in a new avatar the 40.1

also PS audios new CD Transport

S Audio's new transport has a front panel with two inch color LCD display which, when the unit is connected to an internet connection, will go out and locate the cover art and song titles on the disc being played and display it on the front panel. If not connected to the internet, it will display individual time codes and track numbers. There will be a single knob in the center of the unit and a few touch buttons. The knob can be used to scroll through the song titles as well as menu items. Menu items include variable bit length so you can choose 16, 20, or 24 bit length for any CD playing.

May be wadia is fed up with their post VRDS CD transports

ani schrieb:

May be wadia is fed up with their post VRDS CD transports ;)

Ha Ha Ha !!
Nice one - sir....

On a serious note - for 350/- bucks that Wadia iTransport looks serious. Very very well made. What do you guys think ?

i completely agree. if it is reading off the ipod disk directly and giving a AES digital out..that is well worth the 350. i guess we may need to factor in around another 50-100 for better PSU i believe that uses a Wall-Wart

ani schrieb:

May be wadia is fed up with their post VRDS CD transports ;)

LOL. some of their older products expecially the Wadia 6 cdp and the wadia 12-25 dacs are classics. especialy the wadia 25 DAC which was leagues ahead in its time..

i completely agree. if it is reading off the ipod disk directly and giving a AES digital out..that is well worth the 350. i guess we may need to factor in around another 50-100 for better PSU i believe that uses a Wall-Wart

I wish... I wish !

Incidentally, the iPod ( ANY Past or present edition ) does not provide a digital Output.

Some companies that provide a digital interface for the ipod, modify the ipod, and charge US $ 200 to US $ 400 for the ipod modications Alone ( to pull out a digital bit stream )

The Wadia product hence is almost certainlay an all analog product... Dunno what thay offer for US $ 350 !!!

Wadia charges more than that for their metal Remote control ... AFTER the customer puts more than US $ 5,000 on the table for their CD Spinners....

Would be prudent not to hope for much from Wadia for US $ 350.

are you sure.. what i have read somewhere else is that they have a deal with apple for catching the signal before the internal DAC ie bypassing it

thepress release by wadia : http://www.wadia.com...0Press%20Release.pdf


apparently are paying apple royalty for the same.

i did do some work for apple some years back when the ipod was just launched and did hear then that apple output did have a digital out option but only with some form of authentication..was always hoping that they would enable it

$350 for a digital interface is not bad from the manufacturers point of view. One has to remember that the main equip is hardly $350!!

It will be good for on the move audiophiles when they are back at their base station.

Hi All,

here is another place to see very nice pix of the CES 2008 show:


http://www.audiofederation.com/hifiing/2008/CES2008/index.htm

Arj,

Me thinks that you HAVE THE SOLUTION :

are you sure.. what i have read somewhere else is that they have a deal with apple for catching the signal before the internal DAC ie bypassing it

The Wadia Press Release too is pretty emphatic about delivering Digital Out From ALL Ipods, WITHOUT hardwire mods.

Geez ! THANKS !

The product will be available in Feb 2008.

I AM BUYING ONE... Nova Audio's ( Wadia Dealer in India) Sushil Anand will hear from me tomorrow.

The Real Pain will be that I will need a Quality DAC, and Arj... U just Sold yours

P.S: Now that the world Knows that the Digital Output CAN be enabled on all iPods.... I will look out for a Crack on the net

At the cost of sounding stupid;
Could there be a typo ?
The Wadia iTransport may actually be costing US $'s 3,500/- ?

Please do understand that all american companies have a 50 % transfer price, so Wadia cannot be selling the i Transport @ US $'s 175/- to its dealers. i.e. after paying a royalty to Apple.
Besides, the housing seems to be made of machines aluminium.
The costing just does not add up....

bhagwan69..

I agree with you, but this one seems to be REALLY US $350.

I reproduce the relevant portion from the WADIA Press Release ( thanks to Arj for the link )

The iTransport (SRP: $349), which is certified Made for iPod®, turns any currently available iPod player into a high-end media server by providing a bit-perfect digital audio output to an audio/video system, bypassing the player’s internal D/A conversion and output stage. Subsequently, the audio signal remains clean and unadulterated throughout the path. The iTransport is compatible with all currently available (Q1 2008) iPod players, as well as iPhone® and iPod Touch® models.

Amp_Nut schrieb:

bhagwan69.. I agree with you, but this one seems to be REALLY US $350. I reproduce the relevant portion from the WADIA Press Release ( thanks to Arj for the link ) The iTransport (SRP: $349), which is certified Made for iPod®, turns any currently available iPod player into a high-end media server by providing a bit-perfect digital audio output to an audio/video system, bypassing the player’s internal D/A conversion and output stage. Subsequently, the audio signal remains clean and unadulterated throughout the path. The iTransport is compatible with all currently available (Q1 2008) iPod players, as well as iPhone® and iPod Touch® models.

