Streaming to Airport Express do I need a DAC

I'm streaming my music from my iPhone, iPad and Macbook pro to my airport express. This works fine for me but I feel
that the sound lacks quality.
I currently airplay all music to my airport express and this is connected to 2 amps. I have an output splitter connected to the analog output port
of the AE and the sound is sent to the two amps.
I've read up on various DAC's and I think I will invest in one low budget device, so that I can connect the AE to the DAC via the optical cable and then
run an analog cable to 1 one my amps (i can them link the feed from this amp to the other)
Has anyone had a similar situation and can someone recommend some DAC's for me? I've been looking at the Audio engine D1, Beresford
& Nu-force dac systems

Thanks, now we need a bit more information, please, in order to provide you with the correct information that you need.
I assume that you already have one AirPort Express.....either a model A1264 or A1392.....set up and operating OK, is that correct?
If yes, you can extend the network either by using wireless or an Ethernet cable with a second AirPort Express.....either the A1264 or A1392 model. A wired connection is the way to go, if possible, since it provides better performance. But, wireless might work OK for you if you want to try that.
Let us know "how" you want to extend......wireless or wired?

Similar Messages

Music streaming to Airport Express problem, second base station needed?

Hi,
I want to stream the music throughout my house. I have 1 time capsule, 2 airport Express units (latest model) and a Mac Mini for the music. On the other hand, I have a macbook, which needs the time capsule for back-up (also wireless). Everything is connected and Internet is working, although, when I am "streaming" music, this does not go so fluently.
Should I need to buy another airport base station and use it only formusic, whilst keeping the Macbook connected directly to the time capsule?
I use 2.4 Ghz and 802.11n (b, g compatible). Airport express units are set up as "extend the wireless network".
Thanks!

My problem is exactly the same. Only iMac speakers work stably.

IMac (on Ethernet) Can No Longer Stream to Airport Express (on WiFi)

After years of reliable service, all of a sudden I cannot stream music from iTunes on my iMac, via my Airport Express, to my stereo system.
First, a bit about my configuration:
   * iMac connected via Ethernet to a wireless router (D-Link DIR-655).
   * iMac Airport (WiFi) is turned off.
   * D-Link sets up a wireless network, and Airport Express joins the network.
   * Airport Express does not set up its own network, it's simply a client of the existing D-Link wireless network.
   * iTunes "sees" the Airport Express, and can stream audio via AirPlay.
   * iPad also joins the wireless network, and also can stream to the Airport Express via AirPlay.
   * iMac running 10.6.8, with all software updates applied.
   * Airport Express running latest firmware (7.6.1).
Well, that was a few days ago, when "it just worked". But for some unknown reason iTunes could no longer "see" the Airport Express.
So I took my Airport Express to the Apple Store and they did a Factory Reset, but it did not solve the problem. I figured my rather old Airport Express was failing, so today I bought a new one. The symptoms have changed a bit, but even after spending an hour on the phone with AppleCare, it doesn't work properly.
Now, the only way the iMac can stream to the Airport Express is if the iMac also joins the wireless network. In fact, now with Airport turned OFF on the iMac, the Airport Utility cannot see the Airport Express. But here's another weird thing: when I use the IP address of the Airport Express, the Airport Utility CAN connect with and manage the Airport Express, even with Airport turned OFF on the iMac!
I should also mention, the iPad has no issues whatsoever connecting to the D-Link's wireless network and streaming music to the Airport Express.
This all seems like something might have changed on the D-Link wireless router. But for the life of me, I cannot figure out what setting(s) on the router might allow the iMac - over Ethernet - to stream audio to the Airport Express.
Another thing. When I have Airport turned on on the iMac, it can "see" and stream to the Airport Express, but the music has very frequent drop-outs. Could this be related to the fact that the iMac has two IP addresses (one on Ethernet, one on WiFi)?
My goal is to get things "back to normal", where I can turn off Airport on the iMac, and all LAN and WAN traffic from the iMac goes over Ethernet. I have a few questions (for now :-)
   * Since my iMac has two connections to my LAN using two IP addresses (Ethernet & WiFi), is that likely to cause any issues?
   * When two computers join the same wireless LAN, can they effectively talk directly to one another, or does the wireless router need to be involved every time one computer sends a TCP or UDP packet to the other?
   * Do routers (or the DIR-655 in particular) tend to have any firewalls or policies that control connections on the LAN between Ethernet and WiFi clients?
   * Since AirPlay uses TCP port 3689 and UDP port 5353, would the DIR-655 need any special configuration to "open these ports" so an Ethernet client can connect with a WiFi client?
So, any help would be most appreciated!
Thanks!
Jim

