[Pez]

1st I want to say I freaking love my apple TV it is well within one of my best purchases in a long time. Netflix, streaming movies, pictures, airplay from my iOS devices. All of these are firmly in the 'hell yes' category for me. 

That said, there are certain things that IMO are automatic deal breakers for me when we're talking audio. On the top of that list is anything with a switching power supply. They introduce a ton of noise that will have huge determental effects on a digital signal or analog signal. They also introduce noise into the AC it is plugged into and can pollute your audio chain through other components. It's not a gauranteed thing, but it's something that I've measured using a an AC noise sniffer. Every place I had a wall wart or device with an internal switching supply there was a notable increase in line noise every time. unplug it and the noise goes away.

Now regarding my experience with the sonics of a switching power supply, most recently my squeezebox sounds like garbage with the switching power supply. Compared to my Sony sacd player it is no contest the CDP sounds much better on redbook through analog vs the digital on the Squeezebox and the analog on the Sony is terrible. When I get rid of the switching power supply it is a night and day difference. It surpasses the sony in every way and that's just changing the power supply. Mind you that the squeezebox is only being used via the digital output.

The Apple TV has the same exact issues as the stock Squeezebox + the spdif conversion to optical. That can't be a good thing. Perhaps the ATV is better than the stock Squeezebox, but I bet the farm it sounds better with a good linear power supply. The optical output is not the major issue with the ATV, the PS is. That said there is no reason the optical can't sound good, it's just not my first choice option for audio.

Stu, you clearly like the ATV and that's excellent, I really am glad you like it. I might be jaded, but I have some preconceptions regarding these sort of things because I have had negative experiences revolving around these things. Like I said before I am willing to give the ATV a shot as a source it should be very easy, I just need to find a Opt to Coax converter. I will report my findings and try to keep an open mind. 

[Stu Pitt]

The ATV 2 has a bit more functionality than my ATV 1.  Not much, but a few cool things like Netflix.  A lot of people like it as a streamer for music.  I haven't heard it in a hifi system, so I can't say how it'll sound.

All I can say is my ATV 1 sounds great using the digital output.  I started out with an old Theta Cobalt DAC to see if I wanted to get into this type of stuff.  Even though my Apollo sounded better, it collected dust.  Once I was sure Rega was ready to release their DAC, I sold the Apollo to pay for part of it. The DAC and ATV 1 combo sounds a lot better than my Apollo did.  Maybe a better transport will improve things a bit more.  The way things sound and the ease of use have me perfectly content right now.

If high-res becomes mainstream, I'll ditch the ATV.  I'm not holding my breath waiting for that to happen though.   

[Crimson]

I've got both. 

An early first gen, a late first gen, and two second gen models. Both the first gen models via optical out are quite a bit better then the second gen model. In fact, IMO, the second gen model's audio just plain sucks in comparison.

There. You're both right.

[rob80b]

And if you're really on a tight budget and you can't stretch for the BDA-1, there is the Gefen GTV-AAUD-2-DIGAUD for $60.00 on Amazon, even comes with the toslink cable although I splurged and paid $4.00 for another one.
Actually sounds decent streaming itunes and netflix movies, I'm running the analogue outputs to the BP25/4BSST.
There is also one that decodes 5.1 but then you're spending almost $100 bucks



Robert

[celo]

What is the ATV2 upsampling to 48hz thing? Does it matter what it upsample to if you connect it to an external DAC?

[Stu Pitt]

The ATV 2 upsamples everything to 48.  Not sure why, the upsampling has been reported by a ton of sources.

It does make a difference going into a DAC, as the music has been changed.  The DAC can only convert what it's been given.  The DAC may or may not upsample again, depending on the DAC.

If there's an audible difference between the original 44.1 file and the upsampled 48 file is a different discussion of which I have no knowledge.  I haven't heard the ATV 2 in a hifi system, let alone having heard both side by side playing the same 44.1 file into the same system to be able to definitively say there's a difference.  Crimson has both, so I'll take his word for it. 

[skunark]

My ATV2 does upsample to 48khz, but it sounds pretty darn good with the BDA-1.   The BDP improves the detail but to non AC readers, it's not a drastic improvement.

[celo]

Thanks! I guess I will stick to my Airport Express to DAC plan.

[Marius]

Hi,

My experience with streaming webcasts of digitalconcerthall.com is that the ATV2 (acting as a Airplay-receiver from the Safaribrowser on the iPad, sounds remarkably better than my Macbook. I have both the Macbook and the ATV connected with an optical SPDIF into the BDA1. I also tried the Macbook with Usb into the BDA1, sound quality on the ATV remained the better one.

To make it even more complex: both sources can be delivered to the BDA1 through the optical out of my tv. That's a rather convenient way to fight lipsync-problems. A final extra option is a Samsung App, that digital concert hall made recently. Sound is far worse than in all the other options. Picture is great though, which was a significant problem with streaming through the browsers.

Well, quality of audio and video both taken into account: I end up streaming the iPad to the ATV, and take the audio out of the Tv into the BDA1.

Greetings,
Marius

[Vipers]

Interesting that this thread has come back to life as I have just been introduced to the wonders of Airplay through Linn's implementation of it into their DS streamers, called Songcast, basically they have re-engineered it so they haven't got to pay Apple any fees, anyhow I wanted to implement this feature into my Bryston setup and was going to add an Airport Express then I was made aware of Apple TV, what a brilliant, cost effective piece of kit, I was about to order one last week but I've held fire for now as all the rumours point to Apple TV3 being launched next week with the Ipad 3.

So along with this and I'm going to also add a Sonos ZP90 to get Spotify, Internet Radio and Wolfgangs Vault and that should give me all the internet services and Airplay whilst keeping a Full Bryston rig, excellent