Airport Express compared to High End Transport.

A bit off the thread but I hope this is helpful. I had been running a G4 with USB out into a Waveterminal, then taking the SPDIF into a modded Music Fidelity TriVista with a Stealth Varidig. Doing everything in Apple Lossless. This is pretty damn amazing - I now have about 200Gbs online

I upgraded to a G5 in part to get the Toslink out - figured one less box, one less cable and complete electrical isolation had to help. Went for the high end Wireworld 5 Supernova. Have not spent a lot of hours with it yet but my impression is that if anything the Toslink is a bit more detailed, albeit drier - don't know if this is a "sound" of the cable or if I am not hearing the "sound" of the Stealth since everything else has remained identical.

Can't imagine that its the USB adding the color.... Or the Toslink is taking something out???

My impression in limited tests with the Waveterminal using the Toslink was that it was also a bit brighter, call it more forward than the SPDIF - this was before I had the Stealth.

What is for sure is that 802.11g is not nearly as good a way to do this as ethernet - I run the Toslink from my keyboard in my office but access the same iTunes library from a SLIM Squeezebox in my living room HT rig

Both SLIM and iTunes are wonderful ways to manage your library

Finally you may find this link helpful, in particular the Stereophile review

In regard to the question about the mini Toslink, you are correct, the review notes that "at the innermost end of the 3.5mm jack is an optical S/PDIF transmitter"

http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?127@824.6aPhaKzT2wA.0@.ee6cd90

Enjoy the music

Well, I've hooked up the ARC DAC-5 and it's very different to the Musical Fidelity A3.24. It is far more detailed in every respect, but it is definitely not as warm sounding. In the end, it drove me to change my preamp to an ARC SP16L and at that point everything just fell into place. With other ARC gear, the DAC-5 feels right at home.

I've moved the MF A3.24 upstairs into our bedroom with my Exposure 3010 and Spendor S3/5se's and am using my Airport Express there. The main system in the living room is still being fed via USB extenders into an M-Audio Audiophile USB into the DAC-5.

This is now the true beauty of such a system: I have access to my complete (digital) catalog from two systems. I'll be adding the Airport Express Remote soon too.

Now we just need Apple to figure out a way to import SACD's and DVD-A's into iTunes at full quality! Obviously, the problem is more legal and political than technical. I dare say that if they crack that nut, the digital audiophile world is theirs.

Graham

Guys - many, many thanks for the information - it is much appreciated.