WiFi System Upgrades

The question is: To use Airplay or not to use Airplay.  


Before buying anything, try your last idea: move the MacMini and see how you like the sound quality with it serving the DacMagic directly.  My MacMini is dead quiet; the fan never comes on and I can't hear the hard drive spin up.   

Then I would try the free 2week Roon trial. It runs on the Mini, uses your iTunes library without modifying it in any way, and - if you decide to keep Roon - will provide the core technology for you to add an inexpensive end point where your Apple TV is now.  

Besides being a terrific music library interface, Roon has RAAT technology, a new and fast growing method of transporting digital audio from your server (in this case the MacMini) and the rest of the house when you move the Mini back to where it is now. This includes both standard resoluttion and hi-res audio. Remote control is available using later generations of Apple and Android devices running the Roon app.  (Free w/ Roon)

At that point you might look at replacing the DacMagic with a device that is Roon Ready and/or offers other features like DSD processing.  

Your system as it stands now is pretty good, IMO. ( And elegantly simple using the Apple remote app.)   There's plenty of iTunes (music player) critics out there but I ain't one. Also, Roon will run your existing config. It is compatible with Airplay devices. 

Well, 1st and foremost the ATV resamples everything to 16/48 before it even hits your DAC. Then the DAC Magic does it's thing (more oversampling). So, if you want to keep wifi in the mix you might be better off using an AirPort Express instead of the ATV or perhaps a streamer like the Bluesound Node 2 or the Auralic Aries Mini. Of course a new computer would be another choice as you mentioned. Good Luck.

Love my Bifrost Multibit too.

Yes, I've heard that - but is the resampling audibly bad?  Up sampling is often touted as improving sound quality...

I thought Roon was a subscription service?  I dislike paying monthly fees...

Roon costs $120.00/yr. (Not exactly free but a good value compared to the cost of a decent DAC)

When I installed Roon during my free trial, I had it playing over my Apple TVs within ten minutes of the download. It doesn’t modify your system or your iTunes library or metadata at all and, when you’re done, delete the app and you’re back at square one. Also, Roon reminds you when the trial is about to expire so you can cancel.

Upsampling can be beneficial in some cases but a chain of multiple upsampling/resampling seems like inviting opportunities for quantization errors. Whether I can actually hear/detect such errors I can’t say.

+1 to Airport Express. Has a Toslink out. Plays like Airplay. I am pretty sure it Airplay doesn’t upsample 44k samples to 48k when transmitting to Airport Express.

Yesterday, I purchased a Bluesound powernode 2, mainly so my wife can access our music library easily.

My streaming system often fails and the reasons vary, but most are related to iMac OS upgrades. Fixing problems can be tricky and way beyond my wife's skillset.

Bluesound has got it right...top marks for...
- easy setup - mine uses ethernet
- intuitive control interface, mine is android based
- excellent sound quality
- basic manual controls on top of case - very nice feature
- clean design

This unit has left me wanting a Node 2 for my audio system.

It's  not prerfect, but by comparison to my imac, it's bloody marvelous

Instant access to tons of free radio stations and many popular streaming services

The Node 2 will replace my iMac and v-link192, but will still work with my Bifrost 😊

I'm a convert 😃

Regards