[laserboi]

Hey Everybody,

Thanks for the time to stop by and perhaps offer some insight.  I am a very happy owner of a macbook and recently purchased my first house so I have some new options for my system.  Currently I've been using a redbook cd player (Primare CD21) as my only source.  When I entertain, the frustration of having to get up and swap discs over and over when I'm doing demo's for friends is a bit much.  Here is my new game plan and I wanted to make sure I was on the right path.

I've begun ripping my cds to my macbook via apple lossless, which will help frame up what I'm going after.

Airport Extreme Router >> Macbook streaming lossless via iTunes >> Apple TV w/ usb out to >> Scott Nixon USB Tube Dac >> Odyssey Candela Pream >> Odyssey Stratos Extreme stereo amp >> Mirage M-3si's. 

Will this system chain work?  Will I be getting the quality I'm looking for going this route and can you think of a better method to go about this?

I really want to be able to relax on the couch in the sweet spot with my macbook on my lap playing songs from itunes, which in turn is streaming wireless to my stereo.  Thanks again for your time.

[oldmp3]

Will this system chain work?

Apple TV does not support USB audio, so no.  You will have to use the toslink out from the Apple TV or consider toslink to USB conversion, if possible.

Will I be getting the quality I'm looking for going this route

You'll have to be the judge.  I am very happy with quality of the itunes lossless/appletv as a source, YMMV.  Your downstream components are very good, and many people consider itunes lossless/appletv/airport an excellent combination.

and can you think of a better method to go about this?

Consider using the Remote app on your iphone/itouch to control apple tv.  I don't think you can control apple tv with your macbook.  If you are just streaming music and not interested in the other apple tv functionality, consider using the airport express instead.  If you are committed to ALAC, apple tv or airport express is the way to go, IMHO.

Good luck 

[laserboi]

oldmp3,

Thank you for sharing with me the fact that apple tv does not pass audio via USB.  I better take another look at the Scott Nixon line of DAC's as I'm not sure they support toslink.

[oldmp3]

I believe he can add toslink for a small up charge, best to contact directly.

[skunark]

If you do use the iphone/ipod touch remote app, you can also look at using the digital output of an Airport Express (ignore the analog outs) over an Apple TV.   You can also do a version of whole house audio with any mixture of Apple TV, Airport Express and of course speakers connected the computer running iTunes.  Just as long as you use the remote it's not a bad setup.

As for the Airport Extreme (and other wireless routers), my experience is audio is fine using wireless, but I've had issues streaming video between the Apple TV and the Linksys and Airport Extreme routers even when they are 3" apart.