"Mini" to Optical for Airport Express

08-27-07: Fishbone222
Okay...so we have established that such an animal exists. Now the question is, sonically, am I better off using the analog out of the AE and the analog in of my preamp OR the digital out of the AE and the digital in of my preamp?

Thanks,

Lawrence.

Essentially that would be comparing the internal DAC of the Airport Express (used with the analog to analog) to the DAC in your (unidentified)pre-amp. The internal DAC of the AE gets the job done but there are better (and probably worse too!) I can't make that quality call -even if you told me your pre-amp model.

I have used the AE's mini-Toslink output into my Denon receiver's TOSlink input and was satisfied with the sound. I am now experimenting with an external DAC. I think the quality of the connection type is very relative to your system components (eg their ability to expose the upstream signals). Check out monoprice[dot]com for inexpensive TOSlink cables so you can give it try for under $10.

enjoy your music ~ed

Once again, thanks to all.

The pre-amp is a Rotel 1066. However, I am considering an external DAC. The rest of the system is a Rotel 1075 and Paradigm Studio 60 V.3s (for two-channel listening, although these components make up part of a home theatre system as well).

The analog outs on the AE are junk, trust me.

Use the Toslink out with an adapter and a glass cable such as:
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/category.cgi?category=220&item=SP-TOC-99HQ&type=store

The jitter from the AE is quite bad, but this will bring it up to most cheap DVD player kind of quality. You can do a lot more to make it lower jitter BTW.

If you need the Toslink adapter, I have a bucket of them. Just send me a postage-paid envelope and I'll mail you one.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
Manufacturer

Steve,
I have an airport express and love the wireless capabilities. I have the cable and adapter. What is the best way to go about using the airport express? How much better is it going with a usb cable/dac{ wavelength ] vs using the AE into a toslink dac{ie altmann}? I would like to use the AE if it sounds very close to the usb dacs because i don't have to run a usb from my listening chair to the dac. What do you think?

Streetdaddy - the AE with Toslink is not even close, sorry. The problem is high jitter. However, there are ways to make it even better than most USB solutions. For instance, if you put a Pace-Car reclocker between the AE and the DAC, the jitter is minimized.

Modifications to replace the power supply and clock in the AE and making it S/PDIF coax output is also quite good.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio