Airtunes dropouts with Mac mini to Airport Express

With all these report of dropouts, how do you get a stabel system? Connect the Mac directly to the DAC (long cable to other room) using USB or mini-jack, or connect long ethernet cable from Mac to airport express?

Moving the Mac into the listening room is not a great idea since I dont have a minitor there so maintenance the itune library/sytem would be a nightmare.

Droputs are difficult because they are not always caused by things within your control, eg. neighbours. I suggest you use wired over wireless whenever possible if you have persisting problems. I've run ethernet cables through my house and all problems are solved. The cables are not expensive pre-terminated. Howwever, to save money, you can also make your own custom cables pretty easily too with some cable, jacks and a simple connector tool, all from Home Depot.

jeanluc,

I use a 9ft USB cable from a G5 Mac to a USB DAC through two walls into the main system (living room)

your concern about the mac mini sound is likely when you are in front of the mac mini right? I use my computer in my office with another set of powered speakers in that room-I can either use mini-jack(analog) or the Toslink to a separate DAC. You just need to select the output choice in the Audio Preferences or the Audio MIDI setup - the USB DAC shows up as an option in the output menu. Pretty easy to set up. So in my set up itunes is either playing in the office or the living room, not both when using the digital outputs. I can use the headphone out (mini-jack) and have sound going to Toslink simultaneously. But on my computer USB and mini-jack do not work simultaneously. BTW: older G5 PPC dual proc. OS 10.4.11

I am pretty sure you cannot use the ethernet from computer to AE for music.

hope that helps. send me a PM if you need more details.

Markphd,
What are you sending over the enet cables? are you using a mac?
-ed

Or get another router... and if the situation doesn't improve, return it.

I'm listening to the AE right now, like you, configured to "join" my existing network and it works great. You can't beat the convenience.

I've used a D-link, Linksys (WRT54G.. cheap), and another Airport Express. The D-Link gave me no problems, but I was living in a house/low density neighborhood. Another Airport Express as the router was the worst sound. Makes sense I suppose, a lot packed in a small package.

I didn't expect there to be a difference in sound vs the linksys but there seems to be. I was having minor drop-out problems with the Linksys in my new place (apartment/lot of singles) during certain hours. Not nearly as bad as my other place during Christmas as mentioned, but for some reason around dinner time and 2 AM, it would drop out for a few seconds.

The Airport Express as router never experienced drop outs for the 2 weeks I had it in.

However, I'm going to stick with what I think is the better sound. As a matter of fact, while writing this, I just switched back to the Linksys, and am quite happy. The 2nd AE as a router and it's sound was starting to tick me off.

If the dropouts become too problematic I'm going to change channels or do some research and get another router.

At our big box electronic store, there is a 90 day return policy....

Or you could always get a really long USB cable as suggested, provided your DAC accepts USB. As for digital cables though, note that the AE and MacMini's optical output is a "mini-toslink".

I'm using a meter long VanDenHul Optocoupler II, mini-toslink on one end, standard toslink on the other (no adapters necessary) into a Monarchy M24.

Not sure if an adapter would degrade the signal/sound, and I'd imagine an extra long glass toslink cable wouldn't be too cheap.

I wouldn't give up on the wireless set-up just yet....this is of course, provided you haven't already tried different routers. Like the other poster suggested, it may very be your neighbors, in which case you're going to have to explore other options.

Good luck.