Sonos, Airport Express or Wadia?

[howiebrou]

Folks, my Wadia Idock arrives today :banana: Just a bit of fun for a relatively decent price. I have about 200GB of Apple lossless music on my external hard drive and I guess what I want to see which system you guys think is the most convenient and best sounding. All digital signals will be going through the digital inputs on my Accuphase DP700 and then through the Nagra PLL into the MC2000.

1. Wadia Idock: Coaxial output. limited to 160GB. Difficult to see display from seat. Computer does not have to be on.

2. Airport Express: Only toslink output. I can use my Iphone3G as a remote for my IMAC which has the songs so I can sit on the couch and control all songs. Can add multiple units. Cheap.

3. Sonos: Coaxial out. Great remote. Expensive (relatively). Computer does not have to be on.

4. MS750: too expensive. Not an option.

Thanks for all inputs!

howie

[forzaroma]

Howie,

Why no Squeezebox Duet (the one with the LCD remote like the Sonos) in the list?

Just curious. That would be my choice ($399)

Alberto

[vintage_tube]

Better hurry and get an answer to your question -- doubt this will last a half a day on the McIntosh forum (before being moved).

[Vesuv1us]

That Wadia transport is <expletive deleted>ing sweet. I would go straight to that; it is the only thing on the market that keeps an iPod in a direct digital path to a DAC that I know of! Now if I only liked iPods... :)

I thought the Wadia had a video output to go to a monitor?

[howiebrou]

Howie,

Why no Squeezebox Duet (the one with the LCD remote like the Sonos) in the list?

Just curious. That would be my choice ($399)

Alberto

I understand that the squeezbox requires the computer to remain on??:scratch2: I would prefer an independent system although my option 2 has this same restriction I guess.

[forzaroma]

I understand that the squeezbox requires the computer to remain on??:scratch2: I would prefer an independent system although my option 2 has this same restriction I guess.

Got it.

Alberto

[jdubbs]

I use both #2 and #3, though for different listening purposes. Actually for #2 I use an AppleTV, which performs similarly to the Airport Express but adds an on-screen user interface and the ability to play TV shows, movies, YouTube videos, etc. in addition to music files. (You can also sync your music files to the AppleTV, meaning your computer does not need to be on). The AppleTV is similarly controllable via your iPhone, though I do like the Sonos remote as well. The limitation of the Sonos is that DRM-protected music cannot be used.

[howiebrou]

The limitation of the Sonos is that DRM-protected music cannot be used.

Would that affect me if i burn all my music from my own cds??:scratch2:

[TONEPUB]

how important is ultimate sound quality, or are you more after convenience?

The iMac doesn't sound too bad from the toslink... and the iPod as remote is pretty handy.

[Tinyelvis]

I use the Airport Express and control it via Keyspan Express Remote.

Sweet little deal.
http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1451/as-images.apple.com/is/image/AppleInc/TB638?wid=185&hei=185&fmt=jpeg&qlt=95&op_sharpen=1&resMode=bicub&op_usm=0.5,0.5,0,0&iccEmbed=0

[howiebrou]

how important is ultimate sound quality, or are you more after convenience?

The iMac doesn't sound too bad from the toslink... and the iPod as remote is pretty handy.


Hi Jeff,

I am after the best sound quality given my current line-up and my use of apple lossless but am willing to consider adding a Sonos / squeezbox / wi-fi router with digital outputs to achieve that. I won't be buying a stand alone dac or a new computer with sound card with AES digital outputs etc etc. Admittedly convenience is the main draw but if it sounds crap it will be a no-no. My Denon idock with analogue outputs being a case in point. :thumbsdn: I should add that my imac is not in the same room as the hi fi hence my thoughts of using the Airport Express to locate a digital signal near the dac.

howie

[howiebrou]

Btw, I just listened to the Wadia through a Wadia series 9 dac then Ayre KX-R preamp and MX-R monoblocks and Wilson Watt 8. NOt bad sounding at all! :banana:

[howiebrou]

I use the Airport Express and control it via Keyspan Express Remote.

