airport express questions

When you hookup to the out via a toslink it sends the pure digital signal to whatever you hook the toslink to, such as a DAC. If you use 1/8" to rca from the same jack the airports internal DAC does the conversion and sends out an analog signal. The airports internal DAC is not that great, a budget DAC will work wonders. Pickup a mini toslink cable from monoprice.com and run it into a DAC or processor with a digital input so that the processor can do the conversion. Search on stereophile.com for their article on using the airport express in a hifi system, very informative.

Better yet, for much improved sound IME, get an inexpensive jitter device like a Monarchy DIP...run the mini-Toslink into the Monarchy (or other device), then use an alternate connection from the Monarchy to your DAC. If your DAC already has excellent de-jitter capabilities then this route may not be necessary.

Thanks guys - I was thinking about the MF V-DAC - which I don't think has good jitter reduction. I can always add a re-clocker later...I have a birthday coming up and I want to get into PC audio. DAC would be connected to an ancient Yami receiver, running B&W 685s and a HSU VTF-1 sub (connected via speaker terminals).
BUT I would need a toslink cable with a mini-plug on one end and a full size plug on the other. I found one on monoprice.com, thanks, these look good. Any idea where I can find a high end one? I think I saw "van Den Hul" or some such makes one?

Realremo - I think that Airport Express receives files in Apple Losless format. Keeping files stored in Apple Losless makes one conversion less.

the airport express will receive any type of file that you ship it. you can use itunes or airfoil for xm/sirius radio. if you want a better connection, get a glass toslink cable. big difference over a plastic toslink. i go from the airport express or apple tv into a jitter device using glass toslink, then use a coax digital cable into an external dac.