dilema as to whether to buy airport express 2012

[krish123]

As the title says I'm in a dilema whether to purchase the aex. Courrently I connect my iPod through an aux cable and I'm wondering whether the aex will actually improve the sound quality connected via analog option ?

I don't want to simply buy this product just because of the airplay function as nice as that is I wud like a sound improvement.

If anyone with any experience of the aex could comment that would be great.

 

[Tonestar1]

Hi Krish,

By streaming to the AEX you can take a optical lead into you amp hence bypassing the ipod's DAC. So assuming the DAC in your amp is of better quality than the DAC in the ipod you should get better SQ. i certainly noticed a difference.

 

[Tonestar1]

Hi Krish,

By streaming to the AEX you can take a optical lead into you amp hence bypassing the ipod's DAC. So assuming the DAC in your amp is of better quality than the DAC in the ipod you should get better SQ. i certainly noticed a difference.

 

[krish123]

the stereo amp i have now (marantzpm4200) and the one i plan to get soon (marantz pm7200) i believe do not have optical connections and therefore i would not be able to connect it this way, does that mean i wont hear any difference in sound quality?

 

[letsavit2]

The sound I get out from my APX's from apple lossless files is lets just say very good! . IMHO There worth £80 just for the fact you can sit on your sofa and play music from your phone/ipad.

 

[krish123]

how do u connect your aex to the amp?

 

[letsavit2]

Aux out, sounds as good as my CD players.

 

[letsavit2]

IMHO If you want a sound improvement look at you room acoustics, speakers and amp.

 

[krish123]

is that aux out analog rca connections? yes im in the process of upgrading my amp and speakers but dont want my source to be a limiting factor thats y i ask about the aex.

 

[letsavit2]

I use aux out from apple airport express to aux phono inputs on my amps, ie I use the apple dac, I personally see no reason to buy a separate more expensive DAC.

as as I said it matches my £800 naim CD player for sound so unless your spending say upwards of 2.5k on amp on speakers I believe the source to be more than good enough, others might disagree but I can only tell you what I hear.

 

[krish123]

Yes this is how I intend to connect the aex too. Well if it meets the standard of your 800 pound CD player that's a pretty gd effort. I may jus bite the bullet and giv it a try.

Are all of your music files 320bps quality ?

 

[letsavit2]

All my music is 192 from way back when iPods had little capacity. But new CDs I buy I do as apple lossless and 192 and keep my latest 10 albums on my ipad in lossless for hi fi play. I then use the 192's for my portable music, iPhone iPod for car etc. Still can't be bothered booting up a computer to play music so this works for me.

im old skool though, and still play mostly CDs and vinyl, I bought an APX for convince but have been so impressed with the sound quality the above( ie the lossless albums on my ipad) I do now consider it as a main source, especially when I'm feeling lazy and can't be bothered leaving the sofa to change the CD, turn a record over etc.

 

[Rethep]

I don't think you should buy an AEX for soundimprovement! Look at this review which judges the (very good) quality of an iPhone 5 analog out. It will be valid for other iPhones and iPods, i think.

iPhone 5 Audio Quality Measurements

I use an AEX too, and even AAC's (256 kbit) from iTunes, sound wonderful. But the nicest thing is the wifi it gives me!

Good luck!