Cables to airport express

[bay24]

Hi all,
it looks like I may hav to connect my AE wired to my hifi so I was wondering what would be better long optical cable from AE to hifi or long Ethernet cable from router to AE? I know that people have suggested that long runs of cable can effect sound quality. The long runs will be between 3-5 metres.

 

[Anonymous]

No problems whatsoever with digital signals at this length. You can use any Cat5e cable, and any TOSlink to optical minijack cable. I don't know all makes of TOSlink/minijack cables of this length -- but I've got the Proel OMPFLU5 myself, and it's very solid and relatively cheap.

Buy your cables from shops that sells computers and professional sound equipment. Their cables are usually much cheaper than the ones you'll get in a hi-fi store, and you're sure to get quality; not mumbo-jumbo.

 

[bay24]

thats good to hear, I have seen the true colours award winner for £45 for 5 metres or the atlas fibre optic for £54 are either of these a good price? It does not have a minijack conector but I have an toslink to minijack adaptor that I got from maplins which should do the trick.
Would it be better to use a long optical or a long ethernet cable?

 

[professorhat]

Personally I'd go for a long ethernet cable and get a shorter decent optical cable.

 

[bay24]

Thanks professorhat,

I have a QED performance optial lead which i think is good enough but was worried that a long ethernet lead would effect the sound.

I was not sure if this should be on here or the computer based music forum but if I want to make my AE a wired connection from a wireless one which (I have at the moment) do I need to do anything like change the settings in airport utility or can I just plug the lead in to the router and AE and it should work? I am not great with computers and don't want to break it.

 

[professorhat]

I think all you need to do is go into the AirPort Utility, select the Music tab of your Airport and tick the box to Enable AirTunes over Ethernet. Have to admit I don't run it that way myself but I think that's all you need.