I'm currently using a Denon DVD-2900 universal player for CD/SACD playback and it sounds noticeable better than any of the low/mid-fi players I've owned. I use it mostly for CD but have close to 20 SACD's. So much better that for the past year I've been wondering how much better a really nice CD/SACD player would sound. I have been looking at the new Sony SCD-5400ES, Marantz SA-8003, and several used players in that price range. The new Marantz has a USB connection on the front and that got me thinking about the future of digital audio. We can debate it all day long but from my perspective the days of physical digital media are numbered. So with that in mind I started looking at what's the best way to implement all digital audio without buying or building a dedicated media server since I already have my music ripped to a computer and have wired and wireless N capabilities in my home.

That got me searching here on AK and other sites and the first device that really caught my attention was the Wadia iTransport. While a really cool device, for my needs I'm not sure that's the answer although it could be the way I go. So then I thought about the AppleTV. I have one connected to my HT and I think it's a great product for my use, mainly music and photos. It has a wonderful GUI that is simple to operate (although Apple is really loading up iTunes and ATV with stuff I don't need or want). I've already bought into the whole iTunes regime so no need to debate that here as I'm not going to change at this time.

So my goal here is to have digital audio into my dedicated stereo system that sounds better than my current player and hopefully a lot better.

So what I'm thinking of doing is re ripping all my CD's with EAC into ALAC files. I will use an ATV wirelessly and then use the optical digital out into a DAC. Right now I'm looking at the new Cambridge Audio DACMagic. Opinions on whether or not you think this setup will meet my goal? One of the issues is controlling the ATV. I will either need a monitor or use my Touch to control the ATV. I could use an Airport express as well but I like the added flexibility with the ATV. I could even use the ATV as the server itself and not worry about streaming audio. The 160gb capacity will hold my entire music collection but I would eventually run out of space.

BTW, I will keep my Denon for occasional SACD playback.

Is anyone else using an ATV in a similar application?

Bump.

Bump.Assuming the ATV sends out a bit perfect signal, the sound will be dependant on the gear/DAC that follows it.

If the ATV is controllable via the touch when the monitor is off, I think it makes for a nice setup.

BTW I do not own an ATV.

Assuming the ATV sends out a bit perfect signal, the sound will be dependant on the gear/DAC that follows it.I've researched this before and from what I found it does send out a bit perfect signal. Stereo and DD are possible and I use the DAC in my Denon 3805.

Anyone already doing this in a dedicated stereo system? If so what were the results and what DAC are you using?

I read somewhere that Wadia can not play FLAC.

Does ATV stream music or sends to HD for playback. My Slingbox takes up a lot of bandwidth which makes music streaming with a lot of hick-ups.

I've researched this before and from what I found it does send out a bit perfect signal. Stereo and DD are possible and I use the DAC in my Denon 3805.

Anyone already doing this in a dedicated stereo system? If so what were the results and what DAC are you using?Keep in mind that most outboard DACs are for 2 channel audio. Therefore, you need to use the receiver to decode it if you want 5.1, unless you want to buy a splitter. I have a similar setup that uses an M-Audio splitter (http://www.amazon.com/Midiman-M-Audio-Coaxial-Bi-Directional-Converter/dp/B00006J074).

The question about which DAC to buy is a tough one. I am not sure what will better the DAC in your receiver. I know headfi has tons of reviews comparing different models.

I've been taking a look at the SlingBox, After seeing a demo. There is HMDI 1.3 support, USB and digital audio. Believe there is a wireless adapter, But refuse to do any wireless in my HT. (Less the remote, Of course)

Keep in mind that most outboard DACs are for 2 channel audio. Therefore, you need to use the receiver to decode it if you want 5.1, unless you want to buy a splitter. I have a similar setup that uses an M-Audio splitter (http://www.amazon.com/Midiman-M-Audio-Coaxial-Bi-Directional-Converter/dp/B00006J074). I already use one in my HT but what I'm talking about here is for a dedicated stereo system in a different room from my HT. I'll be specifically looking for a quality two channel DAC.

Does ATV stream music or sends to HD for playback. My Slingbox takes up a lot of bandwidth which makes music streaming with a lot of hick-ups.I stream from my PC to the ATV. I will test the WiFi capabilites with my existing ATV before I buy another one. I stream audio and HD video to my existing ATV via a wired LAN and have never had any hiccups with my current setup. If WiFi is an issue I can always drop another Cat 5 in my den.

