Krell Kid Dock: The ipod dock for audiophiles

[SoundOfYourDestiny]

WTF are you going to listen to on this that hasn't been destroyed by dynamic compression? Unless you're listening only to popular music mastered before the late '90s, or classical, this thing is a sad waste of money and effort.

And NO, using a lossless codec won't help. Music mastered (or "remastered") in the last decade and a half was destroyed before ever being released.

[HiFiReviewer]

I used to own the Wadia iTransport, great stuff, but if i am going to spend big bucks like that, i would just buy a new usb dac to pair with my computer audio

[zk351]

Uh guys he could be using lossless audio formats.....duh

[TheOlmeister1]

Now i can play my highly compressed mp3's on my hifidelity system. Fantastic.

[energeez]

@TheOlmeister1 you can put wav on an ipod

[DocLibertos]

How can one put "iPod dock" and "audiophile" in the same sentence?

[rcandpc]

@DocLibertos What kind of gear do you have in your system?

[DocLibertos]

@rcandpc No iPod dock! I don't listen to mp3s on my system.

I should have written "How can one put iPod and audiophile in the same sentence".

I don't put the blame on the dock but on the mp3 format.

[rcandpc]

@DocLibertos I used to feel the same way but if you put your music on the iPod in a lossless format you get really good sound from it especially when you use a well build dock like the KID. I was curious what components you have because a lot of people like to rip on the iPod while they brag about their Bose set up or their high end Pioneer receiver :-) I am not saying that is you. For 95% of the people out there even MP3 is just fine for the typical receiver + bose speaker system they have.

[DocLibertos]

@rcandpc I use a few old turntables (Thorens TD124 and Barthe Rotofluid). I also have a Studer PR99 and a Nakamichi ZX1000. My amp is a JC Verdier and my speakers are a pair of Elipson 4240. ( I also have a pair of JM Lab spectral 913I and a pair of Bang and Olufsen beovox S75 which belonged to my father)

I've just changed my CD player for a CAYIN CD50T.

[Nixima81]

Sweet ride, Love you setup and i love Katie Melua, tumbs up!

[dumnuts1]

If I spend all my money on this dock, I won't have any left over forclose.

[MedicatedMilkShots]

I wouldn't categorize this as an iPod dock, it doesn't have its' owns speakers.

We call these stereo cradles in the store I work. $500 US and up. Like the guy below me said, these will run about $1800+ in the US. However, they're really a hideous waste of money. Because you still need a good pre-amp like an Arcam, Integra, or Pioneer, and a really good set of speakers to round off the sound quality. The digital dock makes such a miniscule difference in sound quality that it's negligible.

[MrMobsta55]

its 2000 dollars us

[oatstao]

it's hilarious to hear people judging and comparing the sound here, not realizing that this was captured by low end audio from your camera source, open, not direct and then compressed. HAHAHH anyways.. you got burned for this junk. My Yamaha Natural sound Amp from 1980 sounds more transparent and plays music like it should, not like an 'audiophile" scam .

[oatstao]

WTF is that sound every 3 seconds? you can even hear it when the Ipod is playing the music..it thought it was just access sounds..but is it coming from the wonderful "audiophile' magic maker?

[RWL2011]

you need an audiophile camera so we can hear what it really sounds like!

[GP1890]

I wonder if I can hook this bad boy to my Control4 because the iPod dock for C4 sucks badly.

[ggarlick46]

The sound is like the vita audio r4.

[xdeadstarpsyclonx]

That is a hell of a nice piece of heating you've got there ;)

[wadia860]

Do you prefer the Wadia or Krell?

I'm swaying towards the Wadia, just wondering!

Cheers

[raoultittel]

Cool! I want one, but I wont get it cause I have kids. :)

[krellamps]

What type of analog cables are you using? I had it hooked up both ways where I could switch it, sinne balance doesn't allow the sub. Although it seems much cleaner through my cardas balanced cables.

[krellamps]

I had this hooked up to my krell s1200 preamp and my s275 amps. It blew my mind! It was hooked up through the balanced inputs(a must) also rip it right from a cd, much better quality. I won't even use my current cd player anymore. The only cd player I've heard on my system with sound like this was a krell through balanced inputs. The sound alone is worth every penny.

