Apple airport express and DAC

[Robert Cameron]

I'm looking to buy a new system using either my Apple TV or a Airport Express as a source. My question is this, can you use the optical out of either of these sources whilst still using the analog signal to provide a volume control. Ideally, I would get the quality of the optical link with the convenience of being able to control the volume, and possibly the amp's on/off state by using the line-out volume from the source. In this way I can use an iPhone to fully control the stereo.

 

Thanks,

Robert

 

[nigel]

@Robert

 

The Airport Express shares the same physical connector for both analog audio out and for the mini-toslink optical digital audio out, so I don't think there is any way to do what you are suggesting. And the new Apple TV doesn't even have any analog outputs.

 

[bixby]

With the older Apple TV, volume can be controlled with the remote that comes with it. So if you are running Internet radio for example into a dac via toslink that has no volume control you can control the volume as it flows from dac to amp.

 

I have not tried it with the remote app for the touch but will try to do so for you. It should work.

 

[bixby]

Okay, so if you have an older Apple tv hooked up to a dac with toslink you can control the volume via the Apple touch using the remote app. You just adjust settings on the atv to allow for volume adjustment and it works just fine.

 

You don't tell us what the toslink will go into but if you plan to use this link to go to a digital input on an amp or home theatre receiver for example, I see no reason why you could not set the master volume on the amp or receiver to predetermined level and then use the remote app to vary the volume.

 

Hope that helps.

 

[Robert Cameron]

Firstly thanks for all the replies - greatly appreciated!

 

Bixby,

 

From your last post I gather I can achieve volume control over a toslink connected to a DAC. I didn't realise that toslinks transmitted volume data as well as the sound data.

 

Any particular recommendations when it comes to DACs for use in this arrangement?

 

Cheers,

Robert