the AE hookup is not different than what you get with the transporter. all the AE does is to accept a signal wired or wireless from a central computer. that is exactly what the transporter does. so if you think that the AE device is inferior to the transporter in that function, you need to explain why because they both accept "bits" from the network.
like i said above, the output straight from an AE device into a preamp sounds like crap. also, going from an AE device into an external dac sounds better (no different than the transporter device if the dacs are equal). again, there is no difference on what the 2 setups accomplish, it all matters what type of equipment you are using.
i agree with you on the transporter sounds better than an AE device going straight to a preamp. i don't agree with you on that the transporter is the end all setup for critical listening. i also disagree with you on that you can't use an AE device for critical listening.
you also missed what i said in my thread regarding wireless setups and the AE toslink.
get a good WAP device to send wireless signals throughout your home. if you think the card on a g5 mac is crap, great, use a wap device. i got a motorola wap on craigslist for $10 that all my computers, iphone, and ipod touch communicate thru, 3 story house, and in my backyard.
as for the AE/toslink to a dac, you missed my mention of the jitter device. you go "toslink" from the AE to the jitter device, then use "coax" or "aes" or "glass" to your external dac depending on what inputs and outputs you have on the jitter and dac devices. also, the toslink cable decouples the AE or computer from indicing any noise from these devices to the jitter/dac.
also, looking at the esoteric dacs, they use either burr brown or analog devices dacs in there standalone dacs. i really don't look at internal dacs since external dacs are much better.
like i said above, the output straight from an AE device into a preamp sounds like crap. also, going from an AE device into an external dac sounds better (no different than the transporter device if the dacs are equal). again, there is no difference on what the 2 setups accomplish, it all matters what type of equipment you are using.
i agree with you on the transporter sounds better than an AE device going straight to a preamp. i don't agree with you on that the transporter is the end all setup for critical listening. i also disagree with you on that you can't use an AE device for critical listening.
you also missed what i said in my thread regarding wireless setups and the AE toslink.
get a good WAP device to send wireless signals throughout your home. if you think the card on a g5 mac is crap, great, use a wap device. i got a motorola wap on craigslist for $10 that all my computers, iphone, and ipod touch communicate thru, 3 story house, and in my backyard.
as for the AE/toslink to a dac, you missed my mention of the jitter device. you go "toslink" from the AE to the jitter device, then use "coax" or "aes" or "glass" to your external dac depending on what inputs and outputs you have on the jitter and dac devices. also, the toslink cable decouples the AE or computer from indicing any noise from these devices to the jitter/dac.
also, looking at the esoteric dacs, they use either burr brown or analog devices dacs in there standalone dacs. i really don't look at internal dacs since external dacs are much better.