Man, what's wrong with Wadia these days - selling a machined aluminium case for an iPOD for just $350??? LOL!!
I'd love to know which DACs they have used in there? Their workhorse & awesome sounding PCM1704K or something else?

maybe the target audience is not the usual segment. maybe they are just trying for the midfi/entry level audiopiles with ipods and dacs as well.

if that ius the case they are doing a great thing for the audiphile industry.. it would be much more valuable and VFM than many $350 cables

but considering the ipod already has a bypass.. i would not think the insides are going to be very complicated. it should just be a decoding chip and maybe some kind of a buffer and clock.

i would also not be too averse to having one

and

The Real Pain will be that I will need a Quality DAC, and Arj... U just Sold yours

i have another one now

bombaywalla schrieb:

Their workhorse & awesome sounding PCM1704K or something else?

for the cost they might be just putting some gain and buffer on the stock output from the ipod ? i am going to be very very pleasantly surprised if they have a separate DAC inside at that cost !!! unless Apple is giving them some deal on the licensing cost

Bombaywalla said :

I'd love to know which DACs they have used in there? Their workhorse & awesome sounding PCM1704K or something else?

Arj said :

for the cost they might be just putting some gain and buffer on the stock output from the ipod ? i am going to be very very pleasantly surprised if they have a separate DAC inside at that cost !!! unless Apple is giving them some deal on the licensing cost

Guys check out the press release...

The iTransport (SRP: $349)...... turns any currently available iPod player into a high-end media server by providing a bit-perfect DIGITAL AUDIO OUTPUT to an audio/video system...

There is NO DAC inside... this is just a Digital Audio output, S/PDIF( thats why I said I would need a DAC now ! ) along with COMPONENT VIDEO output !

Incidentally, the US $350 gizmo was demoed using > $ 5000 worth of cable and the DAC from the $ 7K (?) Wadia CD player

Excerpts from the Stereophile site :
http://www.stereophile.com/news/010408wadia

( Arj You were correct .. )

I thought it was impossible to bypass the iPod's DAC. "So did we," said Wadia president John W. Schaffer. "Then we discovered the little-known fact that Apple had a process called 'authentication' that allowed mobile electronics companies to bypass the iPod's internal DAC." "Authentication" refers to Apple's authentication chip, which essentially tells the iPod that it's okay to output raw digital audio or video data to the chip-enhanced component. The authentication chips are only available in Apple products or from products made by Apple-licensed third-party developers. After Wadia first began developing what became the iTransport, Apple opened up the authentication program to more third-party vendors. The iTransport may be the first audio product of its kind, but it probably won't be the last. But however you slice it, being firstest is a great coup. "I think Apple approved our working on the iTransport because of our reputation as a high-end component manufacturer. Apple thinks of the iPod as a high-end source, so it made sense to them," said Schaffer. In addition to its RCA S/PDIF and component video, the iTransport also sports a pair of RCA analog outputs, although that signal is apparently derived from the iPod's internal DAC. "When you hear the digital output of the iTransport using full-resolution files like .WAV and Apple Lossless, you realize that it is a hi-rez source—and now that the iPod Classic has a 160GB capacity, there's no excuse for lossy compression," observed Schaffer. The iTransport is compatible with "all current models," which means that models produced before the authentication program was implemented won't output digital or video—as I understand it, models that early don't output video anyway. I've posted a list at the end of this report. The iTransport looks like a Jonathan Ive–designed Apple product, with its classic proportions and uncluttered façade. It's a trim 2" H by 8" W by 8" D. It allows consumers to remotely control their iPods with Apple's standard IR remote control (not included) and recharges iPods while docked. ..... Stereophile .... will be checking out the iTransport the minute CES opens on January 7—and will post the first hands-on report on Stereophile's CES Blog as soon after that as is humanly possible. Stay tuned. Update: John Schaffer has passed along additional details concerning iTransport compatibility with iPods, iPhones, and iTouch players. He stresses that compatibility, even for the following models, is only guaranteed if the iPod/iPhone firmware is up to date. iPods manufactured before the models listed don't shake hands with the authentication chip and do not output digital or, obviously, video. Each of the individual models, Schaffer notes, has its own "interface characteristics" (quirks, I calls 'em) in the way they work with the Wadia iTransport. Supported models: Nano G1: Does not support video and can only output digital audio in the "extended interface" mode. Translation: The iPod click wheel interface is not available while the Nano attached to the iTransport using digital audio out. Nano G2: Does not support video. However, it does output digital audio without the click wheel interface being disabled. Nano G3: Supports component video out and will allow digital audio out while still allowing the iPod click wheel interface to function normally. iPod Video: Supports S-video out (no component video). It only outputs digital audio in its "extended interface" mode. The iPod click wheel interface is not available while the player is attached to the iTransport and using digital audio out. iPod Classic: Supports component video out and enables digital audio out while still allowing the iPod click wheel interface to function normally. iPod Touch: Supports component video out and enables digital audio out while still allowing the iPod click wheel interface to function normally. iPhone: Supports component video out and enables digital audio out while still allowing the iPod click wheel interface to function normally. However, when an iPhone is docked in the iTransport, it will state that the accessory is not designed for the iPhone and will query whether or not the user wants to switch into "airplane mode" (essentially switching off the cell phone). Since the iTransport does work with the iPhone in either mode, either answer is appropriate.

