Airplay vs. BlueTooth vs. ?

[nokitsch]

Hello all - forgive what is probably a question that has been asked before, but for some reason a search did not turn up anything. I want to incorporate streaming audio into my living room stereo set up and I have some questions, the most basic of which boils down to what is better in terms of streaming for sound quality, AirPlay or BlueTooth.

 

I want to stream music from my iMac using Fidelia (both lossy and lossless files) into my NuPrime IDA-8 amplifier and then into my Focal Aria 926 floor standing speakers.

 

The NuPrime is an amazing little beast and has a built-in DAC and BlueTooth. At this point even streaming AAC from my iPhone via BT sounds great. But I wonder if it can sound better :-).

 

The way I see it, because of other variables, I have two choices. One is to stream music via AirPlay from my iMac to Apple TV and connect the Apple TV to the amp via optical audio cable. I understand that it causes some sound degradation?

 

The other is to stream music via BlueTooth, for which I would need to get a range extender, because my iMac is in the bedroom and the stereo system is in the living room.

 

The third way is to get a wi-fi dongle for the amp but that would remove the BlueTooth dongle. Which could be fine. I cannot use the RCA inputs on the amp, as my CD player is hooked into that. Here is a list of inputs on the receiver.

 

 

• 1 x USB PCM / DSD Digital (PCM up to 384kHz & DSD up to DSD256 )
  
• 1 x Coaxial Digital S/PDIF (PCM up to 192K supporting DoP format DSD64)
  
• 1 x Optical Digital S/PDIF (PCM up to 192K supporting DoP format DSD64)
  
• 1 x Bluetooth or WiFi receiver module (optional).
  
• 1 x Analog Stereo RCA (analog input will be digitized)
  

If there is something else I am missing, I am all ears. Ideally, would like the set up to be as simple as possible without audible degradation of sound quality.

 

Thanks!

[Audio_ELF]

A couple of other alternatives (without recommendations)...

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f8-general-forum/chromecast-audio-analog-and-digital-outputs-%2435-25959/

 

Computer Audiophile - Geek Speak: Raspberry Pi HiFi Is Here

[nokitsch]

A couple of other alternatives (without recommendations)...

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f8-general-forum/chromecast-audio-analog-and-digital-outputs-%2435-25959/

 

Computer Audiophile - Geek Speak: Raspberry Pi HiFi Is Here

 

Thank you. I saw the Chromecast recs, but would it be any advantage of it over my old Apple TV - I can only connect through the optical cable, as my RCA inputs are taken up by the CD player.