I am having a very similar issue. I use my Airport Express (AX) to stream music from the computers on my network to my stereo via Airplay. I have AX set up to wirelessly join my existing wireless network, which uses a D-Link DIR-655 router hooked to a Time Warner cable modem. I can succesfully connect all of my wireless devices via Airplay, through iTunes to my AX, including two laptops and an iPhone. However, my primary desktop PC, which does not have a wireless card is linked directly via ethernet cable to my D-Link router, and it is not able to see my AX. Similar to your case, I can see the Airport Express from my PC through my Airport Utility by directly typing in the IP address. Note that the AX set-up option to allow Ethernet clients is checked. I also noticed that my laptops will stop detecting AX if I directly connect them to my D-Link router via Ethernet and turn off their wireless cards. They will resume detecting AX when I turn their wireless connections back on. I have tried every conceivable setting of my D-Link router to no avail.

Apple TV and Streaming to Airport Express

Hi I am new to all this and had a question about apple tv before I go ahead and purchase.
I would like to sync all my music from my itunes account on my PC to the apple TV.
What I would then like to do is be able to turn off my PC and still be able to stream music from the apple tv to other stereos around the house via airport express units whilst being able to control these units by the app on my iphone... is this possible or does my PC still need to be switched on? I have asked in the apple shop and no one seems to fully know!
Also can more than one iphone (mine and myt wife's for example) be able to remotely control music around the house from 2 different iphones? or will only one work at a time?
Sorry if this sounds stupid but really need the answers before I spend money on the kit.
Thanks

mattliggins wrote:
Would you recommend this set up
i would. i've got one of the original 40 GB units and it is probably the most-used gadget in my arsenal.
other users here will probably try to sell the new mini to you (due to it has an HDMI interface and whatnot) but IMHO nothing beats the ATV for ease-of-use.
Is there a new Apple TV coming out soon or should I just go ahead and get involved!?
there's rumor out there that a new model is in the pipe. however, nobody here would know when it is due and what features a new model will pack.
if you have the budget, go for it
JGG

Airport Express for iTunes needs rebooting to be detected all the time

It seems that each time I reboot my macBook, my airport express needs to rebooted to be detected. I use it for streaming music only- not for internet access- and have it configured accordingly. It is connected to remote speakers and works perfectly when it has been rebooted but if I leave it on and have shut down the macBook the green light stays on but the newly rebooted computer doesn't detect the unit until I unplug it and reconnect. Anybody have any helpful info? Thanks in advance...

Is this message box indicating the Airport Express is re-connecting to your internet service and if so, is this Airport Express connected to a DSL internet service that uses the PPPoE protocol to connect? If so, run the Airport Admin Utility, select your Express, click on the Configure button, click on the Internet tab, and check the box to "always stay connected". Update settings to the Airport Express.

Airport Express extending network needs to be restarted daily

I'm having a really annoying problem with my Airport network. Here's the configuration:
Den: Latest generation simultaneous Dual-Band Airport Extreme
Living Room: older 802.11g Airport Express used only for AirPlay
Office: older 802.11n Airport Express wired to the Airport Extreme via ethernet, extending network
Hallway: 802.11n Airport Express wirelessly joining and extending network
Bedroom: Latest generation simultaneous Dual-Band Airport Express wirelessly joining and extending network
I have an older house which is not terribly big but the radio-opaque walls make it difficult to propogate wireless, thus the need for so many units.
It all works pretty well except for my bedroom Airport Express (simultaneous Dual-Band). On a daily basis it will lose connection with the network or go so painfull slowly that it's pointless. The only solution is to do a reboot of the unit which works temporarily (good connection / good speeds) My son likes to watch Roku in our bedroom and that Roku uses the WiFi that the Airport Express should provide. Needless to say troubleshooting wifi when your 3 year old is crying because he can't get 30 seconds of streaming before the signal craps out is not fun. Anybody have any suggestions???

"Hard reset" the bedroom Extreme to preclude the possibility that some corrupted internal parameter is limiting its performance. Consider doing that with all of them. They will subsequently need to be reconfigured.
Configure the den Extreme to provide a unique name for its 5 GHz network, and ensure all the devices capable of using it are using it, and not 2.4 GHz. Find out what your Roku is capable of using.
The key to solving problems, if your challenging requirements are solvable, is to start with as simple an installation as possible, then progressively add to it. Find out the maximum usable range of your den's Extreme in both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, then position any devices used to "wirelessly extend" its signal roughly half the distance to that Extreme - not a different base station. The ideal location for the Roku's Express may not necessarily be in the bedroom.
Run speed tests each time and make sure you are not trying to "extend" a weak signal. "Extending" a weak signal makes it stronger, but no faster that what it receives.
That's all you can do.
... I thought "N" networks minimized that problem.
You're right about that.
The thing is I get decent wireless reception in the bedroom WITHOUT the express plugged in.
I wonder if those devices are really using the Express you think they are. That's the problem with multiple base stations. There are ways of addressing this question but not with the current AirPort Utility version.

