airport express

[Anonymous]

How's the (Chord Optichord) perform any good?

 

[axman]

DavieCee:

Actually, if you had quoted my entire post you would have seen that this is exactly what I was suggesting

Ok, maybe I was confused. You did suggest this in your second sentence (in brackets), but in the last bit that I quoted, you said to go RCA if waiting on a separate DAC. I am just saying that even if you wait on seperate DAC, you can go optical already.

Sorry if I have added to the confusion.

 

[professorhat]

axman:I am just saying that even if you wait on seperate DAC, you can go optical already.

Yes, but only if the stereo amp has a built-in DAC. Which is unlikely in the £500 budget the OP is looking at.

 

[professorhat]

Daniel 1:How's the (Chord Optichord) perform any good?

Looks good - 5 star rating from WHF according to manufacturer's website.

If using with the AE though, you'd also need one of these to allow it to plug in to the 3.5mm input.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry I am right to think you have to have a amp with a built in dac in order to use a optical cable though the airport express! Unless of course you use a separate dac with the amp?

 

[iMark]

Yes. Not many stereo amps have a digital input and a DAC. That's why a lot of people buy a separate DAC to connect to their amp. I bought a Cambridge Audio DACMagic this year and connected it to my 10 year old stereo receiver. Most of our CD's our now ripped to Apple Lossless and we play them from a MacBook through an Airport Express to the DAC.

If you get extra software like Airfoil you can play any sound from your computer to the DAC. Works great for Spotify and iPlayer radio.

 

[Anonymous]

The Airport Express has a built-in DAC you can use.

 

[professorhat]

Grottyash:The Airport Express has a built-in DAC you can use.

Yes, as explained in my (admittedly rather long) post on the previous page.

 

[adp72uk]

Having just read your thread I thought I'd throw my hat into the ring!

I've just invested in two airport expresses, the first feeds my AV amp (Denon 1911) via an optical cable and the second my hi fi amp (Rotel RA-02) via a 3.5 to RCA cable.

I realise that AV amps are not really designed for music and that the different makes of speakers on both systems make a difference but I find the hi fi with the analogue connection sounds best. Even low bit rate stuff sounds brilliant.

Obviously what you perceive as sounding great is very subjective and my hearing might be a bit shot from years of scuba diving and hundreds of gigs but I guess my point is try the cheaper option first and stick with what sounds good to you.

 

[professorhat]

adp72uk:I've just invested in two airport expresses, the first feeds my AV amp (Denon 1911) via an optical cable and the second my hi fi amp (Rotel RA-02) via a 3.5 to RCA cable.
I realise that AV amps are not really designed for music and that the different makes of speakers on both systems make a difference but I find the hi fi with the analogue connection sounds best. Even low bit rate stuff sounds brilliant.

As you say, the difference in the systems is going to make the major difference - I would definitely hope your Rotel stereo amp would perform better than the Denon in that scenario! However, you could put an external DAC in the stereo setup to further improve performance if so desired.adp72uk:Obviously what you perceive as sounding great is very subjective and my hearing might be a bit shot from years of scuba diving and hundreds of gigs but I guess my point is try the cheaper option first and stick with what sounds good to you.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[iMark]

Of course I know that. But the built-in DAC of the AEX is by no means a champion performer. Using an external DAC greatly improves the performance in my setup.

 

[Anonymous]

At the of the day it's always down to your own ear some cheaper option might sound better to you!