Ipad as Music Server

JoeyGS · « **on:** 16 Oct 2012, 05:12 am »

Will this work?

Ipad2 ----> Camera Kit USB adapter -----> USB cable with separate data and power lines (connected to battery source) -----> M2tech Hiface I USB-SPDIF converter ----> DAC

The reason I need to use the M2tech Hiface USB-SPDIF converter is due to my esternal DAC which only has a SDIF coaxial input connector. So since the Ipad2 cannot supply power to the Hiface, then a cable with separate data and power lines will be separately run thru a y-cable configuration and a battery pack will supply the needed 5 volts for the Hiface.

jb26 · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 Oct 2012, 12:09 pm »

You could run an airport express or apple tv into the dac and stream from theipad via AirPlay to the stereo.

jarcher · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 Oct 2012, 04:38 pm »

Personally having used airport express & appletv2, I would no longer use either for any "serious" listening. The appletv2 upsamples to 48khz - don't know why, maybe to match native output of DVD players. It messes up the sound though.

And as for the airport express, I used to get drop outs all the time. Lastly, I've not been happy w/ any toslink optical out on anything even using the very best glass optical toslink cables. Even using a $20 cheapo toslink to RCA SPDIF converter improved the sound.

As to Joey's question: I can understand the temptation of trying to use your existing Hiface and just getting a $29 camera kit usb adaptor. But because of the potential power issues, cost, and complexity you referenced w/ USB, I honestly think it would make more sense to either:

A) Get a decent but very low cost USB dac for the ipad (meaning under $100 - there are many out there).

or better yet:

B) Get an IPAD / IPOD / IPHONE dock with SPDIF RCA out. Often these were grossly overpriced, but there is at least one that retails shipped from Amazon at $100 :

http://www.pure.com/products/product.asp?Product=VL-61429

There may be more similar products out there at even lower cost.

In the end you spend close to the same as the option you presented, and you have a nice ipad holder, remote control, charger (also video out) and most importantly, less hassles & possibly better sound to boot.

Come to think of it - should get one for myself for the iphone.......

Hope that helps!

Quiet Earth · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 Oct 2012, 05:16 pm »

Is the Pure i-20 stable enough to hold up an i-pad?

Since we are on the subject of i devices and docks, does anyone have experience with the Cambridge Audio iPad dock? : http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/summary.php?PID=605 It looks like it is a bit more substantial than the pure i20 dock, plus it has an AES output and my DAC has a free AES input.

Meicheng · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 Oct 2012, 06:08 pm »

I am using a Cambridge Audio Ipad doc and it works great.

srb · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 Oct 2012, 06:16 pm »

Quote from: Quiet Earth on 16 Oct 2012, 05:16 pm

Is the Pure i-20 stable enough to hold up an i-pad?

There's nothing to support the iPad other than the connector so it would seem that it would put a lot of strain on the connector. But some people are using it although comments have been that the small lightweight base is not very stable with the iPad.

Steve

Quiet Earth · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 Oct 2012, 06:43 pm »

Thanks Steve. Yeah, strain on the connector,,, that's my main concern. The iPad is very heavy and I have seen some negative comments on iPad docks in general. I thought I would check in with you guys and explore more possibilities of making an iPad (or other i-device) into a music server. Hope I'm not hijacking the thread.

Quote from: Meicheng on 16 Oct 2012, 06:08 pm

I am using a Cambridge Audio Ipad doc and it works great.

Glad to hear that Meicheng. Does the ID100 support the back of the iPad too, or does the iPad just rest on the connector?

jarcher · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 Oct 2012, 07:25 pm »

I guess I kinda hijacked the thread w/ my IPAD dock suggestion, but would just like to comment that I think its crazy there aren't more decent IPAD / I-thing docks w/ RCA SPIF outputs at or under $100. Cambridge audio, wadia, etc at $300+ just not acceptable.

I guess I should say that if you're going to plug into something like a receiver / processor with HDMI, you could always use the apple IPAD / HDMI dongle thing. But for those of us here, I think what we want is to plug into the usual DAC over USB / RCA SPDIF or AESBU.

Doesn't seem to be too much to ask, but guess there's too few of us with these specific requirement for there to be more options.........

srb · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 Oct 2012, 07:40 pm »

I guess the Pure i-20 has a back rest with a rubber pad that is taller than I thought it was, so perhaps the only problem is the light weight and I'm sure DIY types could come up with a marble or granite base to mate with it to solve that.

Steve

Quiet Earth · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 Oct 2012, 08:09 pm »

Oh, ok. That looks cool then. The price is certainly right for that dock. I was looking for XLR out for myself, but I think that is a good option for JoeyGS and his original post.