[Johansaplast]

nice but u cant read the iPod screen from ur listening position can you? Personally i'd opt for a unit with a video out (GUI) on it. (currently have denon asd-3w, does fair audio job and has the GUI but poor file browsing on it sadly...)

[Herthan]

if you are running analog rcas to your preamp, why dont you just run rcas straight from your computer?

[576ito1080p]

Nice kit mate,ignore the haters ,ipod can sound OK with FLAC,or even WAV but it depends on your preferance for quality or quantity,but you could always use a Teac DR100 and have 24/96 LPCM it was ok for DVDA but it all depends on the master recording in the first place.

[summitsvift]

an expensive amp you got there !! lol

[bluedealzcom]

at around $359 i think the SYD 5 or iPair 5 from Kanto Speakers would be the best bet.

[Shownomercy165]

mp3 for audiofiles??? :/ suck!!

[GRAHAMAUS]

Can I ask what the point is with any compressed digital signal source? Perhaps if all your music is stored in a lossless format then maybe... but then again you're still at the mercy of the circuitry in the iPod. Basically the weakest link in the system is the iPod and the sound files it contains.

[BenzRules10]

What kind of speakers r those?

[vegasgymrat2005]

@ chunchuk2000. Audiophiles use the iPod because it is one of the most convenient ways to store an inventory of music which can be encoded at a lossless format. SO by making a bit for bit copy and saving to the ipod, you have an ideal transport.

[PhilDY6]

@vegasgymrat2005 The problem with making a copy, lossless or otherwise is that you are relying on a £15 CD transport in your PC or MAC, not the best really

[TheLegendaryDoc]

@24tuccu

You have no idea of really listening to music, have you?!

@AestheticFlavor

BOSE don't make the best iPod docks.

Only the Wadia iTransport and the new dock by Onkyo are allowed to process a true digital output signal from the iPod, all others use the iPods D/A converters which are crappy.

So, no. The BOSE ones are trash compared to the three ones I've mentioned.

But also the Krell one shown here in the video cannot bypass the iPods D/A converter....

[Malangsufi]

just a quick question what was the track, lossless format or mp3? If it is a low bitrate than got to say it does a fine job at unscaling the sample!

[Anderskh]

I have alot of respect for Krell as they have made some serious products but I have to say this is kind of a joke.

[AestheticFlavor]

I think BOSE makes the best Ipod docks. I've never even heard of "Krell".

[spydey550]

@AestheticFlavor ....Never heard of Krell? If you are a "audiophile" then you had better get up to speed.... Krell has been around for decades and have been manufacturing high end from transports,amps speakers.... I could go on and on... but why... this is a waste of time.

[darknetzulu]

The setup looks very nice and clean compared to several other "audiophile" racks crowded with cables, weird mechanisms, turntables, etc. BUT i guess you figured it out how to use your iPod to make it play uncompressed audio files. There's no point in bypass internal DACs and spend 1500$ on a separate DAC like this if you're gonna end playing some lossy format rather than a linear format like WAV...forget about apple losseless, etc. they all do compress. Either way, it seems to sound nice. Enjoy!

[billycho566]

the songs called belfast by katie melua

[albolooki]

Can I joint this Krell KID audiophile iPod Dock with Cayin A-88T integrated/power vacuum tube amplifier?

[mushfiq951]

Which is PRAACESSED.. lol

[kiton1000]

who is the artist? name of the song?

[Lekarn]

in the end the digital signal won't be better then the original signal from the Ipod.

[coreyhudson2]

Just curious, what encoding and program do you rip you music in? 192 256 300+? 44000hz 49000hz? And if you were to encode in a less than ideal (192 at 22000) will the DAC make up for it?

[BoronAlloy]

No DAC in the world can make up for what's thrown away during the encoding process. That's the reason it's called a lossy process.

For the likes of Krell, and Wadia owners, their iPod will either have ALE (Apple Lossless Encoding) or 256/320 AAC/MP3 files.

All CD is 42 KHz, only DAT uses 48 KHz sampling frequency.

[zkranz0]

Where do you get this kind of money?!

