Change in Hifi (Spotify) setup

MrMorris

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Hi all,

I hope i'm posting in the right place (New to the forum) and that you guys can help me out. O yeah, besides please don't mind my English, I'm from the other side of the North Sea > The Netherlands, don't get confused by my name :)

To start with, this is my system:

Marantz pm 6005 / MA BX5 / Rega RP1 - Grado Blue / Technics cassette

Next to the records I'm listening, I'm also a huge spotify fan and listen a lot of its music on via my home system. Unfortunately the optical out of my MacBook Pro no longer works ($&@#%!) and I have to find a solution.

1) sell my MBP and find myself a new one, fixing is too expensive! (expensive option)

2) get myself an Airport Express and link it with an optical cable to the Marantz and stream Spotify from my MBP to the AE into the Marantz (quality loss? Or does this not matter with the 320kbps quality of spotify)

3) get a USB to optical converter (quality loss?)

What do you guys think?

thanks!

Maurice
 

Luke Kenobi

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I use
Musical Fidelity V-Link II Asynchronous USB to Coax / Optical Converter into a DAC and there is definitely no loss in audio quality, IMO it preserves the bit rate quality from Spotify. You have Spotify Premium I presume?
 

unsleepable

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I would recommend the Airport Express. There is no quality loss at all up to CD resolution. If you go this path, I'd suggest you get the first-generation 802.11n model, which is the previous to the current one, as it is known to introduce the least jitter. Or an Apple TV, which can also be used without connecting a screen and would work equally well as you already have a DAC.

But just in case you also use your computer to play games or watch movies, take into account that the Airport Express introduces a bit of delay in the sound in order to be able to buffer. So it's not good for anything but music, really.
 

iceman16

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Overdose said:
A new Airport Express is by far your best option.

[/quote

Overdose

I know you've been suggesting Airport xpress many times.. Honestly I have'nt tried it . would you think It would make at least please me? Im looking for a simple solution to my bedroom.. :cheers:
 

MrMorris

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Hi Luke,
Looks great, but the option is a bit to expensive I would say, especially when I can go for a second hand AE which cost only 30 pound or so.
(Btw, I do like Musical Fidelity, I have a MF V-LPS between my RP1 and Marantz, sounds much better then the build-in phonostage! )
 

MrMorris

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Thanks all for the replies. Time to pick up this thread after the glorious game of last evening :rofl:

Buying an AE (previous version) seems to be the best option.
One remark, I will then have to replace my Airport Extreme probably?

I can't get my internet connection via Wifi from the Airport Extreme and at the same time stream my music to the Airport Epress via Wifi I would say?

@ Luke, I indeed have a Spotify Premium account.
 

gwynne61

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May be worth having a look at one of these, about £35 from ebay or Amazon, being using one for 2 months streamong Spotify premium from a variety of rooted Android devices to a DacMagic via optical. Very good quality.

http://digifunkelectronics.wordpress.com/
 

unsleepable

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MrMorris said:
One remark, I will then have to replace my Airport Extreme probably?

I can't get my internet connection via Wifi from the Airport Extreme and at the same time stream my music to the Airport Epress via Wifi I would say?

Unless you have a disk connected to your Airport Extreme, or are using several ethernet ports, you will probably be able to replace it with the Express. You don't have to anyways—you can configure the Express as another client in your current wireless network, and it can also extend the network working as an access point.
 

unsleepable

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MrMorris said:
Now also checking the Apple TV option. What do you guys say, Apple TV or AE?

I would say it is a matter of functionality, really. The Airport Express has an internal DAC that is not bad at all, so you will be able to use it with another amplifier without optical inputs, for example. Also, it can work as a wireless access point itself.

On the other hand, in the future you may want to use the Apple TV actually connected to a TV, and you will be able to play content or mirror the screen of your computer, for example. It doesn't have an internal DAC, though, and it can only connect to the network as a client—it can't create a network. Also, it works with a bit wider audio frequency, 48KHz, which is the standard for DVDs—but probably utterly unimportant for music.
 

MrMorris

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Got myself a older 802.11 AE. Guess what?
The Mavericks system and it's airport utility does not allow this old version and removing Airport Utility and installing an older version is not possible.

Now have done the setup with another MB with Mountion Lion, can connect with my phone now but not with my MBP. GRRRR

Perhaps returning the AE and get a new version?

UPDATE:

Issue solved > http://coreyjmahler.com/2013/10/24/airport-utility-5-6-1-on-os-x-10-9-mavericks/
 

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