The Best Apple AirPlay Streamer

[kirkmc]

You mean the best AirPlay receiver. For now, you might still be able to get an older Apple TV that has an optical output; the current model only has HDMI. I haven't heard much about other devices that aren't inside components like receivers, or that aren't software solutions for a computer. 

[kirkmc]

You will implement AirPlay 2 as soon as it's fully rolled out. For now, it's only available to stream from iOS devices, not Macs. So if you're setting up systems that stream from iTunes, you'll have to wait. Surprisingly, it's not in the Mojave betas either, and I find it odd that it is available on iOS but not from iTunes. I wonder what's holding it up. 

[kirkmc]

While the AirPort Express certainly isn't a long-term solution, Apple is still selling them. Why can't you just stock up on a bunch of them now so you've protected for the time it takes to find a replacement? 

[kirkmc]

There was another thread recently where people were asking about the quality of AirPlay. I've not heard any serious suggestions that AirPlay quality is in any way deficient; sure, you may want to find a way to convince people that they need more for audiophile quality, but it's a pretty simple protocol. It streams in lossless, and that stream is spitted out of the devices (AirPort Express or Apple TV). 

 

I am a bit confused by this thread. You started by asking:

 

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Now that the Apple AirPort Express is going away, what is the best AirPlay streamer available?

 

But you now say that you have plenty of AirPort Expresses and don't need anything to replace them. And you want something "better" but you haven't said what's wrong with AirPlay. Perhaps you need to decide what you want.