IPad + Airport Express - do I need WiFi?

Is it possible to stream music directly from the iPad through an Airport Express without having an existing WiFi router?

Ric Pike wrote:
Thanks Matt. Yes, the APE would be plugged directly into the receiver. The real debate was whether I would require another wireless router but it sounds like I won't.
Correct.
You need an iPad, an AirPort Express and cable to go from the audio outout of the AirPort Express to the input of the stereo.
Do you have to configure the APE using a computer?
No.
As mentioned, you can use the AirPort Utilitiy for iOS.
-> http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/airport-utility/id427276530?mt=8

Sound breaking up on Airplay if I stream to Airport Express and Apple TV

I have recently bought an Airport Express and latest Apple TV. Both are running nicely on my network, and I can use Airplay to stream music to either from my iMac, but if I try to stream to both then the sound breaks up? Can anyone advise why and how to fix this? Could it be my wireless network isn't up to it (11g)
Many thanks for any advice!

I am not sure this is entirely relevant but since I found these discussions helpful when I had a similar problem here is my two penn'orth.
We have a complex system with two Airport Extremes and 4 Airport expresses of various vintages. One of these was an old (meaning 'g' only & needs Airport Utility 5.6 to service) one, but this had wireless set to 'off' and only served to stream sound to the house HiFi. This one and all but one of the others were roamed (that is Ethernet cable connected), as is the Mac Mini House server (other machines are WiFi).
Breaking up (& other intermittent network issues) only seemed to start with Maverick. I solved this very persistent problem by replacing the old Express with a new one (in fact replacing one of the others and using that). I could conjecture that this had been the only node on the network not capable of GE (though some devices like webcams are not either), but I do not see why this was important.
I still think this rather strange - even the presence or absence of high-data services like eyeTV Netstream made no difference. But having solved it I should not complain - though it would be nice to understand it. It would also be nice if the Airport Extremes included a sound port...
All the Airport devices had been carefully set up according to Apple's default recommendations - so yes some might use 5GHz, though shutting this down did not help. (they still are).
Hope this helps someone!

Outputing Raw Stream via airport express

What is the output of the airport express optical port? Is a raw stream of the original audio file? thx

For the AirPort Express (AX), audio input is primarily provided by iTunes. Of course, it can also get input from other sources like Rogue Amoeba's Airfoil.
iTunes does most of the work. When iTunes plays back standard audio content (AAC, MP3, audiobooks, Internet music streams, etc., it decompresses those file formats and creates what's essentially a raw, uncompressed audio stream. That stream is compressed using Apple's Lossless Compression (via a QuickTime codec), encrypted, and then, streamed (via AirTunes/AirPlay) to the AX. The AX decrypts the stream, decodes it, and outputs it in either analog format or as a digital PCM stream.
If iTunes is playing back a digital multichannel file format like AC3 (Dolby Digital) or DTS, those bitstreams (like the lossy formats) are wrapped in Apple's Lossless compression, encrypted, and then, streamed to the AX. In these cases, the AX would first decode the stream, and then, output the raw AC3 or DTS stream via its optical digital audio port.

Coding audio streams to Airport Express?

Not even sure where to post this question, so my apologies if this is too far off topic.
I'm very curious about the audio coding that happens when streaming music from iTunes to an Airport Express, or, a 2nd gen AppleTV? Is there any additional code-decode going on when streaming? Playing a 44.1 kHz .wav file, uncompressed, and capture that waveform at the electrical out of Airport Express... will it be identical to the original .wav file (ignoring some minor D/A artifacts)??
Many thanks in advance.