[BoronAlloy]

Do well in school getting good grades, work hard, and don't blow your money on drink, drugs, and hookers, or foreign holidays.

A few sacrifices made here and there can soon build up the cash to afford this sort of kit, as will a good credit rating if doing it on tick.

[lowsperm81]

@BoronAlloy or you could always go rogue and swindle money from your company to buy nice big things... no need for your pathethic moral lessons... go on, play around, drink alcohol, pay hookers, and go for holidays.... fuck this boron alloy asshole who thinks he knows everything...

[dannycurtean]

@BoronAlloy Thats so true!

[BigRooster747]

@BoronAlloy -> as a hooker, I took the short cut....:-)!

[Jeffmtbr]

@BoronAlloy Thanks Dad!

[Neojhun]

Though the DAC is on the Krell. The point there is an iPod in the way is the problem. It's like running an F1 on 95 Octane.

[Sweetasmink]

Beautiful System.I have the KRELL K.I.D as well.

[paulie975]

Sounds great.

Whats the song?

[djEvilDude]

Is not that expensive it is about $1500 USD

[djEvilDude]

OMG those speaker wires look like water hoses!!!

Why so thick?

[yanikv]

@djEvilDude, "audiophiles" are like the high school tramp. They are really really into gerth. The bigger the better. Size queens, you might say.

[AbelReiki]

amazing

[vladiinsky]

why is it ok to make excellent dock for any ipod that has some illegal mp3 music in it and it is ok to make dirty expensive media servers that normal people cannot afford, and it is not ok to make an great sounding amplifier that has a usb which supports flac ?

[KLJTech]

chunchuck2000,

Maybe because he loves music and not just the gear that he plays it on. I consider myself to be an audiophile as well but that doesn't mean that I won't use a portable digital music player.....it's still about the music.

[bronskiwantsyou]

iPod = audiophile????

o.O

sorry, not my style

[edge160]

onkyo nd-s1 + cambridge dacmagic is cheaper and way better!!!!!

[edge160]

You have got to be "kid"ding me!!!!!

[djEvilDude]

I personally care more about the sound of my music than the price of the equipment, I"m a music lover, I remember you had a turntable hooked to those speakers, did you moved that one to the living room?

[kpatrickm]

Why have a remote when you have to sit 2 feet away to read the menus anyway??

[DarkSkys25]

I envy you so much, great set of equipment. It heaven to the ears!

By the way, don't let the haters keep you down. Keep doing what you're doing. I want to be an audiophile too but lack of knowledge and money is setting me back. I just recently pick up a set of Audio-Technia M50. Great headphones. I'm looking for a low entry stereo amp, any suggest? PM me, if you got time bro.

[BUBLOOGABLOO]

Onto the 'kid'. I like it.

[TheHellBound666]

audiophile =/= ipod owner

[edge160]

iPod's have shitty DACs and I would get a nice fucking receiver for that price!!!!

[nair0bij0nes]

You goons should google this - fatman itube mothership

(PS. fuck plugging an ipod into it though) lol

[nair0bij0nes]

Audiophiles push faders dingo! You fags just listen to records like everybody else .. : )

[bsod4u2]

True audiophiles...some here do not know what an audiophile is.

I have the iPod Touch 32GB,Classic 160GB and Nano 8GB. Guess what I own two Wadia docks that send digital out. And my Belcanto and Chord DAC's do the conversion.

After it is fed to tube preamps CJ and Audio Research and then to solid state amps by Krell and Moon(Celeste). I guess that is too low end for the YouTubers ...LOL

Guess what this beats all portable devices with a baseball bat.

[rosetowntube]

get those loops out your speaker wire please

[863jojo863]

the only reason i dont buy an ipod is because of the fact it dont have a custom eq

[mminutel]

iPods are fine. You can Rockbox them and play FLAC. A lot of "audiophiles" use them because, let's face it, they sacrifice a little bit on sound quality to be able to hold a lot of songs. That is where the iPod shines. Plus, a lot of them bypass the internal DAC/amp and have perfectly good sound.

