Using Airport Express and the iPhone/Touch Remote app.

[admin_exported]

Hi After playing with a friend's Sonos system, it occurred to me that I could achieve a similar result cheaper and more elegantly. My plan is to use iTunes on my Mac (after re-ripping my CD collection as lossless) and link it to my Arcam Solo somehow, and then use the excellent Remote application on my iPod Touch to control things.

 The obvious way to do link is using an Airport Express but the Solo doesn't have a digital input and I suspect the Express's DAC isn't that good (am I right?). So a workaround would be to link a better DAC to the Express's digital output.

 Any thoughts on this plan?

Cheers Phil

 

[professorhat]

In tests both I and John Duncan ran independently, we both came to the conclusion the Airport Express is actually astonishingly good value when using the analogue output. I've not tested a digital output to a DAC (not sure if John has), but it certainly is worth trying just using a standard analogue cable straight into your Solo first and then deciding if you need to add a DAC after you've sampled this I would say.

 

[BernardLanguillier]

I am streaming .wav files from an iMac to 3 airport express.

I am current using the optical connection of the AE to connect it to my Denon AVP-A1HD and an analog connect to connect it to the Denon CX1 of the bedroom. Optical does sound clearly better than the analog connection (even when comparing on the AVP-A1HD), but the Apple DAC is very decent considering the price of the device. I'll also try using the wifi of the Denon, but have not yet had time to configure it.

Whether it makes sense or not to use the AE in analog mode really depends on the quality of the other components in your system, starting with the DAC (standalone of as part of your pre-amp).

It also depends on how you intend to use the AE. I tend to use my Esoteric SACD player when I really want to listen to music in an audiophile fasion. I use the AE more for parties or social events where it is convenient to have a few playlists you can just launch and forget about. It is also great to let the guests select themselves the music they want to hear using the interface of the Mac. In such occasion convenience is more important that the last bits of quality. If you are the same, then the difference between digital and analog connect will not be that relevant I believe.

I assume that you know this, but the quality of the digital files you will play will of course also impact. Go for a lossless format (.wav, flac or Apple lossless) if quality is important for you. You should also not forget to address the backuping of your digital storage system (a HD I guess).

I have also been using the Apple remote using an iPod touch and it does the job, very convenient!

One obvious downside of the whole thing though is that it doesn't have a wake up function as far as I know. This means that you need to keep you Mac the whole night if you want to listen to music from another room in the morning for instance. The Sonos is probably the same, but it is designed to withstand this, while an iMac probably isn't. Nobody wil even check, but I would be very interested in knowing how this will impact the life span of the Mac, and therefore help with Apple sales in the long run...

Cheers,
Bernard

 

[Anonymous]

Hi

ÿ

Thanks for the replies. I'll give the analogue output a go for starters. There's an interesting review of AE here:ÿhttp://www.stereophile.com/accessoryreviews/505apple/index.html

ÿ

I'd like to have a high-quality solution although, like most people these days, I rarely get a chance to sit and listen to music seriously. I guess I always put a CD on for that (radical thinking! ;-) )

ÿ

At the moment, my music is in 320kbps AAC but the plan is to rerip all my CDs as lossless (a big job!) and then have a second iTunes library converted to AAC for iPod use. Good point on back-up - I'll allocate an external hard-drive to that.

ÿ

I agree that leaving the Mac awake is a negative. However, at present, mine is programmed to switch off at 9pm and on at 8.30am (I work from home). A solution would be to change this timing to, say, 1am to 7am. If you've not used this facility, it's under System Prefs, Energy Saver, Schedule.

Cheers

Philÿ

 

[BernardLanguillier]

Philip Raby:

I agree that leaving the Mac awake is a negative. However, at present, mine is programmed to switch off at 9pm and on at 8.30am (I work from home). A solution would be to change this timing to, say, 1am to 7am. If you've not used this facility, it's under System Prefs, Energy Saver, Schedule.

Phil,

Thanks for the info, I was indeed not aware of the capability. I'll give it a try.

Cheers,
Bernard

 

[John Duncan]

professorhat:I've not tested a digital output to a DAC (not sure if John has)

Not yet, waiting for the DAC group test this month........

 

[Anonymous]

I've now got this up and running.ÿ

ÿ

Airport Express is very easy to set up and does the job.

ÿ

Not sure about quality, I need to do some comparison tests. The weak point at the moment is my iTunes library which is 320kbps AAC - at some stage I'll start reripping in lossless.

ÿ

The Remote application on the iPhone is excellent - highly recommended.

ÿ

Philÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Philip Raby:
The weak point at the moment is my iTunes library which is 320kbps AAC - at some stage I'll start reripping in lossless.

ÿ

This is not automatically the weakest point because it's not perfect. Did you get an external DAC?

 

[John Duncan]

Octopo:Philip Raby:
The weak point at the moment is my iTunes library which is 320kbps AAC - at some stage I'll start reripping in lossless.

ÿ

This is not automatically the weakest point because it's not perfect. Did you get an external DAC?

I like that article about the AE digital ouput being bit-perfect.....

But I've found the audio output to be perfectly respectable (even through Gotham cable

), can't wait for the DacMagic to hit the shops........

 

[Anonymous]

A nice new dac would had a little sparkle to the Solo though...

 

[John Duncan]

Are you suggesting taking digital out from Solo (does it have one?) and back in to an aux input? Cunning.

 

[Anonymous]

Did I miss something? Would I be wrong in saying just connect AE>DAC>Analogue in on Solo?

 

[John Duncan]

No think I was missing something - thought you were suggesting trying to bring the DAC into play for the Solo in isolation (solo, if you will) - clearly you meant for the AE and agree (I think, will soon find out).

 

[Anonymous]

When I said add sparkle to the Solo I meant improving the source. Sorry, badly put.

 

[John Duncan]

Nah, me being stupid. On same page now.

 

[Anonymous]

Fair point, the DAC in the AE is probably still a weak point. At the moment I'm using the analogue output from the AE to the Solo (which doesn't have a digital input, sadly).ÿ

ÿ

An external DAC will be the next thing to get.

ÿ

Philÿ