Paul's Posts — 09 September 2012
By Paul McGowan
Yesterday I promised to tell you about an extremely affordable streaming device that is super easy to connect to. The unit has both a built in WIFI and Ethernet port, a digital S/PDIF output capable of 96kHz 24 bit audio to connect to your existing DAC plus an internal 96kHz 24 bit Wolfson DAC and output stage to play it through your preamp or integrated and retails for just $99.
What miracle is this? The Apple Airport Express. Simple, low cost, reasonable sounding with medium jitter levels. It’s not high-end but it’s performance when connected up to a simple bedroom system is actually pretty good and, for the money, it’s hard to beat.
This streaming audio device can play anything stored on your Apple mobile product, or your computer through iTunes.
The reason I bring this to your attention is to start to give you a feel for what the range of products are that stream music. Most of us are aware of the more expensive streaming audio products from PS Audio, Linn, Naim, Meridian, Logitech, Sonos, etc. but many are not too aware of the lower cost offerings as I just described.
Tomorrow I’d like to touch on how all this works and what the ups and downs are.
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Terry Franklin
I would like to say that one positive thing that I have gotten from your posts is the cataloging of my music. Several months ago you talked about tagging your music. I took a more conventional route in that my music database is now on my laptop instead of some hand held mobile device. But cataloged it is. Thanks
Now let the games begin. My physical media is better than your virtual media! Now of course I have no idea of what is in your virtual media. But why let facts get in the way of emotion? Mine is better—Period! End of story.
Ludicrous? Yes
Soundminded
The end product can be no better than the source. If the source was RBCD as is 99.9%+ of all commercial recordings made recently (over the last 25-30 years) then no matter how far advanced beyond that later generation copies are RBCD will be its limit. You could digitize analog sources, that is vinyl phonograph records or magnetic tapes and those sources will be the limit. If a you copy an mp3 that was made from a better original the limit will still be mp3. Unless you source recordings from more advanced digital formats you made yourself from live performances or stream them from others who did just that, usually small recording companies, you are stuck with RBCD.
My view is not a very popular one among audiophiles. IMO RBCD is adequate for all musical recordings including the most demanding one. Problems of reproduction lie elsewhere. Nor do I buy audiophile type cd players or D/A converters as I find them not the right choice (for me.) There are ways to “improve” recordings but that is a very tedious job performed as custom work by experts at an advanced sound desk work station using sophisticated software. Of course as some may forget from time to time I’m not an audiophile, not in the common ordinary use of that term. So take my opinion where it comes from.
petewilson
I’ve never used an Airport Express, because I wanted my el-cheapo streaming device to be able to show photos on a big TV screen, too.
So I use the AppleTV. Same price. Wired 10/100 ethernet, and Wifi. HDMI output for single-cable connection of audio plus video to your system. Optical digital audio out. Sounds quite nice hooked up to an Integra DTC 9.8 pre-pro. Controlled by the Remote app on your iphone or other iDevice.
Paul McGowan
The problem with an Apple TV is there’s no DAC inside – which is fine for those that want to use the digital or HDMI out. So it’s fine as a digital connection but not as a streaming DAC.