Airport Express "local clock" issue?

It is definitely the dac. I have had this problem with more than just the AE. Using my blu-Ray player as a transport results in the same delay. I am very interested in the Cambridge dacmagic as a solution, because I would like the two switchable inputs. Any other dac I should be considering that has two optical inputs?

Personally, I use a Benchmark DAC1 and I'm pretty happy with it. It doesn't have the local clock issue and plays the AE perfectly. That's actually the way I listen to music most of the time.

This is late, but try this download from Apple:

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL973

I found this in the mac users forum for problems relating to pauses, skips, fadeouts relating to using the optical out from the AE to a DAC using Airfoil. I have not tried it yet, but have downloaded and ran the program.

Vinny

Several questions:
Does the upgrade for the AE help its clocking?
What is Airfoil?
I just use whatever my Imac comes with to talk to the AE. When trying this, I don't know if you'd call it a dropout or not, but the music would get very 'glassy' and harsh. just for a few seconds, and not regularly. My DAC was losing lock, according to what I could find out.

Is the upgrade for me? The idea of all my CDs on confuser, wireless to stereo and a decent DAC is too good to give up!

Magfan - Airfoil is to send sound from any application (or system) to AE. Without it AE only works with Itunes. AE worked with "Front Row" with previous OS but Apple disabled it in Leopard. A lot of people wrote to them about it but they are unresponsive and Snow Leopard has the same problem.

During gap between songs Airport Express stops sending data and DAC goes to "mute" (since there is no valid signal). My Benchmark DAC1 is fast enough to come back but some other DACs extend mute to second of two of the next song. Your DAC might provide substitute clock. Play with "crossfade songs" in Itunes to remove gap.