[Mikeint0sh]

exactly, FLAC is the new mp3 in my opinion, MUCH better quality :)

[profittlich]

this doesnt make sense because true audiophiles would never buy an ipod ;)

other than that, it prolly does get the best out of it..but again..true audiophiles wouldnt have the ipod in the first place

[matthewt2010]

Why wouldn't a true audiophile buy an iPod?

[tante01]

Why?

Ipod can play lossless music, and lot of audiophiles own Ipod....

[bsod4u2]

False, true audiophiles also own the iPod, I do and with teh Krell KID you get outstanding SQ.

I also own a few MP3 players,and they are not for critical listening. I own a Krell FPB600 and even Tenor Audio OTL's imagine that, I am not a snob to spit on a high bitrate MP3.

[iterviator]

Lol - a never ending argument I'm sure. My whole point is you can place a needle down in the groove of a record and without even hooking it up to an amp, still put the ear close and listen to the recording. Nobody would listen to music like this, but think about how this, aside from playing an actual instrument, is the only other way to listen to music without ones and zeroes being involved. It's physical sound printed into a physical medium. It's analog and there can be no comparison. Physics.

[mrmikerotch]

You can actually NURBS up-sample to such a high resolution that only some of the most expensive equipment can pickup the binary. With a lot of new technology, the only giveaway that a piece is digital is the lack of grain. So if it comes down to simple quality of medium, I don't think source of audio is really a problem anymore. But then again, it is loads of fun to listen to some Mingus on vinyl.

[iterviator]

I'm not sure if a person can be a real Audiophile and still listen to mp3s. It'd be nice, but we're talking mp3s - and I know some Audiophiles will only listen to vinyl. It's got to be analog.

[elpatriotaLX]

iPods can store Uncompressed sound,  Either WAVE and ALAC.

Now, even hardcore Audiophiles will accept DVD-Audio and SACD which are both Digital. Also sound quality is all about the mastering. A well mastered CD can be very acceptable among Audiophiles.

Sound Characteristics between SACD and vinyl are the same. In fact recordings and masterings done today are done digitally. Today SACD and DVD-A > Vinyl

[iterviator]

I still feel it's just got to be physical sound. Even if it's recorded digitally and transfered to vinyl, there's analog warmth that simply cannot be reproduced by any other medium. That's all the ideal, but I still listen to CDs.

[elpatriotaLX]

I see what you are saying. But there is something that we experimented with in one of my sound classes. We digitized a recording from a vinyl and the sound was identical as far as our ears could tell.

So recording from vinyl to digital could actually capture the illusion of warmth, specially if recorded above 24bit 96.000 kHz.

I am not disagreeing with the point that you made, but I feel that sound is subjective and placebo effect could have something to do with how sound is perceived.

[elpatriotaLX]

2 part

Again the term warmth is very subjective and everything goes back to how each person perceive or experiences music. Most vinyls sounds different because: They have more distortion errors when compared to digital.

Also you have to take in to account equalization, preamp echo, reverb, rumble... Ahhh to subjective.... Sorry for getting carried away. :-/ CD's sound just fine for me anyway.

[Koindrank]

@iterviator To me it seems like that analog warmth comes from the vinyl rather than from the music itself. That´s why CDs often sound more real than vinyl to me. And on most peoples soundsystems vinyl doesn´t sound real at all. It might sound more comfortable to listen to though. At least heavier music, doesn´t sound warm live, it sounds raw and brutal, more like CDs. Mixerboards always makes the music something else anyway. Real sound = Play the instrument yourself.

[iterviator]

@Koindrank analog warmth does come from vinyl. Vinyl is analog. Your ears are analog. get it? Listen to Metallica's Master of Puppets on vinyl, then come talk to me about analog vs digital.

[joseph956]

how do you think the zune hd stacks up against the WADIA iDoc?

[chunchuck2000]

why listen to ipod when you are an audiophile

[vantageIIx]

@chunchuck2000 It's convenient, and can store lossless files and output them digitally. Not everyone that owns an iPod listens to MP3's

[Fatcaesar]

@chunchuck2000

As he said, It's a DAC, the ipod don't convert the music, the dock does, so it's 100% pure unchanged sound, Studio quality, listen to what he is saying.

