[sugbob21]

sort of a dumb question..... can i connect the toslink from the apple express to the toslink input on the Virtue piano 1 CDP instead of a an outboard DAC ? Not at home to try it and question was brought up .
thanks for any responce.

[jparkhur]

yes, just remember if you are using tos to tos the virtue will be doing all the decoding.  it may or may not make a difference.  I have mine directly in to my Denon receiver for background music and works fine.  I just plug my airport in to the receivers auto on power slot.

Jon

[srb]

I don't believe so because the Toslink optical connector on the Piano CD Player is an output and it doesn't have any digital inputs.
 
Steve

[sugbob21]

  thats right.  it is an output .... thanks

[chrisby]

FWIW there are lots of entry level priced and very compact DACs with Toslink input that substantially outperform that built into the AEX, but IINM  you'll still be limited in resolution when using Airplay.

My wife's system upstairs system uses MBP>AEX >Toslink>Citypulse DAC>DIY EL84 amp.  When I want to do some serious listening, I plug the Toslink cord into the MB and switch speakers to computer.   It's not even close.

Note that I post this precisely in the hope that I'll be corrected or advised on how to improve performance while retaining use of the AEX. I'm not averse to installing a 3rd party media player such as PureMusic, provided it's transparent to end user very familiar and comfortable with the iTunes interface.   That'd be the owner of said laptop.   

I'd been considering running a Mini as dedicated music server and a cheap FW  DAC such as the Edirol, but that would of course require a new learning curve for both of us on remote control of same. 

baby steps ...

   

[neekomax]

FWIW there are lots of entry level priced and very compact DACs with Toslink input that substantially outperform that built into the AEX, but IINM  you'll still be limited in resolution when using Airplay.

My wife's system upstairs system uses MBP>AEX >Toslink>Citypulse DAC>DIY EL84 amp.  When I want to do some serious listening, I plug the Toslink cord into the MB and switch speakers to computer.   It's not even close.

Note that I post this precisely in the hope that I'll be corrected or advised on how to improve performance while retaining use of the AEX. I'm not averse to installing a 3rd party media player such as PureMusic, provided it's transparent to end user very familiar and comfortable with the iTunes interface.   That'd be the owner of said laptop.   

I'd been considering running a Mini as dedicated music server and a cheap FW  DAC such as the Edirol, but that would of course require a new learning curve for both of us on remote control of same. 

baby steps ...

 

I stream music from both my old Mini and my MBP to Apple TV V2, then into a Peachtree Audio Decco, whose DAC decodes and sends along the analog to my amp via preamp output. I also use USB from the Mini into the Decco, and here's the thing- I can't hear a difference. At all. I don't know what to make of it, except maybe that since iTunes only plays 16 bit, and the Decco's DAC decodes 16 bit only, maybe the resolution just isn't high enough to make an audible difference.

That's been my experience. Any thoughts?

[srb]

I stream music from both my old Mini and my MBP to Apple TV V2, then into a Peachtree Audio Decco, whose DAC decodes and sends along the analog to my amp via preamp output. I also use USB from the Mini into the Decco, and here's the thing- I can't hear a difference. At all. I don't know what to make of it, except maybe that since iTunes only plays 16 bit, and the Decco's DAC decodes 16 bit only, maybe the resolution just isn't high enough to make an audible difference.

That's been my experience. Any thoughts?

I don't think it's a matter of not being able to hear a difference because they're 16-bit files, but more likely that the USB input on the Decco is only a so-so quality interface.  If you try a Mini-TOSLINK to TOSLINK optical cable (or your standard optical cable with a Mini-TOSLINK adapter) from the audio output jack of the Mini to the optical input on the Decco, it's possible you might find that connection to be audibly better than the other two connections you've tried.
 
Steve

[neekomax]

Interesting. I've not heard that the USB input on the Decco is considered of compromised quality.

I'm not sure I have optical output on my G4 mini to try that. Does a USB to optical converter exist?

