Flaws in this chain?

Less link is better. Get a Schiit Multibit Modi DAC. Then Macbook->USB->Modi DAC->line out RCA-> RCA->Modi 2 preamp->Amp

Really? But sound quality is very subjective.

Thanks to all for the help. 

I understand the  Modi isn’t all that great but for now it will have to do. But to be honest, playing ripped CDs through it sound quite good to me. Not the same as a CDP but close and in some ways a little less bright and strident and slightly warmer. So for my untrained ears the Modi is okay. A multi bit may be in my future but not now. 

And unfortunately there here is no way I’m spending a grand on a device that seems to solve problems associated with the low end stuff I’m not willing to upgrade.  ;-)

So so the question I have now is the issue of jitter from the Apple TV. I do not even know what jitter sounds like so that might be a saving grace. 

I read some some technical reviews of several low end DACs that measured jitter...however you do that.  The reviewer was pointing out how some of them had jitter real bad at some level and others did not. He was very critical of the ‘jittery’ ones but then went on to point out that humans could not perceive that level of jitter.....but he still didn’t like that it was there. 

All of which is is to say....only jitter that the average person would hear would be significant to me. 

And the Apple TV is an important link in the chain for me as I don’t want to be hardwired into the system from the MacBook or my main iMac which is in another part of the house. 

Unless there is a cheap alternative to the ATV then I’m stuck for now. 

I’m +1 with Steve.  The ATV is ok with movies but you can do much better for music.  I would check out the Bluesound Node2i