[oatstao]

@chunchuck2000 well, to inform you of something basic, "audiophile" is a scam term. 2nd, if you want true transparent playback, some Ipods play Lossless files. Forget flac..I'm talking raw from source. Audiophile-nitis is a condition that affects people with boredom and lack of real critical thought and too much money that created a small marketing ploy that leaves most drooling for something that is nothing what they think it is. I can prove it.

[nadlfc]

katie melua

[lucylovesgaara]

nice one!! im geting an ipod for my Pioneer VSX-LX52 receiver :D

[oohitslong]

What song is playing the end? Sounds pretty lovely.

[GracefulRaven]

That song is Very Beautiful, I loved it too!

[dvdboulet]

Just a reminder to those who may be new to the topic and are looking for the best-sounding iPod doc to take advantage of their lossless-encoded music files: the (overpriced) KRELL is NOT going to give you true fidelity: it's still using the iPod's internal DAC and analog output stage... because it's taking the analog signal from the iPod and then adding its own processing. However, for just a few hundred dollars, the WADIA iDoc will provide a true digital output with bit-for-bit accuracy!

[jimg0007]

what the fuck are you talking about? "taking the analog signal from the iPod and then adding its own processing???" looks like YOUR the one new to the subject the ANALOG OUTPUT is through the head phone jack of the ipod the DIGITAL SIDE IS ON THE BOTTOM WHERE HE PLUG IT INTO THE KRELL DOCK!! KNOW WHAT YOU TALKING BOUT BEFORE YOU SPEAK!!!!

[dvdboulet]

You're mistaken.

The pin-connection on the bottom of the iPod has BOTH analog *and* digital output. The difference is that the analog output on the bottom is line-out (fixed level) which bypasses the volume-control on the headphone jack, so it is better than the headphone output, but in no way compares to the digital output. All ipod docs, except the WADIA, only use the line-level analog ouptut fro the pin connection. That's by Apple's choice, not theirs.

[dvdboulet]

The problem all along has been that Apple would not *allow* any 3rd party manufacturers to have access to the digital bitstream, forcing them instead to use the inferior line-level analog output from the mutli-pin connection instead. This has been a sore point with audiophiles for years. Do a goodle search and read any iPod forums to learn more. Most audiophiles are as surprised as anyone to learn that Apple has been refusing access to the obviously better sound all this time (including Krell)

[jimg0007]

your right my mistake

[jimg0007]

that means this guy here spent 1,000 dollars for nothing really if it still uses the shitty ipod dac. This is just another reason i hate apple, they have so many restrictions on not just there music but everything it seems like!!!!!!!

[dvdboulet]

Correct. this KRELL product and price-point is ridiculous. For a mere $300 or so, you can buy the WADIA that *DOES* provide true digital output, and you can basically get transparent audiophile quality as long as you don't use lossy compression. So there *is* an audiophile solution, and it's vastly cheaper than this KRELL POS. I think that KRELL is hoping that folks will just assume it provides a digital output as it's an inferior product at an unjustifiable price once the facts are understood.

[24tuccu]

how much did you pay for this, they seen you coming. you adiophiles make me laugh sometimes.

[rolfruit]

making statements based on your lack of knowledge in this subject makes people laugh. We're talking about precision equipment here - designed to generate audio playback as realistic & as accurate as possible - intended for reproducing music closest to the way it was originally recorded. & precision equipment costs money duh! Just like in professional cycling - ur expected to bleed a few grands just to reduce 200g on their road bikes. btw u spelled audiophiles wrong...

[artifactingreality]

@rolfruit lol if you really cared about "precision" you wouldn't own an ipod anyway.

most audiophiles think they're shit (along with the entire mp3 format really)

[DRIVEFASTER2010]

@artifactingreality That just shows what a blissfully ignorant muppet you and many others are!

Using LOSSLESS formats (ie. WAV not MP3) is no different than the data stored on a CD. It's all just digital data at the end of the day.

It's down to the Digital to Analogue Converter you use (exactly as it does in any CD player) that affects the sound quality.

[artifactingreality]

@DRIVEFASTER2010

yeah okay so what lossless formats does your ipod support? what's that? none?

yeah thought so.

