[JackCrank]

Hi all, so I just picked up a new Mac tower and I'm looking to run it through two different systems, my Linn Classik/AE Aegis Evo1, and through my Grado RS-1's and currently they both sound like crap.

Currently the headphone situation is that I'm building an amp and that should take care of most of those problems but the airport setup just sucks. That being said, would a good DAC in line with the headphone amp (if it ever gets done) make the cans sound better?

I was thinking that perhaps adding a DAC somewhere in the line might help? Does using airfoil over the regular itunes wireless option make a difference? Do I need to use this foobar thing everyone's been talking so much about even if all my songs aren't the highest quality?

Help a rookie out?

 

[Shoreman]

What's your audio reference standard? In other words, what are you comparing the sound to, in concluding that your setup sounds, ahem, less than desirable? I do believe that you're never going to get audiophile-quality sound through a wireless network. I'm sure that others more experienced than I in this area can chime in with more specifics/details. And no, you don't have to use foobar to get bit-perfect output on a Mac, as I understand it. It's possible using iTunes. I think it's the wireless configuration that 's your problem.

 

[TSi]

Do not use wireless to stream lossless audio, it defeats the purpose of "lossless"

 

[VeipaCray]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do not use wireless to stream lossless audio, it defeats the purpose of "lossless"

Why do you say that? Doesn't the IP network just packetize the data and transmit it? ... In this case wireless ethernet.

The Network itself may lose a packet or two, but it will re-transmit and you will end up with the exact same file across the network as you did at the source. The speed of the network transmission should far exceed what you can listen to in realtime. It's not like the network is manipulating the audio file in any way. The packets are shipped and then re-assembled by the end device to present you the same file you started with. Wired or wireless shouldn't matter. If wireless was a problem, you'd hear pauses in the music while the wireless network was trying to catch up. I agreed wired is a better way of connecting the airport device, but only because it's more secure and quite a bit faster. However, the end result should be the same file.

Am I wrong?

 

[infinitesymphony]

The Linn Classik doesn't appear to have any digital inputs, so you must be running an analog Y-cable straight out of the Airport Express. If so, this is the problem. The tiny DAC section inside of the Airport Express is doing the work--it's a cheap Burr-Brown PCM2705 chip.

The real benefit of using the Airport Express comes with using its digital output, which also comes through the same 1/8" jack. You'll need a mini-TOSlink to TOSlink cable (or a TOSlink cable with a mini adapter for one end), and an external DAC.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do not use wireless to stream lossless audio, it defeats the purpose of "lossless"

Are you sure you know what you talk about?

Cause AirTunes (iTunes -> WLAN -> AirPort Express) is bit-perfect, and actually stream in Apple Lossless regardless which codec are played back.

JackCrank. Yes, adding a standalone DAC will most probably make a difference.
Feeding the DAC with optical (digital) signal from the AirPort Express.

 

[JackCrank]

Ok so in talking to a friend at digitalfix he told me about audioengine's wireless transmitter setup (and it sounded like a pretty solid set up so I picked one up to try. (Pricey at $150USD a pop) but as soon as threw it in my system it made a huge difference. First of all it never has to wait for the airport to catch up.

The quality is significantly higher in terms of soundstage, dynamics, bass response, and high end. Straight out of the airport the sound was kinda veiled, and slightly distorted, the audioengine setup was, if not quite cd quality (probably because of the quality of the actual data on my comp), pretty damned close. These little buggers get my support. The other advantage is that they took about 5seconds to set up and worked straight out of the box no extra software required. Here's what they look like
AW1 Wireless Adapter. The last reason that I dropped the coin on this isht is that it works like any speakers so I can listen to the net and movies over my setup as well.

I guess now the only thing I need to do is get my ass in gear on finishing the casing for my headphone amp for some nighttime listening.

 

[JackCrank]

For reference my standard of what sounds good comes out of the fact that I listen pretty much exclusively to vinyl when I'm not on my bike. I run a Pro-Ject expression III through a Grado PH1 phonostage with a sumiko bluepoint Evo III cartridge all hooked up with Nordost blue heaven interconnects so digital just isn't ever going to sound they way I want it to. That being said the AE wireless setup is a definite improvement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoreman /img/forum/go_quote.gif What's your audio reference standard? In other words, what are you comparing the sound to, in concluding that your setup sounds, ahem, less than desirable? I do believe that you're never going to get audiophile-quality sound through a wireless network. I'm sure that others more experienced than I in this area can chime in with more specifics/details. And no, you don't have to use foobar to get bit-perfect output on a Mac, as I understand it. It's possible using iTunes. I think it's the wireless configuration that 's your problem.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Again... You won't see the benefits of these systems unless you use an external DAC. Right now you're using the uber-cheap DAC sections built into these wireless devices.

 

[mchang]

This is my setup at home:
Mac Mini > Airport Express > Oritek Modded Zhaolu v4.1 DAC > [AMP] > Sennheiser HD650 (playback controlled by iPhone using Signal)

I use a optical mini toslink to connect AE to DAC. Sounds great. I'm running 11g network in my house, so there is no latency issues. Pretty much, I push the Play button in the Signal "remote control application" on my iPhone and a 1/2 second later, the music starts playing. Maybe it's a full second if I'm generous.

If you don't want to drop $500 for the OMZ DAC, the 0404 USB ($150-185) did the same thing when I had it. As long as the DAC has optical toslink in, you're good.

 

[JackCrank]

So the DAC is the key piece here then? Where can I pick up this 0404 doodad?

 

[mchang]

Used in the Source Components For Sale / Trade forum here. I sold mine there a few weeks ago. I got mine new from TheNerds.net - Office Supplies, GPS Units, Computer Parts, Digital Cameras and more. Available from Guitar Centers, too, among other places.

 

[JackCrank]

And what exactly is the better dac going to do to my sound in terms of qualitative imrovements?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackCrank /img/forum/go_quote.gif And what exactly is the better dac going to do to my sound in terms of qualitative imrovements?

Better everything, basically. Accuracy, dynamic range, frequency response...

Looking at your setup, the Linn Classik seems to be above the quality of your other gear. You might find a greater improvement with a speaker upgrade. If you do decide to get a new DAC, you may want something better than the 0404 USB.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackCrank /img/forum/go_quote.gif And what exactly is the better dac going to do to my sound in terms of qualitative imrovements?

It will, or at least can, improve all parts of the sound.
The DAC might be the second most important component in you system, after the audio stream itself. Since it convert digital to analog signal, and have a major impact on the end result. As in "$hit it" = "$hit out".