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What is the best gadget for this? The hifi is 20 years old so it only has aux in and no usb or other modern connectivity.
Thanks.
Bluetooth to auxin adapter
Airport express
how do you connect the AP Express to the stereo? Via a standard stereo RCA cable?
3.5mm stereo jack to RCA twin cable will do the job.
Airport express.
As I am doing with my setup right this minute.
I've looked into this having dug out my Exposure Super XX and B&W 602s
THere is a fancy bluetooth version apx or something like that.
Denon plus a few others do proprietary wireless setups with USB.
I gave up pissing about with it, and currently have my satellte tuner outputting via anologue to the amp, to play mp3.
I've considered using the optical out and a FiLO DAC
Lots of different Bluetooth Dacs but if your macbook doesn't meet the fancy standard you get losses.
Airport Express.
With Mac - Airport express.
It works without fault everytime where bluetooth has a habit of dropping out, etc.
PLUS - its a wifi extender too 😉
Don't forget the usb on it for printer/hardrive
Upgrade amp you can get a denon with built in wifi and AirPlay for a few hundred quid 🙂
why would I want to upgrade my amp for a few hundred pounds when I can get an Airport Express for £70?
i have the same setup. denon amp mac mini and airport express works perfect ive upgraded to an apple tv so airport express is for sale if interested
Airport Express. Again.
Mav: any chance you could email me some details, including price? Email is mike@skylinecad.plus.com
Which version is it?
email sent mike
+several for Airport Express.
I'm going to buy another for the old amp and speakers in the garage. And another for the bedroom.
Super easy to set up.
OK, so a bit of an update: I've decided to use my old laptop (Windows) as the main music player (sourcing from the NAS). At the moment I am still using a stereo RCA cable, plugged into the headphone socket of the laptop, but the socket is starting to go, resulting in some unwanted noise, so I am looking for a wireless alternative.
The laptop only has wi-fi, so no Bluetooth option.
Any suggestions for a wi-fi adaptor?
Fairly sure that Airport Express is still the answer. You'd obviously need to use iTunes as the media player on the laptop, though.
As I understand it, the laptop has wifi; it needs an interface for plugging the audio signal into the amplifier.
We've got a Belkin bluetooth thing that connects via RCA/Aux cable. However, airport express would be better; I have ambitions to buy an AirPlay compatible hifi when this one breaks.
Three fish: Really? Why? iTunes is a deal breaker.
Yes, the laptop has wi-fi, but no Bluetooth.
Three fish: Really? Why? iTunes is a deal breaker.
I think that the Airport Express, being Apple, needs iTunes for Airplay, which is how it uses the Airport as an audio interface. iTunes for Windows has an appropriate version of Airplay added to it. Have a web search, but I strongly suspect you'll be tied to iTunes. Is it a problem? iTunes will play anything you have stored separately on hard-drives, it's not just downloaded/purchased stuff.
If it's anything of a bonus, the Airport is also an excellent wifi router, so plugging an Ethernet cable from your home internet router will also extend your wifi network.
I strongly suspect you'll be tied to iTunes. Is it a problem?
It would be for me, I'm sure on a Mac it's written by angels or something, but the Windows incarnation is a hateful piece of software.
strongly suspect you'll be tied to iTunes. Is it a problem? i
Yes, it is a problem and, as I said, a deal breaker.
There is a mac application from Rogue Amoeba called Airplay which enables you to play audio from any source on the mac to Airport (not just iTunes). It works well.
Not much use on a Windows machine, but I would imagine there is a Windows equivalent of an Airport Express. You just need a wi-fi receiver with a DAC to convert the digital audio to analogue to shove into the back f the amp. I've no idea what it is though.
Would some sort of DNLA receiver work?
ngels or something, but the Windows incarnation is a hateful piece of software.
No, it's hateful on OSX too.
I've never understood the hatred towards iTunes (certainly on mac). Mine has always worked perfectly well though admittedly it has his quaint idiosyncrasies - like pretty much any piece of software really.
You seem to have typoed "insanities" there.
Still works OK for me. Maybe I'm insane too.
It would be for me, I'm sure on a Mac it's written by angels or something, but the Windows incarnation is a hateful piece of software.
I always found it perfectly simple to use on OSX and Windows (Vista and 7). Perhaps you could ask somebody for assistance.
Har har.
Buy Airplay for the PC, works a charm. Farly sure it also supports DLNA
+1 Airport Express
Once again: I am not using iTunes, so if the Airport express requires that then it is a definite no for me.
Like people said, if you get the airport express then you can route all Windows audio to it using Airfoil which costs about £17
Sorry, I didn't see that you were not using iTunes as it wasn't mentioned in the first post.
You may be able to get some sort of bluetooth adaptor but the sound quality will not be as good and the range is less also.
Soundflower may allow some funky routing, but as said about, AirFoil will allow you to stream anything, without having to use iTunes, using an Airport express:
http://rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/mac/
EDIT:
In fact you may be able to do it without airfoil:
http://www.brettt.com/post/45998124306/apple-airplay-for-airport-express-without-itunes
He's using Windows
Airport Express does not need iTunes. You select it as an audio output device from 'Sounds'. Works perfectly fine with Spotify, Safari, DVD player or anything else for that matter.
So, +1 for Airport Express (NO iTunes needed!)
Talk about a sledgehammer to crack a nut. A hundred quid to send audio to the other side of the room using proprietary software? You're all having a giraffe.
Bluetooth adapter for the laptop, I posted a link earlier but lets go for a posh one, ten quid. There are cheaper ones, you just need one which supports A2DP.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plugable-Bluetooth-Adapter-Windows-Compatible/dp/B009ZIILLI
Bluetooth receiver (first one I fell over on Amazon), tenner:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/August-MR230B-Bluetooth-Receiver-Headphones/dp/B00CBCXZ3E
Bosh. Quarter of the price of an Airport and no need for fruit-based software.
[url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00O0U37HO/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1421589942&sr=8-3&pi=SL75 ]what about one of these Neet boxes. Other brands are available. [/url]
Talk about a sledgehammer to crack a nut. A hundred quid to send audio to the other side of the room using proprietary software? You're all having a giraffe.Bluetooth adapter for the laptop, I posted a link earlier but lets go for a posh one, ten quid. There are cheaper ones, you just need one which supports A2DP.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plugable-Bluetooth-Adapter-Windows-Compatible/dp/B009ZIILLI
Bluetooth receiver (first one I fell over on Amazon), tenner:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/August-MR230B-Bluetooth-Receiver-Headphones/dp/B00CBCXZ3E
Bosh. Quarter of the price of an Airport and no need for fruit-based software.
You need a decent quality DAC to obtain decent sound quality from Bluetooth, which will be expensive. The Airport Express is also a good quality DAC.
Also Bluetooth is lossy, and not networked
Chromecast + hdmi audio extractor, all for 40 quid.. Job jobbed. That way no Bluetooth audio loss, and you get compatability with various Google stuff thrown in..
An alternative to Airport Express though I have no idea whether or not it's as 'plug n play'...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JKD09B8?psc=1
Walk away from airport express....utterly useless. Apple store "Genius"couldn't even get them to work. They thought there were transformers to start with though.
Seriously don't bother with Airport Express.
Get a Sonos bridge. much better.
airport express, excellent bit of kit, allows you to stream in the digital domain and use an external dac if you plug in an optical cable, it's internal dac is good just not as good as a standalone HiFi Dac.
Walk away from airport express....utterly useless. Apple store "Genius"couldn't even get them to work.
Erm, yeah. I just plugged mine in and 30 seconds later everything working fine and has been ever since.
As you say, useless