[srb]

I'm not sure I have optical output on my G4 mini to try that. Does a USB to optical converter exist?

Sorry, the G4 Mini only has an analog audio output.  The later Intel Mini added analog/digital input and output combo jacks that accepted both 1/8" analog and Mini-TOSLINK S/PDIF optical.
 
There are a number of USB to optical converters including the Behringer UCA-202/222 (actually a DAC in itself, but also has an optical output) that I recommended in another topic as a really inexpensive way to get a laptop connected to a non-USB DAC, but I doubt it will better the USB input you have on the Decco.
 
If I were to use a USB to S/PDIF converter, my first choice would be to use a coaxial connection over an optical connection.  But some of these converters can be costly, from around $150 to over the cost of the Decco!
 
The person I recommended the $30 Behringer UCA-202 to, subsequently upgraded to the M2Tech HiFace USB to coaxial S/PDIF converter (actually the Mapleshade version of it) and reported:
 
"Fellow AC'er, SRB (Steve), helped me to learn about a USB-SPDIF adapter. He suggested a very inexpensive Behringer model that was available on Amazon, so I picked up one of those and an optical cable. I am an admitted fan of iTunes, so I ran that with the adapter and optical cable into my DAC (Tdac from Tube Audio Design).

Since that time I found a very interesting adapter from Mapleshade (one of my favorite places for "tweaks") that uses identical circuitry as the adapter that many consider the best on the market, the HiFace adapter from www.m2tech.biz. I then picked up a dig coax cable from blue jeans cable, and last night I fired it all up. I am absolutely thrilled with how things are sounding"
 
So some people do hear differences with different USB interfaces.  I'm not singling out Peachtree, only that sometimes manufacturers of multi-input DACs will include a USB and receiver chip combo as a convenience feature that may not be quite up to the audio quality of their S/PDIF inputs.
 
And I'm not necessarily recommending that you do the same, just that if you had an optical ouput on the Mac Mini (which I see now that you don't) that it would have been something you could have experiemented with for no extra cost.
 
Steve

[neekomax]

And I'm not necessarily recommending that you do the same, just that if you had an optical ouput on the Mac Mini (which I see now that you don't) that it would have been something you could have experiemented with for no extra cost.

Yes, I would probably upgrade to a newer Mac Mini (it is about time, after all) before I spent $150+ to see if maybe there was a difference between my Decco's USB port and its optical or coax inputs.

Still mystified as to how USB could be indistinguishable from Airplay streaming into optical. It either means that Airplay is great, or something is off about the USB situation.

[ribozymer]

Have a similar question, wasn't sure if I should start a new post.

I want to set up some speakers in my kitchen.
I'm planning on using a T-amp with an Airport express.

My question is would placing a Lite DAC-AH or a ZERO DAC between the Airport Express and the T-AMP be worth the money?  Would it make a noticeable difference in sound?

Thanks

[WC]

Not familiar with either DAC, but most outboard DACs are better than using the one internal to the Express. The Express is limited to 16/44 output from the optical connection.

[Cheerwino]

I've used a Scott Nixon NOS Dac between my Airport Express (via optical) and Zvox TV speaker box for a very nice sound improvement. Whether it is worth the expense or not is up to you.

[ribozymer]

What DAC chip does the AE use?  is it possible to upgrade airport express DAC?

[srb]

What DAC chip does the AE use?  is it possible to upgrade airport express DAC?

I believe the Airport Express N (A1264) uses a Cirrus Logic 4344.  I suppose anything is possible.  You'll need to surgically cut the ultrasonically welded case in half to get started.
 
Most AE mods I have read about focused on replacing the power supply with a good linear supply and using the S/PDIF or an I2S connection to feed an external DAC, not replacing the DAC chip or trying to modify its analog output stage.
 
Steve

[ribozymer]

Thanks,
   I'll stick with trying to find an affordable external DAC