Sweet little deal.
http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1451/as-images.apple.com/is/image/AppleInc/TB638?wid=185&hei=185&fmt=jpeg&qlt=95&op_sharpen=1&resMode=bicub&op_usm=0.5,0.5,0,0&iccEmbed=0

Looks neat! What I like about using the iphone or the sonos is that you can visualise all the album artwork as well. This is a big draw imho. :yes: One drawback of the Wadia is that I can not see the ipod text from my seating position so the remote is not a very useful accessory.

[2uberoller]

the airport express with the iMac sounds surprisingly good and the iPhone remote works great. It you are not happy you can use the airport express as wifi wireless printer hub as it has USB on it

[JohnThomas]

Btw, I just listened to the Wadia through a Wadia series 9 dac then Ayre KX-R preamp and MX-R monoblocks and Wilson Watt 8. NOt bad sounding at all! :banana:

I've had the Wadia 170 for about a month. I tried it in my main system thru the MDA 1000. First impression was the sound was ok but sounded a little bright. I'm not sure if this is a Wadia trait. I ended up putting it in my second system in the exercise room thru a benchmark DAC and Simaudio I-7. It sounds less bright thru this equipment. Very handy unit for the price. I call it the poor mans MS750.

[Tinyelvis]

Looks neat! What I like about using the iphone or the sonos is that you can visualise all the album artwork as well. This is a big draw imho. :yes: One drawback of the Wadia is that I can not see the ipod text from my seating position so the remote is not a very useful accessory.

I, fortunately, can see my 22" monitor screen from my listening room (Man Cave). So I can see the album art and get tunes. Granted, the audio is not the best, but my library is unbeatably HUGE.
:music:

[jdubbs]

Would that affect me if i burn all my music from my own cds??:scratch2:

No. Only copy-protected music purchased from the iTunes Store (and/or other online music sources) would be a problem. Some music on iTunes is available in "iTunes Plus" format, which is higher-quality (lossless or near-lossless) and not copy-protected, but this only accounts for a few labels. In time this may change as more labels drop their insistence on encoding their music with DRM protection.

[Sephiam]

I'm sorry for the most basic of questions, but:

I have a new iMac that sits across the room from my Mc system. I want (I think?) to use Airport Express into a Benchmark or Grace headphone amp/DAC, into my MA6900.

Is this an appropriate set up? Will the quality be ok for general listening? Are there better options (can't afford a Mc server).

Thanks for any advice, or please direct me to the right forum if I've made a posting error.

[Victor]

This thread is full of great info and questions for the Digital Formats & Music Server Forums so that is where it will go.

[EasyRiderNYC]

I've been thinking abut getting an Apple iTV.

Folks, my Wadia Idock arrives today :banana: Just a bit of fun for a relatively decent price. I have about 200GB of Apple lossless music on my external hard drive and I guess what I want to see which system you guys think is the most convenient and best sounding. All digital signals will be going through the digital inputs on my Accuphase DP700 and then through the Nagra PLL into the MC2000.

1. Wadia Idock: Coaxial output. limited to 160GB. Difficult to see display from seat. Computer does not have to be on.

2. Airport Express: Only toslink output. I can use my Iphone3G as a remote for my IMAC which has the songs so I can sit on the couch and control all songs. Can add multiple units. Cheap.

3. Sonos: Coaxial out. Great remote. Expensive (relatively). Computer does not have to be on.

4. MS750: too expensive. Not an option.

Thanks for all inputs!

howie

[uofmtiger]

If you can leave a computer on, I would go with:

"2. Airport Express: Only toslink output. I can use my Iphone3G as a remote for my IMAC which has the songs so I can sit on the couch and control all songs. Can add multiple units. Cheap."

This will give you an easy way to control your music with the iPhone and is the cheapest solution.

If you have to have the PC off, then it becomes an issue of whether you can live with the small display on the ipod and the 160GB limitation or would be willing to spend more for a Sonos or Squeezebox+NAS hack.