"high end" iPod docks

I am trawling the web trying to find information on iPod docks that I can connect via RCAs to my Integrated valve amp. It seems to me that there is no information that clearly confirms that what these docks are doing is taking digital signal from ipod and using their own da converters before sending out analog signal. If these docks are using the iPod da converters isn't this defeating the purpose a bit. I have looked at pro ject, wadia and denon. Even the wadia, which appears to be the most acclaimed,is really only a digital conduit, that takes digital data to your amplifier which then must do the da conversion. Please, does anyone know of a dock that does a quality da conversion? Thanks

 

The Wadia's DA stage isn't too awful, actually: you might be confusing it with the Onkyo NDS1 is digital pass-thru only. There is also the Fiio E7 for better off-board conversion. Apart from the Krell KID, I think that's the full list of devices currently available that can extract digital from the iPod.

 

Gaza,

I have been helping a mate look for a similar dock. I heard the Wadia at a show and it sounded quite good. My friend will be trying out the Denon tomorrow and I will go with him to see how it sounds. In his case the dock's digital signal will go through a Tag Mclaren dacs.

I'll let you know the outcome of the demo.

Cheers
Al