Is the Wadia the issue or the iPod itself? I don't think iTunes or iPods support FLAC and that's why I'm going to use ALAC.

I've been taking a look at the SlingBox, After seeing a demo. There is HMDI 1.3 support, USB and digital audio. Believe there is a wireless adapter, But refuse to do any wireless in my HT. (Less the remote, Of course)Do you use the DAC in your prepro with the SlingBox or another DAC?

I already use one in my HT but what I'm talking about here is for a dedicated stereo system in a different room from my HT. I'll be specifically looking for a quality two channel DAC.Not sure why you would go with the ATV when the airport express will be just as useful with the iPod Touch? I thought the benefit of ATV over the airport express was the video?

Which DAC will depend on how much you want to spend.

Do you use the DAC in your prepro with the SlingBox or another DAC?


Have not purchased the slingbox yet, Have seen it in action. It's on this months X-mas list. Doing a bit more research first, But seems to support what your after. The issue I have is the audio side of it. Seems like you can go 2 ways, HDMI(W/Audio) in too your AVR/PrePro, Or digital(Coaxial) in, Then out to the TV. Theres a pic of the back panel here;
http://www.slingmedia.com/go/slingcatcher-connections

Not sure why you would go with the ATV when the airport express will be just as useful with the iPod Touch? I thought the benefit of ATV over the airport express was the video?I'm still working through that one. I really like the GUI on the ATV so that would be the main reason for using it but then I need a monitor. Might be easier to manage the audio files this way. But I'm going to move my existing ATV into my den and use my Touch and see how it works before I buy any new equipment. There are trade offs both ways. For testing purposes I'll use the digital input on my Denon DAP 2500 preamp. The DAP 2500 is almost 20 years old in design so I'm not expecting great results with the internal DACs.

I appreciate the comments from everyone as I think through this. :thmbsp:

Have not purchased the slingbox yet, Have seen it in action. It's on this months X-mas list. Doing a bit more research first, But seems to support what your after. The issue I have is the audio side of it. Seems like you can go 2 ways, HDMI(W/Audio) in too your AVR/PrePro, Or digital(Coaxial) in, Then out to the TV. Theres a pic of the back panel here;
http://www.slingmedia.com/go/slingcatcher-connectionsIs the main difference between the box and catcher internet capability?

If you have Firewire and a Mac, Apogee Duet is hard to beat at $499. Connect that to Pro Powered Monitors like Adam Audio, Focal Solo6 BE or Dynaudio and you'll have a system that will give any Hi-Fi a run for the money.

I am using AirTunes (Airport Express) and iPhone as remote. It's nice if you have enough bandwidth. I found that dropouts & remote unable to connect happens too often for my taste.

Is the main difference between the box and catcher internet capability? I have an older Slingbox AV. The box has video, audio, and ethernet inputs. This makes it possible to be anywhere with an internet connection and watch things like satellite TV (from your living room) from a computer with the sling software or cell phone.

The catcher receives the signal from your slingbox (or internet) and takes the place of a computer on the receiving end. It also has USB inputs for playing files back directly.

I am using AirTunes (Airport Express) and iPhone as remote. It's nice if you have enough bandwidth. I found that dropouts & remote unable to connect happens too often for my taste.I was just looking at the Remote functions (http://www.apple.com/itunes/remote/)and I will download it and try it tonight. :thmbsp:

I was just looking at the Remote functions (http://www.apple.com/itunes/remote/)and I will download it and try it tonight. :thmbsp:

It's really cool and pretty. My only problem is dropouts. I plan to make attempts to fix that, soon.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=121047&d=1228182748http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=121048&d=1228182748

The iPhone as an iTunes WiFi remote appears to be a killer app - thanks for alerting me to it! This way, I can actually get to use my iPhone/Touch, instead of having it sit in its cradle tethered to my amp all night...on the other hand, the iPhone seems to need charging quite often, so keeping it in the cradle saves me that hassle.

