What are your thoughts on this...............

[jbsl]

If the Ipod does not have a digital output than I don't think it can be used with a DAC. Now if there is a adapter for the Ipod to use with the Airport Express then it should work.

The reviewer said:

"I ran an optical digital cable from my Airport
Express into the M24s optical input and through its tube DAC and tube analog output
stage."

Then he ran it to his preamp and then to the amp.

[kkerley33]

JBSL,

I have been doing some research. The Ipod's have never had a Digital Out. I stated that from the beginning of this thread and am readily aware, but it was not of importance to me because the Wolfson DAC that Apple is using is the same technology that Myryad is using in their CD players and HT receivers. It is a quality internal DAC. My biggest complaint has been the low level build quality of the Docking solutions that are available from the market, excluding the Integrated solutions from HK, Pioneer, Yamaha, etc, etc that still take the signal through A/D and D/A conversion. My hope was that one of these solution would SIMPLIFY the signal.

The Airport Express option you showed me does offer me an alternative though as I could stream the Audio in Digital Form directly from my PC and By-Pass the need for the Ipod all together. I am sure though that there would be some some signal loss through the Wireless transfer of the Data Stream. Another similar alternative to this is using a Media Extender from my PC (I stream Audio from my PC to my PS3 to my system in my Den this way and it works rather well for a mid-fi system.

Since I am looking at other tube amp options, I am probably going to give the Psiber Audio PAS-3 an audition. They have a 30 day return policy. It gives me the integrated ipod interfrace and optional inputs for a CD player, dac or Tuner. The only question is how is its sound quality. I still may be better off with a higher end line level pre-amp and a retail solution ipod dock.

The MSB digital out upgrade for the IPOD is not an option at $2300.00 and would still require an outboard DAC.

Unfortunatly I am not able to find an airport express adapter for the Ipod to use it through the Airport Express. That said, the iphone is wireless capable which may mean that future Ipods will have wireless capabilities. Since Microsoft is doing it with the Zune, I bet Apple does it with the Ipod.

KAK

[jbsl]

I did not realize the Airport Express was wireless. So it may not have the best sound.

Give the Psiber Audio PAS-3 a audition and let us know how it sounds.

I am leaning toward a Apollo cd player soon.

Late next year(Dec ?) going to get a new computer and plan to hook it up to my stereo. So I have a little over a year to learn about everything.

[kkerley33]

JBSL,

You can buy a relatively inexpensive sound card with digital or SPDIF out and install it in to your current computer or you can just purchase the Airport Express, use Itunes and run it through an outboard DAC (if you have a two channel set-up) or your recievers DAC if using an HT Receiver. If you go through the soundcard route, you will want to mount it as far from the Power Supply as possible as it will add interference.

I just did take another look at the airport express. It did have Cat-5 connection on it, but I do not know if that is to connect it a wired network or to use it as a network adapter to connect another computer that is not wireless.

KAK