Spotify via airport express/apple tv with ipad as remote

[stumpy66]

I had been toying with the idea of getting a sonos or squeezebox to play my spotify premium account through my amp. Now that i have an ipad would the above work. Ive searched the net but seem to get mixed messages, is this possible, do i need anything else, airfoil or a spotify remote control app.

Has anyone done something like this and what was the sound quality like, i will be feeding it throught the dacmagic. I want to be able to achive this without the need for the laptop being on.

Any ideas

 

[The_Lhc]

A Sonos CONNECT (ZP90) would connect directly to your amp (with or without a DAC) and will play from Spotify. You could use the Sonos iPad app to control it, without needing anything else.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

I stream my Spotify premium content to my DAC via an Airport Express and more latterly an Apple TV, and it sounds pretty good. I use the standard Spotify app on my iPad to control it all. It's so convenient and so slick, I take it all for granted most of the time. Then occasionally, like now for instance, marvel at this home friendly, music-liberating, lifestyle enhancing technology at work.

 

[stumpy66]

Would i.need any other software or app. Does the airport ave an optical out

 

[stumpy66]

I was thinking of the ariport express/apple tv as its quite a bit cheaper than the sonos. If that was the best way to go then i would hang off until after xmas to get it

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Both ATV and Airport Express have optical outs, that's how I connect mine to my DAC. If you're using iTunes then I can't think you'd need anything else.

For convenience and because my Chord DAC only has one optical in, I tend to exclusively use my Apple TV now over the once much used Airport Express.

Plus, the extra film/you tube and photo functionality comes into frequent use in addition to audio streaming.

 

[stumpy66]

The tv capabilities would be a plus, but its really spotify and internet radio that im planning to use it for. Will try and borrow one to make sure it sounds good

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

I can't vouch for Internet radio as I rarely listen, but both Spotify and streaming lossless files from my Mac into the DAC via ATV sound very good. &nbsp

;Lossless files match CDs, at the least and therefore more or less negate the need for a CD player. If you didn't know that already. But you probably did.

 

[cayorob]

I run my Airport Express into the same DAC and Amp as you. I used to use Airfoil sofware from a laptop, but since my iPad 2 came along Airplay is so easy and sounds excellent.

The Spotify app is just the iphone app for now which is a shame but works fine.

TuneIn radio app at 69p is again, excellent

 

[stumpy66]

So I need the airplay app tostream from iPad to apple tv, sorry for labouring this

 

[cayorob]

No need, once an Airport express or Apple TV joins your network the Airplay icon appears in all your apps, you click that to select where you want the stream to appear.

 

[Sorreltiger]

No, Airplay is built in. All you need to do is touch the 'i' icon and you will have a choice of sound on your iPhone/iPad and sound sent to your Airport Express (will say something like 'Base Station xxxxxx'). Select that and away you go. I CAN hear a difference between CD and streaming from Spotify Premium, but it's not a huge one and I love both the convenience and the opportunity to hear such a vast range of music.

 

[bay24]

Hi, in terms of sound quality I believe that the spotify app does not stream at the full 320kb but at 160kb so you will not be getting what you would get from a pc. To get the full 320 you would need airfoil on your computer to stream the content to the airport or something like a sonos or squeezebox. Saying that before AirPlay I used airfoil from my laptop and now I don't bother as I can use AirPlay without my laptop on and I can't say I have noticed a huge difference in sound quality. I alway had problems with airfoil anyway as it would crash a lot.

 

[bay24]

One other thing to think about which annoyed me about iPhone airport route for spotify is that as essentially the phone is the source if I wandered out of wifi range with my phone in my pocket (I have thick Walls) everything would stop. with sonos or squeezebox it is in a fixed position so this is much less likely to happen.

 

[stumpy66]

got it sorted, thanks guys. Sound quality is perfectly accepting, cd player will stil b used for the main listening sessions.

Very happy

 

[stumpy66]

One problem, lots of drop outs when streaming, can't understand it though router, iPad and apple tv are all within 6feet of each other. May have to try a wired connection as this is so annoying