Can you reference a link or 2 where I can read a bit further?
I'll see what I can find as Apple has provided very few details on this. The links I had to some material I had reviewed earlier, unfortunately, are no longer valid.
For example, what happens with an uncompressed .wav file that is an 11kHz sample rate? Does the AX have a D/A that supports all of the supported sample rates? Or, is that part of the compression "on the fly" into Apple Lossless that everything is coded / converted into a single sample rate (44.1 kHz??).
Great question!
The AX works only with iTunes v4.6+ and is limited to music files that iTunes can read; ie, 16-bit data only. (An exception is you can use a third-party product like Rogue Amoeba's AirFoil to stream other non-iTunes sources.) These data, though, can be in any file format that iTunes recognizes, from lossy MP3s at the low-quality end of the spectrum to Apple Lossless and lossless AIFF or WAV files at the high end. To more directly answer your questions, the AX functions only at a 44.1kHz sample rate. When you play, for example: 11kHz, 32kHz or 48kHz data, iTunes sample-rate-converts the data in real time before sending it to the AX. As you figured this is a limitation of the QuickTime Codec that is the heart of iTunes.
One operational glitch, that primarily affects the analog side, is the fact that the AX doesn't have a local clock circuit. When the incoming data is interrupted, as it is when you change songs in iTunes, there is no longer a digital output to feed the DAC, which loses lock as a result. Provided you can live with its limitations the combination of iTunes and an AX provides an easy way to pipe CD-quality music around your home.
FYI. For the 802.11b/g version of the AX, the analog audio is handled by a Texas Instruments PCM2705 digital-to-analog converter. I don't know if they used the same DAC for the newer 802.11n model. Some audiophiles use an external DAC in an attempt to overcome any of the AX's shortcomings.

Ipod Hifi + Airport Express - Do I need a cable as well ??

Folks
I've just ordered an Ipod Hifi ( I hope they don't bring out a black one now! ) and an Airport Express from Amazon - much cheaper than Apple store.
I'd like to use Airtunes from my laptop via Airport Express and also have the Hifi connected up to an LCD TV to improve the sound.
Which connection cable do I need to order for here in the UK ?

Hi,
You need only one of the following cable for connection between Airport Express and iPod HiFi
1. For optical cable for Mini-Adapter
http://www.welovemacs.com/av2000106wht.html
2. For Analogue
analogue cable with minijack both ends
http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/ipod-cable-kit.htm

How many Airport Express do I need?

I have my network setup in the basement. I would like to use AirTunes to listen music upstairs in the 3 bedrooms. Do I need 3 Airport Express?
Are there any Speakers that natively support AirTunes? Any other options?
Thanks

Welcome to the discussions!
There will need to be an amplifier and speakers or powered speaker arrangement connected directly to each AirPort Express, so the number of Express devices will depend on how many separate amp/speaker configurations you want to set up.
If you want speakers in each room, you will need 3 Expresses.
I'm not aware of a speaker system that is designed specifically for AirTunes. Virtually all small powered speaker systems use the same type of audio plugs and connections, so compatibility should not be an issue.
To insure that the Expresses will function well, I would also suggest that you take a laptop upstairs and try to connect to the internet to make sure that you have adequate signal strength in the areas where the Expresses will be located.
If you have an Apple(n) base station in the basement, you will also be able to configure the Expresses to "extend" the wireless network, which will give you much better wireless signal strength upstairs.

Apple TV sync disrupts AirTunes streaming to airport express

Whenever my Apple TV is syncing with iTunes it disrupts my AirTunes stream to my airport express - the audio just stops playing.
Is there a way to fix this? Perhaps slow down the Apple TV sync so it doesn't suck up all the bandwidth so my airtunes stream keeps playing? Not sure if that's really the problem though.
Thanks for the help.

Yes, they ditched this useful feature with AppleTV2.
Send feedback:
http://www.apple.com/feedback/appletv.html
AC

ITunes doesn't stream to airport express remote speakers

Hi,
Since I updated iTunes (v8.0) I can't stream audio to my remote speakers via airport express.
The remote speakers are visible in iTunes, I can select them but airtunes can't connect. I don't get an error message, after a few seconds iTunes plays the music with my PC speakers. I did a firmware update for AX and had the latest version of the airport utility. I did a hardware reset and reconfigured the AX. I disabled the firewall. Nothing helps... Any suggestions?

The next time you are in iTunes, click on the speaker icon at the bottom of the screen. You should be able to see your remote speakers and your computer speaker. Click so that both are on. Can you connect?

I want to buy airport express, but i need to know if my sony smart tv can connect with it?, i want to buy airport express, but i need to know if my sony smart tv can connect with it?

i want to buy airport express for my ipad and iphone, but i need to know if my sony smart tv and my sister's phone can connect with it?

It would be difficult to guarentee that all wireless devices can connect to the AirPort Express Base Station (AX), so at best, your Sony Smart TV and your sister's phone SHOULD be able to connect ... as the AX is basically no different than any other manufacturers wireless router.

Streaming to Airport Express do I need a DAC

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