So this evening I updated my iTunes, Touch, and ATV software. I then downloaded the Remote app, disconnected my LAN connection from my ATV and synced my Touch with the ATV. That remote software is beyond cool. :yes: Then I turned off my TV and just used the Touch to control my ATV. What a piece of cake, it works really well. But NN is right, my 2G Touch really drains the battery fast when in wifi mode. After my kids go to bed I'll move the ATV into my den and connect it to my stereo system. So far no issues at all streaming audio or video to my ATV. :thmbsp:

Duffinator,

How is your network set-up. I am getting dropouts with my Airport Express using AirTunes and remote app has some hick-ups.

My Network set-up:

Cable modem ---> Linksys WRT54G (G wireless router) --->Airport Extreme (via Ethernet) ---> Airport Express (via "connect to network "- N)

Duffinator,

How is your network set-up. I am getting dropouts with my Airport Express using AirTunes and remote app has some hick-ups.

My Network set-up:

Cable modem ---> Linksys WRT54G (G wireless router) --->Airport Extreme (via Ethernet) ---> Airport Express (via "connect to network "- N)You may have something like a 2.4GHz phone causing interference. I have not issue with my iTouch dropping a signal.

The remote app is one of my favorites. :thmbsp:

Duffinator,

How is your network set-up. I am getting dropouts with my Airport Express using AirTunes and remote app has some hick-ups.

My Network set-up:

Cable modem ---> Linksys WRT54G (G wireless router) --->Airport Extreme (via Ethernet) ---> Airport Express (via "connect to network "- N)I didn't move my system into my den last night as I was having problems with my ATV. It kept rebooting. It may have been dropping the wifi connection or something to do with the software update I installed last night. I could not find any issues with the latest software update on macrumors.com. Tonight I'll reinstall my LAN connection to see if that solves the problem or not. The ATV was showing a four or five bar signal so I don't think it's the wifi but I want to make sure. I may need to move my wifi out from under my desk and behind my computer for better reception. I have 6.0 cordless phones so that shouldn't be an issue. Here's my setup:

DSL ---> D-Link Extreme wireless N wireless router --->ATV either wifi or ethernet ---> connected to Denon AVR 3805 and Panasonic 58" Plasma

I had no issues with the Remote although when I went into my den where my steroe is located (with the ATV in my family room on the other side of my house) the remote did lose it's connection. I posted this question on Macrumors but I'll ask it here: when using my Touch as a Remote for my ATV is the remote communicating with my ATV or wifi router? The Remote app is the coolest. :yes:

BTW, anyone thinking of using an ATV check for refurbished units on Apple's website for a nice discount and one year warranty. And of course CL and there's a 160 gb ATV on the SF CL as of yesterday.

Duffinator,

How is your network set-up. I am getting dropouts with my Airport Express using AirTunes and remote app has some hick-ups.

My Network set-up:

Cable modem ---> Linksys WRT54G (G wireless router) --->Airport Extreme (via Ethernet) ---> Airport Express (via "connect to network "- N)

Why don't you try making your network all wireless? Eliminate the Ethernet connection from the Linksys to the Airport Extreme. If you are mixing N and G signals you may be having a problem... I believe N falls back to G speed anyway if there is any G component on the network. G is plenty fast enough for just about everything, anyway (IMO).

My four web cams and two iPhones are not N. I set them to use the Linksys wireless router. My two Macbooks are N on Airport Extreme.

Remote app. connects to WiFi network.

ATV is cheaper on Ebay with MSN Live discount.

Get a sonos you can still use your iphone as the remote however you also get: pandora, rhapsody, napster, hd radio, satellite radio, full itunes support, control off your computer, every radio staion in any country in any city in the world.

My four web cams and two iPhones are not N. I set them to use the Linksys wireless router. My two Macbooks are N on Airport Extreme.

Remote app. connects to WiFi network.

ATV is cheaper on Ebay with MSN Live discount.

I think you should try disconnecting your ethernet link and run everything on Wireless G. If you're using your iPhone (G) with the remote app to control your Macbook (N), you're degrading EVERYTHING to G speed anyway (I think). I have an older Macbook that only has wireless G. I don't notice one iota of difference when I turn off AirPort and plug into the ethernet cable right out of my cable modem. Even for streaming video. I'm guessing that the dropouts you're experiencing may be due to the G / N incompatibility and the mix of wired/wireless G/wireless N. I'm no expert, but I think it's worth a try.