this statement

. The iTransport may be the first audio product of its kind, but it probably won't be the last. But however you slice it, being firstest is a great coup.

might just be the reason for the pricing. am sure we may be having me too in the $200-250 range (that too because of licensing royalties to apple)

Given Wadia's pricing, I would speculate that me-too products could cost below US $ 100.... depending on Apple's fee....

Ofcourse, this is pretty much a niche product, so volumes may not pull down prices...

Maybe there will be a software crack soon on the net ??

i think around $100 is apples fee !

built a software crack would be interesting..but not sure as to how it could be "Output" in spdif. there has to be a hardware manipulation as well at least to provide the output.

as an afterthought unless the standard headphone out or USB is made the digital out and a modified cable used to send it to the dac.

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/ces2008/

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/the_show_2008/

Arj,

All ipods ( except the shuffle) have a Multi Pin connector at the base of the ipod, which mates with all ipod docking stations.

This connector has SEVERAL pins, many of which are unused or doermant.

The Component Video and SPDIF have been allotted some of these pins.

From the wadia Press Release and the post on the Sterophile site, my interpretation is that the current generation of ipods will output the SPDIF & Component Video WITHOUT hardware modifications whatsoever.

I suspect than an enabling signal to :

Apple's authentication chip, which essentially tells the iPod that it's okay to output raw digital audio or video data to the chip-enhanced component.

I suspect that the Authentication signal is a continious signal sent out by the base station, to the docked iPod. The iPod's SPDIF will be deactivated, when remioved from the Wadia Dock.

A software crack could simply bypass the authentication chip's authority ?

http://audiofederation.com/hifiing/2008/CES2008/day2/index.htm

http://www.soundstage2.com/lasvegas2008/

Amp_Nut schrieb:

A. A software crack could simply bypass the authentication chip's authority ?

I do not think i worded the question correctly in my hurry !

my query was what would be the physical port available on the ipod to use a standard digital cable into a DAC.

right now the ipod has only 2 ports the headphone out and the multi pin connector.

in case we do manage to hack the ipod to believe that the authentication chip is present, we still would need to have a physical connection to the multi pin connector ...and that is not really standard

Arj,

The Multipin Connector on the ipod has Many "Un-used" pins.

Clearly some of these are used but software disabled.

Once authenticated, they would become software enabled ...

http://www.audioxsel...nd-THE-Show-2008.htm

SOME SNAPS





THIS LOOKS INTERESTING

bhagwan69 schrieb:

http://audiofederation.com/hifiing/2008/CES2008/day2/index.htm

I looked @ the pix hosted by Audiofederation & ENjoy The Music - they seemed disappointing to me!
Not many pix & hardly anything exciting. AudioFed said that they place was crowded like Hell & lots of good sounding systems but no pix of them???

http://audiofederati.../1500/level2/#german

bhagwan69 schrieb:

http://audiofederati.../1500/level2/#german

Thanks Bhagwan!
I totally missed that link.


Now that I have seen some pix posted - nice pix!!

I noticed that MBL had the same sh$$ at CES as they had at RMAF last year. Looks good but sounds like horse sh$$!! Expensive like hell too.

I noticed that MBL had the same sh$$ at CES as they had at RMAF last year. Looks good but sounds like horse sh$$!! Expensive like hell too.

I cannot agree with you more.

I have had the opportunity to listen to MBL over the past 4 - 5 years @ different dealers / audio shows in Europe & Asia. This must have been done by me in excess of 7 to 9 times. On none of the occasions, has MBL even cleared @ 4/10. It actually be-wilders me, how some guys just go on and on about it. It is so bad, I cannot even find words to express my disgust about the representation. Looks it scores 7/10. Build Quality 9/10.

I remember an old forum member 'jsa_ind' from a few years back used to 'swear' by MBL & he owned a Dynaudio Master + Plinus SA Ref + Siltech G-5 cables & dcS gear. He too loved the MBL sound !!! Strange...........

http://www.highendpalace.com/2008%20CES%20SHOW.htm

http://positive-feedback.com/Issue35/ces081.htm

nice pics........