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Simple Wireless Computer Audio Setup

I am getting very frustrated with the seeming lack of a comprehensive strategy for setting up a simple solution for computer audio.

One of my daughters is in college, and I am looking to set her up with a simple way to play digital files from her macbook. She is in a very small studio apt w/ wireless LAN, and there is very limited room for gear. I should add that she is a music major and has always had good stereo gear available to listen to. She knows that she will have to give up a little in terms of performance. Also, we are on a budget because... well, she's in college and it's freakin' expensive!

I have lots of stuff lying around, so this is what I was thinking:
1- wireless from her macbook to an Apple Airport Express
2- Connect Halide DS DAC (a USB-> RCA cable set w/ a DAC in the middle
3- Connect the DS DAC cables to a pair of Quad 12L active speakers

Sounds simple, right? Well, you can't get there from here. The Airport Express only supports output to a printer on USB. I could stick another entry-level DAC in the middle, but by the time you add in cables it gets much more expensive.

Other options might include using the Logitech SB Touch. I use these at home and like 'em but I'm not sure that I want to go there now that they are discontinued. I looked at the Sonos, but it has the same limitation as the AE - no USB out. And I have also looked at wireless DACs, but all the ones that I have found (Cambridge, Nuforce) don't work on WiFi but on bluetooth. Why is this is a good idea?

So I am open to suggestions, if anyone has any.
bodotes
bodotes OP
30 posts
 
Well, we went in a little different direction: Mac streaming to Apple AE, toslink to Wadia 151. Speakers are Golden Ear Aon 2. It's a minimalist system but it really sounds great, much better than any other combination we listened to. I wish that it supported Hires files, but that's probably more important to me than to my daughter (it's her system, after all)

We listened to several small passive and active speakers, including the Dynaudio 110A, Gallo A'Divas, Focal Little Bird, Quad 12L (mine), the Glow One and more. After hearing the Golden Ear Aon 2 it was no contest. I had not heard of this company before yesterday but I'm very impressed with the sound. It's not a super small speaker, and the fit and finish are not super high end, but it sure sounds like a big speaker. And as my people say; such a deal! I may buy a pair of Aon 3s for my office.
jorsan
178 posts
 
And a good pair of headphones, music can sound at its best regardless of space
bodotes OP
30 posts
 
Unfortunately, the Wadia 151 does not have a headphone jack.

She does have a set of good cans that she uses when she practices on her piano (Kawai MP10). But like me, she is not terribly fond of listening to music through headphones.

While I find that many headphones are very accurate and musical, I do not get the same sense of imaging or space that speakers provide. I find that hearing the music all in my head to be fatiguing after more than a few minutes.
jorsan
178 posts
 
Understood, same thing happens to me but if she has a restricted space, is going to be very difficult to get hifi sound from a pair of small monitors. Hope you can find a good solution for her, is difficult to find young people who enjoys hifi we have to support them for sure. I have three sons and none of them apreciate what really good sound is.
bodotes OP
30 posts
 
Jorsan,

She knows good sound... that's the problem! My wife says that I have created a monster. Being a classical voice major, she is very much into good sound and has a very good ear. Fortunately, the small setup described above really does sound quite good. I am very impressed by the Golden Ear Aon 2 speakers and the Wadia 151. I feel that weakest link in the chain is the Apple AE, but she is happy with it's Redbook quality so who am I to complain?
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