connecting dac to server

[Gerard52]

I want to connect a dac to a server in a different room. Due to distances I want to avoid USB connection. What are my options (DAC will have optical, coax, usb inputs) as far as the connection. Seems like a wireless connection would be ideal but stumped as to how to get the wireless signal to the DAC. Windows based system and need to play FLAC files, which, I believe, removes the option of using Airport express.

 

[Audio_ELF]

The method that comes straight to my mind is the Squeezebox Touch...

 

You don't state budget though? If you have more (£2000) I'd look at something like Naim ND5XS which includes your DAC.

 

Eloise

 

[darascal]

There are also USB extenders on the market that have gotten some decent reviews - there was a discussion of these on the site, you might want to search for it. The best one I read about converts usb to ethernet at one end then back again at the other. Then you can go as long as you like with the ethernet cable.

 

Rascal

 

[Mark Powell]

Airport Express. Once again, buy any Apple product and you get trapped into their proprietary way of doing everything. It is done on purpose, there is no reason why a wired to wireless and back again connection should not be totally transparent. They have obviously built something in, at extra cost, to make it so and restrict your choice.

 

[Jud]

There are ways to use the Airport Express (Airfoil for one), but you wouldn't want to. AE is restricted to 48kHz output IIRC, and the jitter numbers are also not great.

 

Perhaps use a laptop as the server's client, then USB from laptop to DAC?

 

[Audio_ELF]

Rascal said "The best one I read about converts usb to ethernet at one end then back again at the other. Then you can go as long as you like with the ethernet cable."

 

It doesn't convert it to Ethernet (a networking protocol) it converts it to run over Cat 5/6 cabling as used typically in Ethernet.

 

Eloise

 

[Mark Powell]

As your DAC will have coax connection, all you need is a PC with coax also. This is rare in laptops, but I believe (I have not looked) that it is fairly common in 'tower' machines. If so you can use coax and go as long as you like, within reason.

 

The best compatibility I ever saw was in 'Independence Day'. The alien ship had RS232 connections. A real universal standard

 

[DavidL]

I don't own one but I note from the specs that it has an ethernet output. Are you saying that it is not possible to use it as a bridge:

Source server to ethernet to wireless transmitter to wireless receiver (Airport Express) to ethernet to DAC

without a limitation to 16bit / 48kHz being imposed?

David

 

 

[Audio_ELF]

If you use the Airport Express as a network bridge / extender then any audio limitations are dependent on the server and end device not the Airport Express. The limitations are when using AirPlay.

 

[Jud]

The OP didn't say his DAC had an ethernet input, which is why I didn't speak to running an ethernet cable from the AE. If you're speaking of running the AE's ethernet cable to a computer and then connecting the computer to a DAC, why not eliminate the middleman and just use the computer's wireless networking?

 

The Airport Express's limitation to 16/48 is a product of its digital optical output hardware. Eloise is right that if one is using the AE's optical output it is ordinarily through AirPlay (though as I mentioned previously there are third party applications available such as Airfoil).

 

[DavidL]

Thanks for the clarification - very helpful.

 

I've asked Apple Store 'experts' about using the AE in this manner and they said "it ought to work " (i.e. using the AE ethernet output to get hi-res audio to a DAC): not very positive.

I'm looking at the PS Audio bridge board in their forthcoming Lens product as a means to get to my DAC remotely, and the AE looks a good choice for the wireless receiver for wireless data from a server.

 

David

 

 

[realhifi]

in that it brings up the chasm that exists between two (basically) types of digital music playback, ie. direct wired to a computer/server and networked. It appears that the original poster has a dac that takes a direct feed from whatever the transport is, from a cd player to a computer. Now he wants to have his computer and music library in another part of the house (pretty darn common) and is finding that the two camps are really pretty different camps. I predict that this is going to become an even more glaring difference in the months and year to come.

 

Eloise pretty much hit the nail on the head when she recommended the Swiss Army Knife of digital networked audio, the Logitech Squeezebox Touch. At the ridiculous price of $300 it will take your music from one spot to another so seamlessly and into your dac with decent sound to boot! IF the original poster did not already have a dac in place the choices become much greater as to how to network his music collection through the home and in particular to his hifi location.

 

The upstart of all this is that more and more networked options are showing up that will deliver up to 24/192 files of just about ANY type you have stored away in your computer server.

 

 

 

[darascal]

Thanks once again for the correction Eloise. In my naivete, I thought "cat 5/6" cabling was essentially the same. I guess Ethernet is a protocol & the cat cable is just the physical cable.

 

rascal

 

[darascal]

1) Can an Airport Express in fact be used with a PC? Is this an easy process?

 

2) With a SB, aren't you limited to the SB interface?

 

Thanks,

Rascal

 

[iamimdoc]

There is third party program called RemoteSpeaker Output that works well with MediaMonkey (and some other programs also I believe)on a PC.

