Are all Airport Express devices the same?

[admin_exported]

Borrowed a 4/5 yr old airport express from a mate to partner with a DacMagic as part of a lossless streaming system. At first the convenience of computer based music was a revelation, but now I find myself listening to CDs pretty much all the time, as the difference in sound quality is too annoyiny (CD player is waaaay better).

Thing is the CD player through the DAC is miles better than the Airport express into the DAC - which leaves me thinking there's an issue with the source. In fact, USB from laptop into Dacmagic is only marginally inferior to the CD.

Question is, are the newer Airport expresses exactly the same as the old ones? Is there another streaming setup I could support which will give me same/similar quality as CD but with convenience of iTunes?

 

[matengawhat]

are all your cds saved as lossless?

try the squeezbox classic - great audio streamer especially when run through a good qual dac

 

[Anonymous]

ddias, a few questions:

1. how do you stream music to the AE, wireless G or N or N1?

2. how do you connect the AE to DAC - Optical or phono?

 

[Anonymous]

AKL, the type of wireless network won't make a difference as long as reception is good, and, if it isn't, you won't mistake the dropouts. I think the OP is using the AE into a dacmagic, but, if not, then you're right, the DAC on the AE is only OK..

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Tarquinh, yes I understand the type of wireless network should not matter if no drop-outs, I asked the question just in case the OP has experienced drop-outs as part of his dissatisfaction. (I had drop-outs until I switched to N wireless). The OP may not be bypassing AE's internal DAC via optical lead into DAC, which could explain things.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't experience dropouts from the wireless network really.

All CDs are apple lossless encoded

Using the supplied Monster TOSlink from AE TO DacMagic.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, the AE is meant to produce bit perfect copies of what gets streamed so theoretically it sound as good as the original. It is an old AE, especially since they have a reputation for not lasting long, but that shouldn't make any difference.

Of course, it could be a problem with the optical input of the Dacmagic.

 

[Anonymous]

I personally can find little difference between USB/DAC and AE/DAC in my set up. If in your set up, USB into DACMagic is much better than AE/DAC, the problem seems to lie with the AE, or the optical lead, or the optical input of the DAC. I think you have a Macbook don't you ddias? If so, you should have optical audio output from your headphone socket, try connecting the Mac to the DAC using the optical lead. If there is an improvement, then the AE is the culprit. If no improvement, then the DAC optical input may be faulty. But also try a different optical lead to eliminate that too. Go on Sherlock!

 

[Anonymous]

AKL:
I personally can find little difference between USB/DAC and AE/DAC in my set up. If in your set up, USB into DACMagic is much better than AE/DAC, the problem seems to lie with the AE, or the optical lead, or the optical input of the DAC. I think you have a Macbook don't you ddias? If so, you should have optical audio output from your headphone socket, try connecting the Mac to the DAC using the optical lead. If there is an improvement, then the AE is the culprit. If no improvement, then the DAC optical input may be faulty. But also try a different optical lead to eliminate that too. Go on Sherlock!

Macbook Pro... will try that.

Where can i can get AE to Dac optical lead other than the one supplied?

D

 

[Anonymous]

sounds worse from out the digital out on my Macbook Pro!!!!!

 

[Anonymous]

That tends to rule out the AE and point the finger at the Dacmagic optical in. Did you change cables, by the way? It's unlikely to be that, but you never know.

 

[Anonymous]

trying a newer cable... will let you know

 

[Anonymous]

ddias:sounds worse from out the digital out on my Macbook Pro!!!!!

Just checking you did use an optical cable from MBP to DAC, instead of 3.5mm headphone to phono leads? If yes, then I don't understand why MBP/DAC that should be worse than AE/DAC... should be about the same if there is nothing wrong with either the AE or MBP

The plot thickens!