Digital Music - wired or wireless???

[admin_exported]

I'm planning on buying a Cambridge Audio 640A Amplifier, with some Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 speakers. I am going to play my itunes on my macbook pro through this hifi set up. To improve the sound quality I am going to buy the Beresford TC-7510 DAC for between the macbook and the 640A. However, I am unsure as to what the best set up would be - should I use an Airport express and stream my music to the DAC, or should I connect it with wires (which cables would I have to use for this). What would the difference in sound quality be? Obviously the airport express would be better based on that I could have my macbook anywhere in the room, and there would be less wires - but which would sound best, and would there be a huge difference between the two?

Also, please could you comment on the set up (amp and speakers - will this be a good match?; are there any other amps and speakers that are better (simular price range) and that would perhaps be better suited together? Do any of you have any experience with this set up?

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Anonymous]

As for using a wired connection (both the DAC and MacBook Pro have an optical digital connection so that would be the best wired connection) or wireless using an Airport Express (which also has an optical out and the best sound will be achieved likewise using its optical out) it will make no difference. Both methods keep the sound in the digital domain until the DAC does its thing, how the music gets to the DAC makes no difference, the biggest difference will come in the quality of the DAC and I know precious little about the Beresford model as I have different ones, but others on the forum seem to like it.

As for the amp/speakers match, I don't have either so will let people that do comment on the specific performance. I will say though, that whilst they both have good reviews on What HiFi my first reaction is that the amp is capable of more than the admittely excellent budget Wharfedale speakers - the good news is that it will give you room to grow though.

 

[John Duncan]

Agreed, Airport Express and Macbook will sound the same, just depends on whether you want to spend 70 quid on being untethered (personally I did). Note that Airport Express limits you to using iTunes as a source, so if you want to stream anything else (like BBC radio off the net) you need to get Airfoil, which is $25 last time I looked.

Other parts of your system look great, though I have a personal preference for the Rotel RA-04 (and some of the budget NADs) paired with the Diamonds at that price. Other speaker options to consider if you fancy it are Mordaunt Short MS902i (at least Cambridge like them), Q Acoustic 1010i and Tannoy Mercury F1s - you may find better deals on these than the Diamonds, with little discernible detriment to sound.

 

[Anonymous]

I always thought there would be little difference between wired or wireless connections as regards sound quality but there was in my setup. When I switched to wired from wireless for my Squeezebox Duet receiver I noticed a big difference in the sound. Luckily I liked the difference so I have stuck with wired. In your case you won't actually have less wires if you use an Airport Express because you still need a wire from that to the DAC. As for the Diamond 9.1/640A combo I don't know about the 640A but I have the Diamonds and I like them a lot. As the mags always say they sound much better on stands.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi All - I am planning to do something similar in the future, I am hoping to use an iMac as my source, going directly into something like the ADM 9.1's (Probably 9.2's by the time I can afford this - Recession n'all)

The way in which this is similar is that my iMac will be across the other side of the room to the speakers, I could go wireless and stream to them via an Airport Express, although my preference is wired, my concern is that a 10m Optical cable could mean signal degredation. Does anyone know if a 10m optical is a good/bad idea?

The reason for the distance is that I would like to use the ADM 9.1's for Movies and TV as well so they need to be either side of my Plasma.

 

[Anonymous]

Distance won't be a problem, but finding an optical cable with the required connection one end for the mac might be.ÿ

 

[lordmortlock]

Its just a mini toslink jack isnt it? They are only a couple of quid from stanley beresford

 

[Anonymous]

Its a mini to regular lead, which is easy to find in shorter lengths but I am after 10m.

Would a regular 10m optical cable be OK if I used an adapter at one end to make it a mini connection?

 

[professorhat]

No reason why not.

ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

mcd said that my amp (cambridge Audio 640A) deserved better speakers than the wharfedale 9.1's - d'you reckon it would be better to have some better quality speakers? Would the Monitor Audio Bronze BR2 speakers be better than the 9.1's to go with my 640A?

I can get a pair of the Bronze BR2's for £170.

Should I get these or the 9.1's for £110?

Please help!!!!!!!!!

 

[John Duncan]

I think you might regret the BR2's with the Cambridge - might be a bit too 'full on' in the treble - though you may disagree on hearing. The 9.1s are great speakers, specially at £110.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks John - are there any other speakers that you would suggest to go with the 640A???

And are there any other good amplifiers that you would suggest instead of the 650A???

 

[John Duncan]

Can't speak for the 650A yet (apart from ooo shiny), but my recommendations for amps and speakers further up the page still stand - Rotel or NAD, Tannoy/Q Acoustics/Mordaunt Short. Impossible to compare all combinations though, with the Cambridge being Richer-specific.