Streaming - am I missing something??

[martins8585]

Hi - was looking at adding a digital dock, something like the Cambridge Audio id100, to enable playback from my iPod (coaxial out into the Audiolab 8200CDQ as a Dac).

Then I started to think about the convenience of streaming and solutions like the Musical Fidelity M1 CLIC. Although this looked good it obviously has a load of features I don't need.

Having read about the Apple Airport Express apparently this allows playback up to CD quality from its mini toslink.

My question does this mean as I've already got a reasonable dac in the CDQ and pre amp in the AP and have no music above CDs ripped into Apple lossless would the SQ be exactly the same from the cheap airport express as more costly solutions from HIFI manufacturers?

Cheers

 

[marou]

Probably.

 

[Gelli]

Have a read of this review in The Stereophile, it is still as valid today as when it was writtten. I use an Apple Airport Express and Apple TV(connected to my surround sound set up in the TV room) to stream my music around the house. The Apple Airport Express works flawlessly and is a doddle to set up. Sound quality is pretty good as far as I can tell, I may not have "golden ears" but have ripped all my CD's to Apple lossless on my iMac and when streamed the sound quality is pretty good. In fact I do nearly my listening from my computer now and have invested in a couple of old160GB iPod Classics to store parts of my collection.

There is a BONUS is that by using the Airport Express you also get the benefit of plugging in another USB device(printer) and get a spare ethernet outlet in the bargain, and you can configure the Express to extend your wirless network if you get poor coverage in parts of the house.

Plus there is yet another small bonus; I travel a lot for work sometimes with colleagues and I take my Airport Express with me, I plug it into the hotel room ethernet and voila-la I have a small wi-fi network all my colleagues can share, sure cuts costs abroad where some hotel charge a lot for internet access.

Also have a look at the digital dock made by Pro-Ject Audio.

Review of Airport DAC here:

http://www.stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/505apple

Hope this helps.

 

[d_a_n1979]

Airport Express (or ATV if you want the TV/films side of things) all the way

I've used mine for a good few years now (ATV that is) and wouldnt go back...

Dropped to that when I decided that I wasnt using the full functionality of the Marantz MCR603 I had so the ATV made it simpler

Streaming is faultless; I have all music via iTunes Match now and stream all films as well so it's rare that I buy films via my Mac & iTunes etc...