NuForce has rolled out its new Icon iDo digital audio converter (DAC) and headphone amplifier for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. The iDo is designed to greatly improve the quality of audio being delivered from the device—especially in the case of Apple Lossless files—by bypassing the device’s built-in DAC and extracting the audio data in its original digital form. It requires a 30-pin connection to the device, as well as a power connection for its own power supply, and gives users the choice of connecting the iDo to a home stereo system using RCA analog or coaxial digital output or listening via headphones connected directly to the device. In addition, as it offers its own headphone amplifier, it is capable of properly driving more power-hungry headsets than the device alone. NuForce’s Icon iDo is available now and sells for $249.