[artifactingreality]

@artifactingreality PS. not crap ones like WAV or AIFF... I use FLAC :D

[DRIVEFASTER2010]

@artifactingreality WHAT?! Do you even know the difference? And in what way is WAV crap when it's exactly the same quality as CD??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!

FLAC, eh? Like that makes a difference, especialy through the system you're listening through! lol

[artifactingreality]

@DRIVEFASTER2010 Obviously the quality of WAV is as good as it gets, but the file size is stratospheric. Not so good on a portable device.

FLAC is equally good at a manageable file size, imho. No my system can't reproduce studio quality sound, but it's a damn sight better than the plastic logitech speakers most people boast about. Each to his own I spose.

I'm not an audiophile btw, but I have read enough forums to know that they dislike ipods, hence my original point.

[artifactingreality]

@artifactingreality But yeah okay I didn't make my point as well as I could have. What I was basically trying to say is the same thing that "chunchuck2000" said in his comment - the highest rated comment on this thread. I agree with him basically.

[triumph1974]

@artifactingreality Just because it is an IPod doesn't mean it is using MP3, it is just a storage device. He is probably using Apple lossless or something similar, which is the same as CD quality.

Do your research before making stupid comments.

[spydey550]

@24tuccu Why dont you just stick to your earbuds... cause you aint no AUDIOphile

[24tuccu]

@spydey550 please elaborate, when did i state i was an audiophile?

[beforezero]

sweet man now you can listen to your radio quality MP3's in "great" sound. get vinyl, thats actually analaog, digital is shit and you can never get a digitial signal back into analog. any audiophile knows that!

[calvinblinkee]

The song isn't in MP3 format, it's in Apple Lossless

[vichercules]

There are emerging digital sources outside of 16bit CD's that are indistinguishable from vinyl. You are correct that CD's and other digital sources are not up to vinyl standards, but 32 and 64 bit digital sources have all the warmth of analogue.

I am not sure about running loss-less through a fancy doc, if you have good files it could sound exactly like a cd. Which is pretty good on a good system but there is no need to pay a pile of cash for that sound source.

l

[rolfruit]

firstly it is absolutely distinguishable between vinyl and cd, the texture in sound is completely different. but alot of the vinyl are ruined/destroyed/lost over the years and digital versions from the mother tape (if it's still around) or re-mastered versions are often extremely good in reviving those hidden details in records that were often missed (can't be picked up unless u have a Hi-End system altogether).

[rolfruit]

I would also like to point out that the source component in any hi-fi system makes the biggest contribution in overall sound in any hi end audio, if the source component is rubbish then no matter what cables/amps/room treatment you use its still rubbish. which brings in the topic of digital decoder which that makes a world of difference. Different DACs depict your music differently. Some is less accurate than others, and Jitters & errors are common wit inferior DACs.

[silverball888]

I can't believe you guys!! Ipod don't have digital output. It is already anolog that comes out of it, thats why it goes out to the earphines. You are just wasting money buying expensive docks!! Just buy the apple dock and connect the best cable you can find to your preamp aux!! The sound depends on your system!! if you have excellent system then it will sound great!!

[dvdboulet]

I believe that the commentary on this video is in error, and this is IMPORT. The KRELL does NOT bypass the internal DAC of the iPod. Only the new WADIA docking station does that. The KRELL is just another example of overpriced high-end gear, considering that anything other than extracing the true digital bitstream cannot be considered "high end" in the slightest. NOTE: WADIA has been confirmed as the only docking station to extract the true digital musical file to bypass the iPod's internal DAC.

[rolfruit]

yes the Krell did NOT bypass the ipod int. dac but just added a class-A output circuit to enhance the sound.i then got the wadia as soon as it was released & it worked extremely well with my chord dac64 as demonstrated in several of my other videos.

thanks for pointing out the error. happy listening!

[pastryhat]

not bad. but an ipod is still an ipod. its designed more so for portable use than hi fi use. still, it is a very nice unit. i like how it uses its own digital to analog converters instead of the shitty ones in the ipod itself.

