No idea - help required.

[psurquhart]

Right here goes, might be the wrong forum but here goes anyway.

Need advice, not technically minded so please keep it simple.

I have a Sony DA5400ES av amp, I also own an iphone 3gs / use itunes as my cd collection of choice.

My cd collection is all on itunes using a ( was top of the range, I must be mad ) VAIO VGN-AW11Z bought like everything second hand pc.

I want to get the best audiophile playback of my cd collection but have no idea what I should be doing to achieve this ( I am rapidly approaching 40!!! ).

Have looked and asked about the digital media port - ip50 thing I think - on this forum but nobody seems to know much about it or cares to answer. Is 50 ish quid, which seems alot for an adaptor that nobody seems to know much about, so im a bit clueless on this still.

Do I

A : Use the Optical Out on my VAIO to link it to my amp ? Not my favourable option as its bulky and will look messy.

Or B : My ideal option - pay the fifty quid for the Digital Media Port made by Sony ?

C : Put me out of my misery and help me out if theirs a better option ?

Doubts in my mind are as follows - Interested in the DAC route but dont really understand it all. Are the dacs in my av amp up to the job ? Why would I need to buy an external dac if the amp already has them ? Not financially able to spend loads at mo - but 50 0dd quid is not an issue so will it do for now ? Is their an easier answer ?

Please help.

 

[psurquhart]

No idea - help required.

Right here goes, might be the wrong forum but here goes anyway.

Need advice, not technically minded so please keep it simple.

I have a Sony DA5400ES av amp, I also own an iphone 3gs / use itunes as my cd collection of choice.

My cd collection is all on itunes using a ( was top of the range, I must be mad ) VAIO VGN-AW11Z bought like everything second hand pc.

I want to get the best audiophile playback of my cd collection but have no idea what I should be doing to achieve this ( I am rapidly approaching 40!!! ).

Have looked and asked about the digital media port - ip50 thing I think - on this forum but nobody seems to know much about it or cares to answer. Is 50 ish quid, which seems alot for an adaptor that nobody seems to know much about, so im a bit clueless on this still.

Do I

A : Use the Optical Out on my VAIO to link it to my amp ? Not my favourable option as its bulky and will look messy.

Or B : My ideal option - pay the fifty quid for the Digital Media Port made by Sony ?

C : Put me out of my misery and help me out if theirs a better option ?

Doubts in my mind are as follows - Interested in the DAC route but dont really understand it all. Are the dacs in my av amp up to the job ? Why would I need to buy an external dac if the amp already has them ? Not financially able to spend loads at mo - but 50 0dd quid is not an issue so will it do for now ? Is their an easier answer ?

Please help.

 

[Binman]

I would put these three options to you in order of price.

1. Optical out of your PC to the amp. Cheap, but may be a pain to site the PC next to amp. You can use your iPhone as remote.

2. Buy an Apple Airport Express, and connect it to your amp. You can then wirelessly stream your iTunes to your amp, using iPhone as a remote.

3. Buy a Logitech Squeezebox and connect this to the amp. You can then wirelessley stream your music to the amp using the bundled software. This option gives you a lot more flexibility with file types and internet radio.

I have a squeezebox and love it, but it can be a little high maintenance if it throws a wobbly. I think the best option for you would be the Apple Airport Express. Its cheapish, and will work very well with your iTunes/iPhone set up.

DAC - CD players, PC's, DVD Players all have inbuilt DACs. However, external DAC's can be of better quality than some inbuilt dacs, so may improve the sound of the source. Think of it as an upgrade rather than a necessity.

PS - you may get more responses if you put this post in the Wifi section, and change the title to be a bit more descriptive.

 

[psurquhart]

Thank you Binman.

Have been reading alot about the Airport Express with interest so will have to face my fear of technofobia and read a bit more.

Thanks for the tip off on wi fi forum, have - probably annoying the masses - put it onto the home cinema forum too, again obviously the wrong area but hey ho, the more advice the better.

Have got greying hair !

 

[John Duncan]

An Airport Express would be a quick and high-quality solution at not too much over budget at about £75. It has an optical out which can feed one of the inputs on your Sony, taking advantage of its DACs, which will be of better quality than the Airport's.

You can use your iPhone as the remote for iTunes, which works brilliantly well.

 

[John Duncan]

Ooo jinx - just posted the AE suggestion on your other thread...

 

[psurquhart]

Cheers too J D.

And a special thanks for your blog on the Sony 370 Blu Ray - was enough to convince me and I have never been happier.

 

[psurquhart]

Thanks John, read your other post too, thanks for the double advice.

So..... is it really easy to set up ? As already mentioned, Im a bit technophobic, not that bad, know what I want but dont always understand.

Can you enlighten me a bit more ? And yes I know its prob not in the right forum so bear with me.

 

[John Duncan]

Ooo somebody read it?!!? o/

Great, isn't it...?

 

[psurquhart]

Certainly is - quite informative and reminded me a bit of me so thanks.

I know its getting a bit complicated ( and I promise not to answer back on this MP3/MP4 forum ) but can you please read my ( and answer if you can be bothered ) - Home Cinema forum post ?

Over and out !