# [Nomex suit ON] Adding a DAC to a Bose SoundDock 10?



## devgru

Received a SoundDock 10 as a gift from a client.... is there any way to link a DAC to this thing? omg, so much boomy bass.


----------



## obobskivich

Doesn't look like it - you get video out and USB input, and it can stream via Bluetooth. This is all based on the Bose website.  



What would adding a DtoA get you? To use it as a pure dock? :confused_face(1):

Anyways, best advice: Bose products are generally popular and hold their value well, if you aren't happy with it, and if you don't have a gift receipt associated with it, I'd just sell it. You can probably get a fair price and find someone who wants it relatively easily (try Craigslist or something like that).


----------



## devgru

I was thinking it would perhaps bypass the internal DSP. The thing is growing on me a bit. I have some 8020 Genelecs with the matching sub on my desk at home and the comparison is actually not terrible, but I think my son is getting an early xmas gift. He just started undergrad so he'll be thrilled. 
   
  Thanks obo.


----------



## devgru

I've seen pics of the woofer on this thing, and the surround is huge, so it muse have a huge throw. It sounds like a mini JL sub. Resisted the urge to keep it as a gym device. Have just sent my son an email and he's expecting me to overnight it to Palo Alto.


----------



## obobskivich

devgru said:


> I was thinking it would perhaps bypass the internal DSP. The thing is growing on me a bit. I have some 8020 Genelecs with the matching sub on my desk at home and the comparison is actually not terrible, but I think my son is getting an early xmas gift. He just started undergrad so he'll be thrilled.
> 
> Thanks obo.




I highly doubt it's DSP that's giving you the bass response you're hearing, at least all by itself (and in general I wouldn't suggest bypassing the EQ/DSP on a device like this). Bose speakers/etc rely on all sorts of exotic box alignments - this one is probably a folded horn or t-line (like a lot of their other shelf system designs), and the bass response is probably partly due to that. It means more extension, but at the cost of higher distortion (especially compared to something like a studio monitor). 



devgru said:


> I've seen pics of the woofer on this thing, and the surround is huge, so it muse have a huge throw. It sounds like a mini JL sub. Resisted the urge to keep it as a gym device. Have just sent my son an email and he's expecting me to overnight it to Palo Alto.




Generally the Bose drivers are pretty hardy for what they are. They have to be able to survive the boxes they're put into. 

I think re-gifting is a fine idea for this thing as well! I actually (ironically) came across one of these things a day or so ago, and figured I'd try it out. I don't think they're super-boomy, but they certainly aren't "flat" in terms of their presentation. I wouldn'tve believed they cost $600 unless I'd seen it with my own eyes though - $300-$400 maybe, but $600 seems a bit much. For the size and features it doesn't sound bad, but $600 is getting into legitimate shelf system territory.


----------



## devgru

Haha. I surprised my son at school with the Bose. He's chained it... MBP -> RME Babyface -> 1/4 TRS to Y connection 1/8 TRS -> aux in on the Sounddock. He's certain the SQ is much improved. Obob, would the DAC into the aux in bypass the DSP? Could there be an improvement in SQ?


----------



## obobskivich

It bypasses the internal D/A but it might take LOD from the ipod to begin with. Any downstream from that is probably the same since it will use the same gain and tone adjustment sections and equivalent attenutation. It may be placement related that it sounds better, or you've beaten an iPod for signal quality. You aren't bypassing the speaker or its housing and that filtering.


----------



## devgru

Quote: 





obobskivich said:


> It bypasses the internal D/A but it might take LOD from the ipod to begin with. Any downstream from that is probably the same since it will use the same gain and tone adjustment sections and equivalent attenutation. It may be placement related that it sounds better, or you've beaten an iPod for signal quality. You aren't bypassing the speaker or its housing and that filtering.


 

 Hey thanks. He's comparing the headphone out of the MBP to aux in vs. the MBP -> RME -> aux in and is convinced it's better. Of course it's a $750 interface he needs to find a use for beyond headphone listening. He says the SQ is much better than the IP4 docked.


----------



## obobskivich

I would be somewhat skeptical of the MBP vs RME comparison. The RME might just be hotter. But either of those vs the iPhone is probably more fair to consider, especially if the Bose dock is only pulling LOD from the iDevice (or uses super-super-super cheap DtoA internally).


----------



## killajoules

Apologies for reviving an old thread though my question is similar to the OP - too much boomy bass which is upsetting the neighbours.
  
 It is connected to an Airport Express via the aux input and music is streamed from from iPhones and MacBooks.
  
 Is there a simple device that can be placed between the Airport Express and Bose SoundDock 10 to turn the (sub)bass down? I've tried adjusting the EQ settings in iTunes which helps a little but doesn't get the results I'm after.
  
 Any advice or recommendations of products would be greatly appreciated.
  
 Cheers


----------

