| johnm |
Hi folks!
I'm considering purchasing an Apple Airport Express for connection to my stereo. There's a couple of things I'd like clarified if anyone out there is using one. I'll be using it with Windows Vista Home Premium.
1) I know there's an optical digital out on the Express, but my DPA DAC does not use this. Can I connect my USB-SPDIF converter to the USB socket on the Airport Express? And then connect from the converter to my DPA as per normal?
2) Secondly, I have read that when using Airport Express with iTunes you get bit-perfect output (the ONLY way with iTunes and Windows Vista). Is this indeed the case?
Many thanks.
- John |
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| zigzagflux |
Can only respond to question 1, and that would be no. It needs to be a printer. Can't hurt to try, I would do it for you if I had the converter. This printer basically shows up in Bonjour for use by the OS. Can't imagine how that would work with audio. Does itunes have the ability to search for Bonjour devices?
Toslink to SPDIF converter does work well, though- it's what I use. Greatly enhanced performance (no more glitches) by powering the converter off battery. Cheap wall wart just had too much RF noise leaking through. |
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| johnm |
Thanks for your help.
Didn't really want to purchase an additional device, buuuuut I guess a toslink to SPDIF converter wouldn't be too much extra - think the Hagerman HagUsb offers this... might be the way to go I think. |
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| halebopp76 |
| I am pretty sure I saw an option to stream itunes data to your USB port on the Airport Express. You need to set it in AE Setup since by default itunes sends it to the SPDIF port. |
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| johnm |
Oh that's great - I'll see if I can download the user manual Apple's website and see if it mentions that.
Many thanks!
- John |
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| johnm |
Looks like it's not possible - that USB port can only be used with a printer or the remote control.
However, I'll try and get the circuit diagram from somewhere, and install my own 75-ohm BNC SPDIF output. Shoudn't be too hard to do...... he says ;)
Anyone else tried this?
Edit: Seems like they have. Hope this is of interest to someone. I'm definately going to try this:
http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/...14992.msg150326 |
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| halebopp76 |
| Your other option is to get the toslink adapter from twisted pear audio. It will convert the optical signal to SPDIF to output to your DAC. Best of luck! |
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| johnm |
Trouble with that is it adds another stage. Nothing wrong with optical in theory, but the cheap implementation one finds on units like the Airport Express can be bettered by picking up the circuit before the optics, and - hopefully - take this out to an SPDIF. Hopefully all that's needed is some resistors to set the correct output. Really need to get hold of a circuit diagram but no luck thus far :(
Thanks for the suggestion though :) |
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| Archwn |
If you could reach the pcb inside. tapping out the spdif signals just before it reach the optical tranciever would be an idea.
I tried this with my old denon cd player and it works fine. :) |
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| Rodeodave |
John, have you considered the Linksys WMB45G ? It supports Mac, XP and Vista (32bit). And it has optical, digital, analogue stereo and headphone out.
The setup can be a :censored: though. |
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| Rodeodave |
| Darn dyslexia, the thing is called WMB54G. |
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