Play iPhone & iPad on Arcam A19

[gwalker]

Been thinking about buying a Bluetooth audio receiver to send music from iPhone/iPad to Arcam A19 amp. Is this the best way to do it ?

 

[Al ears]

Been thinking about buying a Bluetooth audio receiver to send music from iPhone/iPad to Arcam A19 amp. Is this the best way to do it ?

I think it's about the only way to do it. 🙂

No doubt someone will be along in a while to prove me wrong.

If so something like QED Uplay might suffice.

 

[Leeps]

Depends what you mean by 'best'.

Apple devices don't support the higher quality "Apt X" Bluetooth, possibly because most of Apple's efforts favour Airplay for music or video streaming. If you have decent wifi, then some kind of Airplay option would be of a higher (CD) quality than Bluetooth. However, ir does depend precisely what you wish to stream.

If you're streaming Spotify for example (and your router is close to your system), you can get one of many devices that offer Spotify Connect, so the music is pulled directly through the ethernet cable and your iDevice operates purely as a remote.

So there are a number of ways to skin this particular cat. Much depends on 1) Your wifi network's quality 2) How close your router is to your system and 3) what music do you want to stream: is it downloaded or streamed from a music subscription service of some sort?

If you're able to elaborate on your set up and what you're after, we could begin to offer more specific recommendations. Also do you have a budget in mind?

 

[davedotco]

Airplay via Airport Express would be preferable in this instance, primarily due to the generally low quality of the Bluetooth implementation in iThings.

The AEX does require a network connection, preferably wired. It is possible to set up an AEX with a temporary connection, whch can be removed once setup is complete. If this is an issue their are inexpensive non network airplay-like devices from suppliers such as Neet.

Finally, there is the possibility of a wired option, but well specified docking stations, the best solution, are now quite rare. Depends on your iThing connections too.

 

[gwalker]

would be mainly playing music that's on the phone. We have good wifi throughtout the house. Budget of around £100.

 

[davedotco]

would be mainly playing music that's on the phone. We have good wifi throughtout the house. Budget of around £100.

Definitly an AEX then. Use the analogue outs straight into the Arcam. At a later stage, look at the possibility of adding a better dac or dac headphone amp should that interest you.

 

[Al ears]

would be mainly playing music that's on the phone. We have good wifi throughtout the house. Budget of around £100.

Definitly an AEX then. Use the analogue outs straight into the Arcam. At a later stage, look at the possibility of adding a better dac or dac headphone amp should that interest you.

Excuse me for being ignorant of things Apple but where exactly are the analogue outs on an AEX?

There don't appear to be any on the one I'm looking at t, unless it's that small hole bottom right rear.

Certainly no phonos which is why I didn't mention it.

 

[davedotco]

The AEX has the now standard Apple mini-jack/mini-Toslink connector.

All you need is a mini-jack to two phono cable. The dac is pretty decent so a dac upgrade would need to be substantial cost wise.

Word of caution, for no apparent reason Apple have set the analogue output to 1 volt, not the more usual 2 volts of most dacs. Unless you correct for that, A/B comparisons tend to favour the outboard dac.

 

[radiorog]

Wouldn't a decent Bluetooth receiver suffice, such as an r blink, or Harman kardon bta 10? The HK uses its own high quality Bluetooth, and not aptx.

 

[manicm]

If you have an iPhone from the last few years http://www.apple.com/shop/product/ML8J2/iphone-lightning-dock-silver?fnode=79