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internetsandman
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Digital audio streaming over network to DAC?

Sat Dec 07, 2013 1:36 am

I'm looking at trying to set up a system that mimics the digital audio function of Apples airport express, being able to transmit a digital signal over the home network (wirelessly if possible) and output via S/PDIF to a speaker/headphone system. Ideally it would be a solution that is able to be used on more than one platform (windows from a desktop and android from a phone/tablet app with these capabilities, for example)

The airport express is the only piece of hardware that I've found with wireless and wired inputs and a digital audio output to easily send a digital audio stream to a stereo system, but that requires Apple's airplay and I'd rather not have to use iTunes just for that one piece of functionality, especially since I wouldn't be able to use it from any other device in my house that can't run iTunes (my iPhone wouldn't have access to all of the audio files I'd wish to play). I honestly don't even know what type of product I would be looking for, I'm not sure what category an Airport Express falls under, so even if you don't know a specific solution I'd love to at least be pointed in the right direction for what to look for and where I might look
 
jihadjoe
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Re: Digital audio streaming over network to DAC?

Sat Dec 07, 2013 2:40 am

Audioengine D2 maybe?
It doesn't use your home wireless though, but has its own transmitter/receiver combo.
 
slowriot
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Re: Digital audio streaming over network to DAC?

Sat Dec 07, 2013 3:08 am

The product that came to my mind was the Sonos CONNECT. http://www.sonos.com/shop/products/connect

I'm not entirely sure what is all required with the Sonos system but it appears like it would accomplish your goal. Though it might be an Airport Express type situation where additional software/hardware is necessary.
 
MadManOriginal
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Re: Digital audio streaming over network to DAC?

Sat Dec 07, 2013 3:15 am

This kind of functionality is really common these days, just look at how common it is in receivers or Blu Ray players. There are really a *ton* of choices and unless you want something audiophile-oriented like a Sonos there are tons of options, including cheap mini PCs.
 
CityEater
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Re: Digital audio streaming over network to DAC?

Sat Dec 07, 2013 5:58 am

You're looking for a music streamer or its sometimes called a DAP.
Would something like this do the job?
http://www.myoliveone.com/
Logitech discontinued the squeezebox, that could have been an alternative. Quite a good option, maybe you can find one second hand?
http://www.cocktailaudio.com/overview.html
Those three might be overkill for what you're trying to do.
There's a ton of different options, there are even DACs with wireless modules.
If you can afford it (having used a few of the different options) I think Sonos is pretty sleek as a system and expandable as well. I've found everything they make very well put together.
As MadMan said this functionality is pretty common these days, even receivers and televisions can have it built in. I may be wrong but I think even the Airport Express can be used without Itunes.
Best of luck
 
internetsandman
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Re: Digital audio streaming over network to DAC?

Sat Dec 07, 2013 1:30 pm

jihadjoe wrote:
Audioengine D2 maybe?
It doesn't use your home wireless though, but has its own transmitter/receiver combo.


That combo looks really good, but it is a bit pricey and it seems to only work for whatever device the D2 Sender is hooked up to at the time, instead of having a wireless receiver accessible by multiple devices

slowriot wrote:
The product that came to my mind was the Sonos CONNECT. http://www.sonos.com/shop/products/connect

I'm not entirely sure what is all required with the Sonos system but it appears like it would accomplish your goal. Though it might be an Airport Express type situation where additional software/hardware is necessary.


Looking through their systems it seems that it's a proprietary connection, they only say that their bridges and recievers will work with other Sonos products, and the bridge only has an ethernet in and out, no S/PDIF connection for inclusion in other hifi systems

MadManOriginal wrote:
This kind of functionality is really common these days, just look at how common it is in receivers or Blu Ray players. There are really a *ton* of choices and unless you want something audiophile-oriented like a Sonos there are tons of options, including cheap mini PCs.


Perhaps it is but I haven't found much, like I said I'm looking for something that can be accessed and used by both desktop and mobile devices over the home wifi network (like an Airport Express, only without the proprietary Apple software for desktop or use of an iPhone/iPad for a mobile device) , I'd imagine that functionality is much less common

CityEater wrote:
You're looking for a music streamer or its sometimes called a DAP.
Would something like this do the job?
http://www.myoliveone.com/
Logitech discontinued the squeezebox, that could have been an alternative. Quite a good option, maybe you can find one second hand?
http://www.cocktailaudio.com/overview.html
Those three might be overkill for what you're trying to do.
There's a ton of different options, there are even DACs with wireless modules.
If you can afford it (having used a few of the different options) I think Sonos is pretty sleek as a system and expandable as well. I've found everything they make very well put together.
As MadMan said this functionality is pretty common these days, even receivers and televisions can have it built in. I may be wrong but I think even the Airport Express can be used without Itunes.
Best of luck


Well the Olive One looks like it's still in a kickstarter-esque phase, it looks like a cool idea but until it comes to market it's not a reliable choice to build a system around
But actually the X10 and X30 from Cocktail Audio look pretty much perfect, they even had app recommendations to control the devices over wifi for both Android and iOS, built in storage functionality, and digital outputs to connect to a different system. It did seem like overkill at first, because it's not quite the simple bridge functionality I was originally looking for, but with this i may not even need that, it seems like it essentially rolls all of the functionality I needed into one device. Thank you for those suggestions!

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