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Finally someone is offering an iPod mod! Red Wine Audio, mod-masters of such outstanding products as the Squeeze Box Mod, Clari-T Amp and USB Select give us the new iMod for your iPod which takes your iPod into certified audiophile territory.
The mod includes replacing the line-out (previously through the dock on the bottom of your iPod) and the low quality parts in the signal path with wicked Black Gate capacitors connected between the excellent Wolfson DAC and a new high-quality 1/8" jack. But that's only the beginning -- check out the website for all the additional changes.
And like the previous line-out on the iPod, volume is constant so you won't be connecting these directly to your headphones. Rather, this mod is for those with outboard headphone amps like the Emmeline SR-71 or through your normal stereo rig. The regular headphone jack is still operational for those that want to use the iPod's internal volume.
Speaking with Vinnie Rossi of Red Wine, he claims the sonic improvements are awesome. We've known the iPod is capable of some serious sonic power since back at CES 04 when Wilson Audio (scroll down for a post on them) used an iPod as a source with their Sofias to blow the B&W 800 (if I remember the events correctly) out of the water in a direct comparison. Red Wine's list of improvements on the iPod runs the spectrum from better bass and dynamics to treble extension and transparency. If their other mods are any hint, expect the iMod to be a knockout.
Price for the iMod is $249 plus $15 for return shipping. $79 gets you a 3 foot length of 1/8" to RCA connectors made from DH Labs Silver Sonic Cabling (the same cable inside the iMod and just some of the best budget cable out there). Also, being masters of all things battery powered, Red Wine will change your iPod battery free of charge with your iMod!