[MovieMakerKeith]

get a set of B&W 802's and join the B&W Music Club, they give out free FLAC's and more if you subscribe

[Anderskh]

Why would a true audiophile bother with this ?

I put my direct to disc LPs on CD.

This sounds too cold.

[ZacsEpicEphemera]

Thought I should thank you for introducing me to Katie Melua, Have since brought all her CD's and am really enjoying them.

[Shurbovi]

interconnect is good !!! change the AC cable please :-)

[576ito1080p]

@Shurbovi sod: AC run pure DC,and charge the battery when you have finished.but this means rebuilding the power supply in the Kid and using lead acid gell batteries with high current capacity before the regulators.But that is only some of us silly Audiophiles

[Shurbovi]

change the standart ...stuped... AC cable ...for 220 end listen the real sound ..bravo ..bravo ...good ...

[moomoo1337]

At the end of the day you're still playing MP3s, polishing turds just leaves a polished turd, still smells of shit.

Before you talk about FLAC just remember no-one sane is going to change their music collection over to it because it would be prohibitively expensive

[rolfruit]

All songs on my ipod are in apple lossless, so it is high fidelity, not compressed mp3s. people who spend this much money on a dock are mostly hi-fi enthusiasts, they know and they most certainly know what they're doing.

[moomoo1337]

So you and the other audiophiles never had any MP3s? FLAC hasn't been around that long

[rolfruit]

Well i can't speak on behalf of anyone else but myself, but i converted many of my CDs into apple lossless & have converted flac/ape/wv/wav versions i obtained "elsewhere" into apple lossless. It's the way forward! Otherwise there'll be no point in spending a fortune on an ipod interface dock for my hifi. Before i got into hifi yeah i certainly have mp3 files - when the ipod mini (4GB) came out, and ipod storage capacity was very limited, but back then i just own a logitech 2.1 so didn't care.

[marsfia]

Hello Rolfruit,

I really love the song you play in this video (2nd song with sweet voice). Could you please send it to my email: hans_studio(at)hotmail(dot)com Or kindly suggest me the name of the singer, track name, and album.

Thank you very much.

[nformby]

What a horribly crappy remote for such an amazing dock!

[rolfruit]

yeah its the same with all other Krell gear - the product is great but the remote is just pathetic, but u shud see the remote control for the wadia itransport, its alot worse than the Krell's

[576ito1080p]

@rolfruit Most clients with equipment such as this tend to own Crestron Control gear,so the remotes are just a "get u by" and not intended for day to day use.

[arturitoaav]

fk with a wilson audio that can be all that you need for live

[ghorton17]

Great Song! Does anyone know the name of the artist that's playing on this fabulous system?

[rolfruit]

it's Katie Melua.

[briarjulian]

As I use a KID connected directly into my active ATC speakers, I actually think I do know what I'm talking about - sorry old fruit. I guess you should steer clear of web research

[krellman123]

The Kid doesn't do direct digital. The D to A conversion is done within the iPod. The Wadia works completely different. The Kid simply beefs up the analog section once decoded.

[rolfruit]

yes i realised that after i made the video, in fact, i found out that certain ipods sound better than others with the kid. i looked into this product when i wanted a one-box solution to integrate ipods to audio systems. But as performance varies from ipod to ipod due to their different internal dacs, the iTransport+dac would be a better fit, which is what im using now.

[calvinblinkee]

Even through my crappy Logitech Z-5500 computer speakers those ones seem to sound amazing. What is the song called? Thanks and that is a awesome system

[rolfruit]

thx, the 1st song is Newark Wilder by Pavement, and the 2nd song is Belfast (penguins and Cats) by Katie Melua.

[zurbarab]

Does this still require a pre-amp?

[rolfruit]

Yes you will.

[briarjulian]

Sorry, but you dont. The Kid is a high quality preamp as well. Rol, you really should research your stuff before posting.

[rolfruit]

a simple web search is bollocks, its all about real world tests that counts, i actually tested this item to answer the question

technically you could yes but you wouldn't wanna- i tried, the kid is meant for the Krell papa dock which is a power amp dock specifically designed to use with the kid - thats krell marketing! in fact i know a few owners that do connect the kid to their preamp - testing tells us that the kid works better at low gain levels.