Advice for Solo amp?

Please excuse my non-tech brain, but please can I ask for some advice?:

(I am disabled and have to lay flat on my bed in the bedroom, so I rely on my Classic 160GB to listen to music.).

I bought the Solo/PSU1 last week, from the GS website, in preparation for the arrival of a pair of Sennheiser HD800s and a Wadia 170i iPod Dock from a different on-line source.

However, when I rang to check on delivery this morning, I asked about the connection from the Wadia to the Solo amp:
- Digital Output: 1 S/PDIF Coax (RCA)
- Analog Outputs: 1 pair of Unbalanced (RCA)

As you know the Solo has two analogue inputs so the 'Digital Output' won't be any use (or will it?). And surely taking the analogue output defeats the object of using the Wadia?

The advice I was given was to buy yet another unit, a DAC.

Wadia has a complementary unit, the 151PowerDAC (including amp), so I ordered that. But, looking at the 'Outputs' there is no headphone socket! This means there will be three separate units from the iPod to the headphones.

It is becoming very complicated. All I want to do is use the convenience of the iPod (bypassing its internal hardware) and the quality of the HD800s.

With the above info, can you suggest a simpler solution? (I have already paid for the HD800s, Solo, and Wadia dock).

TIA.

Roy P

Many thanks for your comprehensive response, Miguel. Is this:

http://www.psaudio.com/ps/products/detail/digital-link-3-dac

the unit you mention in your post?

Yes, I did consider the 'elegant' solution you describe above, but, again, it requires a lot of setting up from my Mac downstairs. If I hadn't have already purchased the Wadia 170i I'd have jumped right in, and looked into it further.

Last week when I was advised to get a DAC I had to Google the word because I didn't know what it meant -- that's how woefully ignorant I am! However, I'm slowly learning more and more, but the problem with that is ignorance is bliss in my case :) I'm now getting drawn in to your bloody expensive world!!

Roy P

The Cambridge Audio DacMagic available at Richer Sounds gets some good reviews and is cheaper than the PS Dac and even cheaper still is the Music Fidelity VDAC (Internet price) at SuperFi.


Edited by ServerBaboon - 12 Nov 2009 at 11:56am

Again, many thanks for the replies!

The headphones and Wadia dock arrived yesterday. Yes, Graham, I was told the Wadia had only a Digital out, but it *does* have a Analogue out. Misinformation!

Anyway, I connected everything up -- Wadia to Solo to HD800s, but now I have another unforeseen problem: the Solo seems not to be powerful enough to drive the headphones. I have to turn up the Solo's volume to Max to get a reasonable sound, but not enough for my listening prefs!

Certainly, when I plug the headphones into my Yamaha DSP AX750 downstairs even at half volume it's too loud, so there's nothing wrong with the headphones.

Now, the question is, will a DAC make the above situation any better?

Roy P

PS. Should I move this conversation to another forum thread?

Edited by RoyP - 13 Nov 2009 at 2:56pm