JoeyGS,
If I knew more about the camera connector I would chime in. Maybe someone else can lend a hand?

jarcher,
I'm glad you brought up the dock suggestion and I agree with you.

JoeyGS · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 Oct 2012, 01:22 am »

Thanks to all who have chimed in and provided their insights.

I do have a USB dac and it gave an idea that based on what I have heard, the Ipad is a very good music source. The music quality is very good and that made think that hopefully it can also be connected to my Twisted Pear's Buffalo II external dac which only now has a SPDIF (coax) input. The Hiface is the interface to convert USB to SPDIF. With my buffalo dac I expect to get better sonic output.

I am trying to improve the output quality which shall be connected to my reference audio system and hopefully tell me that I can go digital music and give my CD player a rest.

@Quiet Earth - Info on the camera kit is in the following link:

http://store.apple.com/ph/product/MC531ZM/A/apple-ipad-camera-connection-kit?fnode=3a

I am using the USB connector where a USB device such as a USB Dac can be connected to the Ipad. It converts the standard Ipad LOD into a USB connector. It is originally for cameras where you can connect via usb and transfer photos direct to the Ipad. But we found out that the USB dac can also be connected to, thus, the idea of utilising the Ipad as a music source for our audio reference set-up.

Tiverson · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 Oct 2012, 11:01 am »

Hi, this is my first post. I used the Pure i-20 with a cable extender for my ipad. the Pure i-20 did not seem stable enough for the ipad but with a cable extender I did not have to worry about it tipping. I was able to play 24/96 loss less files thru the ipad. How ever I now own a squeezeebox touch so I use my ipad just as a remote now.

Quiet Earth · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 Oct 2012, 01:26 pm »

So with the camera connector, you can get a digital line out, but no 5 volts to power a passive USB to SPdif device. Is that right?

This question is for Joey, or anyone else that has used the camera connector.

acresm22 · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 Oct 2012, 11:39 pm »

Quote from: Tiverson on 17 Oct 2012, 11:01 am

Hi, this is my first post. I used the Pure i-20 with a cable extender for my ipad. the Pure i-20 did not seem stable enough for the ipad but with a cable extender I did not have to worry about it tipping. I was able to play 24/96 loss less files thru the ipad. How ever I now own a squeezeebox touch so I use my ipad just as a remote now.

So are you sending FLAC files from the ipad to the i-20 to get 24/96 playback? I assume they're not apple lossless, right?

jhm731 · « **Reply #14 on:** 18 Oct 2012, 01:17 am »

Quote from: Quiet Earth on 17 Oct 2012, 01:26 pm

So with the camera connector, you can get a digital line out, but no 5 volts to power a passive USB to SPdif device. Is that right?

This question is for Joey, or anyone else that has used the camera connector.

If your converter or DAC needs to see the 5v, it won't work.

An iPad with the camera connector works fine with my ART Legato converter.

Quiet Earth · « **Reply #15 on:** 18 Oct 2012, 02:36 am »

Thanks!

JoeyGS · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 Oct 2012, 04:38 am »

For the power supply for the Hiface, I already have a solution which a cable can be bought from Elijah Audio as follows:

The BPM (Battery Power Module) - Elijah Audio - Products

I will be using a battery pack that will supply the necessary 5v power supply into the Hiface. My external dac is self powered and the Hiface will be connected via SPDIF.

I hope someone has tried this before I buy the BPM cable and the battery pack.

Quote from: Quiet Earth on 17 Oct 2012, 01:26 pm

So with the camera connector, you can get a digital line out, but no 5 volts to power a passive USB to SPdif device. Is that right?

This question is for Joey, or anyone else that has used the camera connector.

JoeyGS · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 Oct 2012, 04:43 am »

How does it sound? How does it compare with your other sources?

Quote from: jhm731 on 18 Oct 2012, 01:17 am

If your converter or DAC needs to see the 5v, it won't work.

An iPad with the camera connector works fine with my ART Legato converter.

jhm731 · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 Oct 2012, 06:55 am »

Quote from: JoeyGS on 18 Oct 2012, 04:43 am

How does it sound? How does it compare with your other sources?

It doesn't sound as good as my other two digital sources, a networked Auraliti PK90 and a PS Audio PWT feeding a Aesthetix Pandora.

JoeyGS · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Oct 2012, 08:13 am »

Cool digital sources you got there

Quote from: jhm731 on 18 Oct 2012, 06:55 am

It doesn't sound as good as my other two digital sources, a networked Auraliti PK90 and a PS Audio PWT feeding a Aesthetix Pandora.