 

Basically it allows one to stream the output of the player (MediaMonkey, for example) to all or any of the AirportExpressi (much like itunes does to 1 or multiple AE's).

 

I have used it with three AE's and it works, without dropouts etc, reliably, stable, etc.

 

I believe it converts the MediaMonkey output (I have mainly FLAC) to an Apple format. I would presume high rez stuff is downconverted to CD resolution.

 

It is trivial to setup in MediaMonkey and cost $20.00 - 30.00 I think + the cost of the AE(s). MediaMonkey is free.

 

Itunes can be used on a PC with AE's, of course. It is possible to fool itunes into playing FLAC's (according to the internet) with some manipulation.

 

[realhifi]

"1) Can an Airport Express in fact be used with a PC? Is this an easy process?

 

2) With a SB, aren't you limited to the SB interface?

 

Thanks,

Rascal"

 

Not sure what you are asking here. An Airport Express can certainly be used with a PC if the PC has iTunes on it.

 

As far as being "limited" to the SB interface...manay people think it is one of the best interfaces out there as far as being able to be used on an iPad, iPhone, Ipod Touch to control just about any digital source out there right now. It will play files from your computer up to 24/96, internet radio, Pandora, MOG, Spotify, Rhapsody, also. The Squeezebox is one of the cheapest and coolest digital products to ever come along. It sounds good into your Peachtree too.

 

 

 

[darascal]

Thanks for the info @iamimdoc.

 

@RealHiFi - @iamimdoc answered my question #1. I assume most people (and definitely audiophiles) don't use iTunes on a PC.

 

I don't know much abou the SB, the last I looked it seemed to be limited to their hand-held remote. (Was a long time ago I guess.) Great that it integrates i-device remote apps.

 

And I assume that you get one of the SB "receivers" for each system you want to stream to, right? I've looked at the SB website, but found it a perplexing as to what each component does & how a whole system would be put together.

 

Just asking for editication. Not really looking to switch from my Mini right now. If I could just replace my AE's with something with better sound quality/reliability, while keeping the rest of system the same, then I'd consider it.

 

Thanks,

Rascal

 

[realhifi]

I'm one of those (non) audiophiles that once in awhile uses iTunes on one of my PCs. Doesn't sound too bad into a Dac8 or a Naim Dac or one of the Linn DS players.

 

The Squeezebox's would replace your AE's with something much more flexible and with higher resolution available in addition to bringing something new to each and every room you hook one up to. They're not good, they are astoundingly good. They happen to have available three Apps for idevices now and all bring something a bit different to the party.

 

PS. They sound better than the AE's too...even to these (non) audiophile ears.

 

[darascal]

is can the SB's replace my AE's without changing anything else in my current system - i.e, Mac Mini + iTunes.

 

I think the answer to this is "No". Right?

 

But I hear what you're saying. I may have to take a closer look - check out the i-remote apps & understand how SB integrates into my current system.

 

Thanks,

Rascal

 

[realhifi]

The Squeezbox software runs on Macs also (I have a couple of those running it) all you need to do is point the software to iTunes library and it will play it.

 

[darascal]

So SB has its own music player & it will run my iTunes library? You're not using iTunes, the SB SW is just playing from the iTunes library? You can select what rooms you stream to as in iTunes? Is there integration w/ Pure Music, etc?

 

Sorry for the many novice questions, but I just haven't paid much any attention to the SB threads, since it didn't seem like a viable option given my current setup.

 

Thanks,

Rascal

 

[Gerard52]

Back to the comment about SB and its interface options - is it possible to control the SB wirelessly from a laptop - i.e. with the SB at the preamp site some 10 feet across the room and using a laptop (on the couch) to control the SB music selection? In other words, does SB have software with it (or downloadable) to accomplish this?

 

[realhifi]

It has an interface that is both web control (if you want to control it from the next state!) or a control on your laptop.

 

It does have the capabilities of iTunes also in that you can stream to other rooms easily (if they have another SB that is) and all can be synched or play something different.

 

[realhifi]

"So SB has its own music player & it will run my iTunes library? You're not using iTunes, the SB SW is just playing from the iTunes library? You can select what rooms you stream to as in iTunes? Is there integration w/ Pure Music, etc?

 

Sorry for the many novice questions, but I just haven't paid much any attention to the SB threads, since it didn't seem like a viable option given my current setup.

 

Thanks,

Rascal"

 

It has it's own music player (UPnP) and will find your iTunes library and play it. No integration with Pure Music as it is a streaming player format as opposed to a direct wired connection to a computer. If you want it will find other libraries on your computer also so you could play FLAC files if you'd rather.

 

There is MUCH information on Squeezebox's and their various permetations so if I were you I might start doing some searching and find a forum exclusively related to them to get uop to speed.

 

Here is one: http://forums.slimdevices.com/

 

[darascal]

Thanks much for your response David!

 

Rascal