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Confused With Options To Obtain BestQuality iTunes

I have been reading a lot these days and still confused on the plethora of options available in hooking up a computer based digital system and the pros and cons to each and every selection. I am quite new in this so please bear with me.

I have friends who stream wireless music(Itunes) via an Apple Airport Express that supported this idea and do know many folks are using this setup in their homes. Others who are into Logitech stuff advocated the Squeezebox Classic and Touch. However, another group who uses top-flight gears in their systems(upper range MBL and Revels) advised that wireless degrades sound quality, and the best option is to hook it all up with wires.

Suggested options to play Itunes in WAV or AIFF format are as follows.

1) iTunes in 1TB/2TB External Hard Drive => Mac Mini/Macbook => DAC (iPad to control music selection)

2) iTunes in 1TB/2TB External Hard Drive => Logitech Squeezebox Classic/Touch => DAC (iPad to control music selection)

3) iTunes in 1TB/2TB External Hard Drive => PC => Apple Airport Express => wireless => DAC (iPad to control music selection)

4) iTunes in 1TB/2TB External Hard Drives => wireless => Apple TV => DAC

Out of the four options above, is it a general consensus that option 1 will yield the best sound reproduction from iTunes followed by option 2? Will options 3 and 4 come close to options 1 and 2? Are there any other alternatives to do all this?

Basically my priority is to use an iPad to control playback from iTunes stored in 1TB/2TB external hard drives WITHOUT using a Mac/PC. Apple Airport Express and Apple TV were said to degrade sound quality. What other cost-efficient options do I have?

An advice would be most appreciated.
ryder
Ag insider logo xs@2x
bbopman
53 posts
 
Gordon: I am not very knowledgeable about the details, but I have a similar system as yours (two AppleTV's, one Airport Express) connected wirelessly to my iMac. I have about 450 gigs of Apple Lossless music stored on a 1 TB HD.

Most of the time I just listen to the lossless files directed directly to my various Apple "speakers' via iTunes. When I sit down to listen critically, I will use Pure Music and "broadcast" to my various locales using Airfoil. I understand that I am limited to standard "Red Book" CD specifications, but to my ears the Pure Music enhances space, detail, imaging and sense of presense. Others probably will disagree.

Give it a try. It is not expensive, and you may like it.
tobias
1,534 posts
 
To my ear the Pure Music program makes a worthwhile improvement in Redbook sound from iTunes. I'm gad to know it makes a similar difference when streamed over a wireless connection. A wireless connection can't send any higher resolution than 16/44.1 as of this date -- do I have that right?
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Gordon - there is minimal or no audio stack involved with the AppleTV sinc it is networked, so any sound quality issues are probably jitter related in the ATV itself.

A reclocker between the ATV and the DAC can reduce this so it should be similar to Pure Music. BTW, I prefer Amarra 1.2 to all of the other players.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
gocubs999
154 posts
 
The only advice I can provide after extensive research is where I landed. Mac Mini> (2)1 TB Iomega External Hard Drives {Playback and back up)- Daisy chained w/firewire interface > i Tunes for ripping (AIFF/Error corrrection) > The new Ayre QB9 USB DAC > Transparent USB Cable > Transparent Reference XLR Interconnects > Synergy IIi Pre Amp. I use the Amarra Mini Music Player for playback. The results exceed my expectations. My CD's will be going into storage....Anyone interested in an Esoteric DV50S? lol
gocubs999
154 posts
 
Ryder,
I forgot to mention that I added the i Pad with the i Teleport App ($25) and Apple Row Mote (Free). The i Teleport allows the i Pad to communicate with the Mac Mini, essentially allowing the i Pad to become the monitor, keypad and mouse. This prevents you from having to deal with the added cost and room of a 27in. monitor and wireless key pad and mouse. The Row Mote App is vanilla, but; it gets the job done. Hope this helps.
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