So it appears I need to manually connect my Touch to my ATV every time my whole system is turned off. If I just power down the ATV the Touch will connect to it with no additional work. But if I power off my PC and start the system fresh again I need to connect the Touch with my PC and ATV. That doesn't seem right so maybe I need to do further research.

I've always been prepared to have a small LCD TV in the system but if the Touch would work flawlessly each time I would omit it. You need to see the GUI in order to reconnect the Touch, no way of getting around that. So now maybe I'll go with the Airport Express. DJ, what do you use to connect yours with an optical out? Does that pass along the PCM?

Did you check the settings in the Remote app? There is a "stay connected" switch.

I am using Monster Cable mini optical to Toslink from AX to Apogee Mini DAC. Sounds great when it works. This weekend I may set-up my MacBook via Firewire to Apogee Duet straight to my Cary 805 Anniversary amps. Using the Duet to control the levels and processing.

Not sure why you would go with the ATV when the airport express will be just as useful with the iPod Touch? I thought the benefit of ATV over the airport express was the video?I obviously need to rethink this. I was previously using a Hauppauge Media MVP to stream lossy music and photos to my HT. I purchased it in 2003 way before the ATV was available. It did the job but the interface left a LOT to be desired. When the ATV came out I saw the interface at an Apple store and realized that the ATV would be a big improvement over what I was using. While it has limitations for video (I have downloaded a HD movie and watched it, downloading video is the future but not quite here yet) but is outstanding with your music library and good with photos. I mainly used the MVP and ATV for music.

So as I started thinking about streaming lossless audio the ATV seemed like a natural. And I still think it will work great as long as you are able to use a monitor/TV with the unit. I have an extra TV I can use for the time being to test the system. If I eventually decide to use the ATV I'll buy a nice 22/24" LCD TV.

Did you check the settings in the Remote app? There is a "stay connected" switch.

I am using Monster Cable mini optical to Toslink from AX to Apogee Mini DAC. Sounds great when it works. This weekend I may set-up my MacBook via Firewire to Apogee Duet straight to my Cary 805 Anniversary amps. Using the Duet to control the levels and processing.Yes. It only drops the connection when I reboot my PC. I can turn off the ATV and reboot it and the remote connects instantly. In order to control the ATV it needs to be recognized by iTunes and the ATV. More research is needed on this.

So the mini jack is both analog and digital?

If you have Firewire and a Mac, Apogee Duet is hard to beat at $499. Connect that to Pro Powered Monitors like Adam Audio, Focal Solo6 BE or Dynaudio and you'll have a system that will give any Hi-Fi a run for the money.I checked the Mini and it looks tempting but I'm probably going to order the Cambridge Audio DACMagic.

The Duet is a better choice since it is also bus-powered. Firewire form Mac to Duet and Duet to amp. That's it! You can use Apple's mini remote or Remote app to control volume, tracks, etc.

Buying a new 24" monitor for the UI is a bit over kill don't you think?

I read somewhere that Wadia can not play FLAC.

Does ATV stream music or sends to HD for playback. My Slingbox takes up a lot of bandwidth which makes music streaming with a lot of hick-ups.

I use a Time Capsule and 2 Airport Extreme receivers to fill the house with music for parties or bopping around doing chores. Everytime the microwave is used the music drops out for a few seconds. I would not tolerate this well during serious listening sessions. I have a TT and receiver in my home office near my iMac for the occaisional vinyl rip or just listening.

Last year when I was laid up for 6 weeks from a knee replacement I had that TT & RCVR on a cart so I could spin vinyl and use my HP-1s wherever I was. With a little application called Airfoil I can get anything on my sound card routed to the Airport receivers thereby bypassing iTunes. So know I can stream vinyl. I'm having the other knee done in January and now all I'll need is a HP amp and another Airport box. When my wife isn't available to DJ, I can always use her iPod touch an access iTune.

I would be interested to hear if an Airport Extreme w/ USB DAC combo sounds much better than the optical output.

The Duet is a better choice since it is also bus-powered. Firewire form Mac to Duet and Duet to amp. That's it! You can use Apple's mini remote or Remote app to control volume, tracks, etc.

