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Redlemon · 10-24-2009, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rahl

I may try that but I don't see what the difference would be with that aux cable and the one I have.

I stole this information off of the iLounge forums:

Quote:

The benefit of using the Line Level output off the dock connector is for the raw clean unamplified audio output at a steady voltage. This clean signal is usually connected to a Line Level input that is set to accept the same steady voltage, such as one found on the back of a stereo. You then have one amplifier, the stereo, amplifying the sound from the iPod.

The headphone jack takes that raw signal and amplifies it with a variable output. Since all amplifiers introduce some level of distortion, the iPods amplifier adds a little distortion. The higher the volume, the more distortion. You probably won't here it on the standard set of ear buds.

Now connect the headphone jack to the stereo's Line Input. You now have to crank up the iPods volume to 3/4 or more to get an acceptable volume level. This will increase the iPods internal amps distortion levels which are fed into the stereo's amp. As I have stated all amps introduce distortion on some level. So with the distortion added from the iPod's amp (which can get high since they are close to the iPods processors), the stereo's amp will add it's distortion and amplify the distortion from the iPod's amp.

Adding a headphone amp may lower the distortion from the iPods amp because now you can turn down the iPods volume. But, the headphone amp can introduce it's own distortion as well as amplifying the lower iPod distortion into the sound stream that can get amplified by a stereo's amp introducing even more distortion. Hope this makes sense.

Bottom line is, the more amplifiers you add into the setup, the more distortion that can be introduced. Playing with the volume levels on multiple amp setups can minimize the distortion. But using the fixed Line Level outputs off the dock connector, or any other stereo source, into one amp will always be the best connection.