I fully follow what y'all are saying about the sound degradation by using the aux inputs, but i can not see it being that big of a degradation where you will actually HEAR a difference. I would like to know if someone can test this theory on a system where they have the ipod hooked through the data cable then hook it through aux inputs on the SAME system and see if there is any audible difference. my money is on No Audible Difference.

In my opinion, it is worth the extra time and effort of locating an authorized eclipse dealer to get an eclipse headunit. the build quality is outstanding, very solid. the components they use are audiophile grade circuitry. they made some ergonomic improvements on the new model. Eclipse is one of those companies that focuses on top-quality over bells-and-whistles.