Buying a new 24" monitor for the UI is a bit over kill don't you think?Yeah but have you used the UI? It's worth it IMO. Well a new 24" monitor, DAC, and ATV is still less than a Sony SCD5400ES. :D I will see if there are any Airport Express' available on eBay.

So is the DAC in the Duet the same as the Mini? Since you have both can you hear a difference between the two? The ATV and Express only have USB.

Acording to Apogee, both Duet & Mini DAC are based on their pricey ROSETTA 200.

I can't compare the Mini to Duet becuase I bought a Mini DAC without Firewire opt. I can always add it in for $300.

I have a new thought. Check out my post in the iPod forum.

Acording to Apogee, both Duet & Mini DAC are based on their pricey ROSETTA 200.

I can't compare the Mini to Duet becuase I bought a Mini DAC without Firewire opt. I can always add it in for $300.So the Duet will not work with the Express or ATV right? I do not own a Mac.....yet. My next computer purchase will be a Mac though. :yes:

So it appears I need to manually connect my Touch to my ATV every time my whole system is turned off. If I just power down the ATV the Touch will connect to it with no additional work. But if I power off my PC and start the system fresh again I need to connect the Touch with my PC and ATV. That doesn't seem right so maybe I need to do further research.This evening I turned everything on and the Touch worked perfectly without having to connect it to the ATV. Hmmm. Anyway I'm now ready to move it into my den with my stereo and give it a go.

What's the best way to rip my CD into ALAC using EAC? I'm missing the middle software below.

CD--->EAC--->???--->ALAC

I use iTunes with AIFF (uncompressed) with my MacBook.

Last night I connected a 17" LCD tv to the ATV now located in my den. Everything is working fine and the DAC in my Denon DAP-2500A is very close in sound to my Denon DVD-2900. My initial impression was the bass on the 2900 was a touch tighter than the preamp but it's very close if there really is a difference. I think I'm going to hold off on purchasing the DACMagic for at least a couple of weeks. I want to give the preamp a good listen before I make any more changes and give me more time to research optional DAC's. The Benchmark DAC1 and Apogee Mini look tempting but cost almost twice as much used as the DACMagic does new. And if you add in USB...

I'm still undecided regarding using the ATV with a monitor or Airport Express with the Touch. I'm leaning towards the ATV as I really like using the GUI and it adds a certain coolness factor for just an audio system. :yes: I can also watch music videos with it as well although the audio on the videos from iTunes is low bitrate. For some reason the Touch does not want to stay connected to the ATV but has no problem staying connected to iTunes on my PC. This is not an issue if I'm using an Airport Express.

Since nobody has an answer for the question below I'll probably start a new thread.

What's the best way to rip my CDs into ALAC using EAC? I'm missing the middle software piece below.

CD--->EAC--->???--->ALAC

See reponse in your new thread.

Well I've been having issues with my WiFi connection to my ATV. I moved my router to a better location and that helped but didn't solve the issue. So I ordered an Airport Express and will give that a go when it arrives next week and control iTunes with my Touch.

So far streaming the iTunes audio sounds very good through my Denon DAP 2500. Even the 192 rips sound good. :D I've only ripped a few CD's using ALAC and will get on that project after Christmas.

I really like using the ATV with a monitor but will make my final decision after I've lived with the AE and Touch combo for a couple of weeks.

After having problems with the WiFi I had a guy drop a cat-5 cable from my office into my den. I've decided to make the ATV my streaming device of choice and will purchase the DACMagic soon. I will also change out the silver 17" TV in the photo with a silver Apple 20" cinema display in another month or two. The cinema display is being purchased on it's looks alone and I'm aware there are better options out there. I'm waiting to purchase another ATV until the end of January when Apple is expected to announce updates to several pieces of hardware and possibly the ATV. If it is updated I'll buy the new version for my HT and use my current ATV with my stereo. I'm also in the process of re ripping most of my CD collection as ALAC files.

While I've had the ATV for almost two years and was using it to listen to music in my HT I never thought of it as a quality source for my stereo system. Once I decided to go down path of using high quality audio files as a source it was obvious to me where I'd end up. For those of you who have never seen the GUI of the ATV you should check it out at your nearest Apple Store. It's very cool looking and easy to use. It's a fabulous way to surf or search your entire audio library. Adding a monitor to the mix does add another level of complexity to the equation but for me it is worth it. For those who will be using an ATV to stream high quality audio files in an existing HT environment that makes this decision a no brainer. :thmbsp:

Here's my system as it sits today.
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=128739&d=1231621777

Nice choices. I lust for the Apple cinema displays. The ones I've seen have had stunning screens.

