Onkyo's iPod-lovin' ND-S1 digital media transport gets reviewed

Back in late July, we weren't aware of when Onkyo's fancy ND-S1 iPod dock would ship. Now, we're not only certain that the £144 ($235) digital media transport is shipping across the pond, but we've stumbled upon a critique for those wondering if such an outlay is justified. After slamming their iPod touch into the device and connecting it to their reference speaker system, they came away duly impressed; in practically every scenario, using the external DAC in this box led to clearer, more precise audio compared to signals coming straight out of the iPod. In fact, reviewers went so far as to call this unit "peerless," though they did mention that it's really only good for those already satisfied with their existing speaker setuip. Of course, you could just opt for an audiophile-approved media player, but then you wouldn't be able to experience the joy and elation that comes with relying on iTunes. Right?

[David Susilo Posted Nov 3rd 2009 4:59PM]

"using the external DAC in this box"

There is no DAC in this box. This box just allows the user to extract raw digital data from his/her iPod/iPhone and use an external DAC such as Cambridge Audio DAC Magic.