Poor man's music server

Fongolio

I have finally found a way to stream all my music stored on my computer to my music rig in excellent quality. I have dozens and dozens of albums stored on my computer in .flac format. Many cd rips and many vinyl rips. The PS3 streams audio but not very well with high quality .flac files.

Now I'm a PC guy NOT a mac dude. I even look a little like the PC guy in the commercials. Anyway I've read in some hi fi mags that some of them are using Apple's AirPort Express to stream to their audio rigs. Only problem is you have to use Itunes which I hate with passion. I did some research and found a little program called Airfoil for $20.00 that lets you stream to the AirPort Express from ANY source. My favorite is VideoLan or VLC as it's known.

So I buy the AirPort and discover that it has a optical digital out via a mini jack. Only problem is it doesn't come with the adapter and I couldn't find one anywhere except at a store that sells surplus stuff including audio gear. It's a generic tosslink cable with the mini jack adapter. Voila!! Now I can run the airport into my Entech Number Cruncher DAC and out to the pre amp.

It sounds great. Not quite as good as my tube modified Rotel RCD-855 but very close and much more convenient. Now all my digital music on my computer (thousands of files) is available on the big rig in very good quality sound. Total cost: AirPort Express $99 plus tax, Entech Number Cruncher around $100, toslink and adapter $7.99, 50 ft RJ45 from comp to AirPort $12.99, interconnect from DAC to Pre used a spare. $221 dollars or so. Only downside no remote control selecting music. I must get up and go to the comp and select and start play. I'm working on a second screen out put to my plasma so I can control from the couch though.

I'm happy. That is all that counts.

Kelvin

phuz

I have two airport express modules, one for each rig. Love 'em.

There is also a remote app for the iphone/ipod touch that allows you to control itunes wirelessly. I know you aren't using itunes, but maybe there is something like that for the program you're using.

You can get optical cables terminated properly on each end so you don't have to use an adapter. I think I got mine on Amazon.

Fongolio

phuz wrote: »

You can get optical cables terminated properly on each end so you don't have to use an adapter. I think I got mine on Amazon.

Cool. Thanks for the tip!

zingo

Since you're using iTunes, if you have any iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, or Android phone, you can control iTunes and your music through your WIFI network which is way cool. It's the best kind of remote and the coolest feature of iTunes.

cokewithvanilla

zingo wrote: »

Since you're using iTunes, if you have any iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, or Android phone, you can control iTunes and your music through your WIFI network which is way cool. It's the best kind of remote and the coolest feature of iTunes.

You can do this with Media Center or WMP as well.

zingo

Sweet...

Ric5811

And Palm Pre also..since I use a pre/pro, I'm lucky enuff to have a digital coax out my pc, runs to my Arcam's dac. Control my itunes through the Palm Pre via wifi.

Fongolio

I just discovered another big plus. I can stream my 192khz/24 bit vinyl rips through VLan and the Airport Express. Super mega sweet.