Nice choices. I lust for the Apple cinema displays. The ones I've seen have had stunning screens.Thanks. The cinema displays are way overpriced and to my eye don't really look any better than a nice monitor at half the price. But the cases do look cool. I plan on buying one from a local company that resells computer equipment returned from leases at less than half the price of a new one.

I have been watching this thread with interest since I just ATV this Christmas. To me the advantage of the ATV over the Duet is that you have the choice of streaming from your PC via the ATV or playback directly from the ATV. I have loaded a subset of my CD collection using Apple Lossless and synced to the ATV. I can playback directly from the ATV without my PC running or I can stream from ITunes. So far I am using my living room TV for the menu display, but plan to get the Touch as the remote menu display which for me is a better option than a small LCD display. This will allow me to not turn on your main TV just to control music. The ATV also gives you all the Video stuff that you don't get with the Duet. So far, I am just using the analog output from the ATV to my NAD receiver, but have the Cambridge Audio DacMagic on order. I have to say the sound I am getting now is actually good - though I expect significant improvement with the DAC. So far I am very pleased with ATV and now have an easy interface to my CDs loaded through Itunes to the ATV along with other downloads. Also, my CD player was very outdated (early 90's Yamaha), so the choice of a new CD player versus a DAC and ATV was easy especially given all the extra audio/video media management from the ATV.

bottlerocket, welcome to AK. :thmbsp:

Please post your impressions of the DacMagic when it arrives, I might be ordering one in the next week or so. I think there will be a significant improvement compared to using the ATV internal DAC. When I first purchased the ATV two years ago it was in my HT and I compared the ATV DAC to the DAC's in my Denon AVR 3805 and the Denon sounded much better. No doubt if you are looking to stream audio and it's going into a system with a TV/display the ATV is an excellent choice.

Will do Duffinator. There's a good review of the DACMagic in Issue 62 of Hi fi+. I don't have an AVR and my 2 channel amplifier does not have digital input so I definitely needed an outboard DAC. I am really curious how it will sound also. I expect to have it by the end of January.

Got my Cambridge Audio DACMagic today. I am playing Apple Lossless through the ATV to the DACMagic via a Toslink optical cable to a NAD 712 receiver. Its never sounded better. In comparison to using the ATV Dacs and RCA output, it has way more detail and depth. Sounds great. I am really happy with the whole set up. For a $329 ATV and a $399 DAC, I've replaced my CD player with a good music server with exceptionally easy set up.

Cool. :thmbsp: I'm not surprised that it sounds a lot better than the DAC's in the ATV. Too bad you couldn't compare it to a better DAC. I still haven't ordered one but will do so soon.

This seems to be covered well by previous respondants, but FWIW...

I use iTunes on my Mac..with the stuff I want to stream in simple .WAV format. Using the built in WiFi I stream to the remote Airport Express plugged in the wall behind the stereo. Optical out to a AU$400 DAC and then into the pre-amp. No remote control though.

Simple and sounds magic, can play for hours without having to chanhe disks.

You can even expand later by adding a second or third Airport Express. With my set up I can stream into the main system in the lounge and to the smaller Bose setup on the patio concurrently - great for parties.

I just ordered a silver DACMagic but they are on back order (again). It should be here within a couple of weeks and I'll report back if it sounds better than either the DAC in my Denon DAP-2500A pre or DVD-2900 universal player.

Here's my setup in it's final form with the Apple Cinema monitor and Cambridge Audio DacMagic in place. I'm very pleased with the DacMagic.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=201&pictureid=1396

Very nice setup. Why didn't you get the PS Audio DAC?

If I was going to spend more money I would have likely purchased the Benchmark Dac1 or Apogee Mine like you recommended. Do you like the PS Audio better than your Apogee?

I have not directly compared the two. Perhaps I will this weekend. The PS is selling for $699 on PS site. That is a GREAT deal for a GREAT DAC. The Apogee has more features like volume control and firewire.