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How To Route Streaming Music From iPad 2 to DAC?

I am about to purchase an iPad 2. Amongst the other things I would like to utilize it for is streaming subscription based music to my Bryston BDA-1 DAC in order to route it to my preamp.

I checked out the Cambridge Audio iD100 dock, which is priced right, at $299.00, but it only works with the original iPad. I haven't found anything else out there. I would greatly appreciate any information on what other options might be available to me to accomplish this. Thanks.

JC
nightfall
nightfall OP
133 posts
 
" The Cambridge dock sounds interesting - can't believe it won't accomodate an IPad 2. Good luck -"

Yes, the Cambridge dock was actually only available this year, but they apparently did not realize (not that I knew either) that the iPad 2 has a different connector. Word is that they are looking into it and coming up with a solution, per my conversation with Audio Advisor yesterday, who is a Cambridge dealer.

JC
nightfall OP
133 posts
 
"Apple Airport Express will give you by far the most convenient way to do it (wirelessly with AirTunes) -- this will allow you to still use th iPad for other stuff at the same time. Sound quality with an external DAC can be very good . . . way more than sufficient for any streaming audio service."

This sounds perfect for my needs. I have to confess that I had to research the Airport Express to see how it would work. Apparently I would use the USB port on the Airport Expresss to connect to the USB input on my DAC? My one concern is that the USB port on my Bryston BDA-1 DAC is limited to sample rates of 48kHz or lower.

JC
jcote
100 posts
 
My understanding is the airport express only streams music through the optical port. I don't believe the USB port will allow streaming.
nightfall OP
133 posts
 
05-09-11: Jcote
"My understanding is the airport express only streams music through the optical port. I don't believe the USB port will allow streaming."

Thanks for the clarification. When I looked at the enlarged photo of thhe airport express it showed only an ethernet connection, the USB and an audio mini-jack. Apparently, the minijack is both analog and optical.

JC
rdavwhitaker
173 posts
 
JC, the mini-plug is indeed a combination analog and optical. You will need a TOSLINK cable with a mini-optical plug (or mini-optical adapter for a standard optical plub) on one end. You can link the iPad 2's iPod application directly to the airport express, and from there the TOSLINK cable will take the signal to your DAC.

The sound quality is quite good, incidentally, especially if your music files are in AAC or Apple Lossless formats.
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