USB WiFi + Beresford TC-7520 = Possible?

[Ant]

Evening....


Is there a plug and play USB wifi adapter available enabling you to use your own wifi enabled device, say a netbook to stream music to into the said 'adapter/receiver' which would work plugged into the USB port in a 7520?

I know there's the airport express + airplay stuff but are there any other/cheaper options out there?

TIA


Ant

[JRS]

I haven't seen anything cheaper with wifi. Second hand AE's go for about £40.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apple-AirPort-Express-Base-Station-Boxed-manuals-and-software-/320777076589?pt=UK_Computing_Apple_Mac_Accessories&hash=item4aafcdbf6d

You don't need to fork out for the Beresford if you haven't done so already as the AE has a built in dac and outputs through a minijack to phono cable. That's how mine is set up. Sounds OK'ish

[Ant]

Thanks Jamie, the AE route does seem to be the way to go.

Ta,
Ant

[juggler]

Long time lurker here, never previously posted though. I've tried lots of combinations of laptop with an AE and both with and without a DAC. Never got it working to my complete satisfaction.

IME iTunes works ok as a player but will occasionally stutter. The exact security configuration, router type and configuration, AE firmware version and local network configuration all make a difference.

RogueAmoeba's AirFoil software allows you to stream from any app on the laptop at all - but is more prone to brief dropouts and more sensitive to router type.

I actually got better results streaming direct from an iPhone.

The sound quality of the AE & Beresford DAC is way below what I get from my DVD player source into the same DAC. Any numpty with one ear could (and can) tell in a blind test. I've spent a long time researching and diagnosing this; the biggest improvement seems to be going from wifi to wired but even then it's not great.

I was hoping to stream everything this way but I'm actually going the Vortexbox route now.

My recommendation - get a secondhand AE and try to make it work with iTunes before shelling out for a DAC or Airfoil.

[Werner Berghofer]

The sound quality of the AE & Beresford DAC is way below what I get from my DVD player source into the same DAC.

quite contrary to my personal experience: Playback quality is exactly the same when using a DAC which is connected directly (no matter if via USB or Toslink) to my Mac or when streaming wirelessly to an Airport Express connected via Toslink to the same DAC.

Fortunately in my home there are *no* drop-outs when streaming wirelessly to one or all of my three Airport Express stations.

I do hope that I’m not a numpty with one ear :-)

Werner.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Long time lurker here, never previously posted though......

Hi there.....juggler(?)
There are a couple of bits of housekeeping to attend to, if you don't mind.
Firstly, since you joined, it's become required for members to revisit their profile and insert their real first name and a rough location into the appropriate places. If your profile doesn't show your real first name, then your signature should.

Next, if you've been lurking for 2 or 3 years, it surely can't have escaped your attention that we expect first time posters to make an introductory thread in the Welcome section. That's the best way to be sure of a warm & friendly welcome.

So......if you wouldn't mind obliging, that would be great.

Cheers

[juggler]

Hi there.....juggler(?)
There are a couple of bits of housekeeping to attend to.....if you wouldn't mind obliging, that would be great.
Cheers

My apologies, will attend forthwith.



quite contrary to my personal experience: Playback quality is exactly the same when using a DAC which is connected directly (no matter if via USB or Toslink) to my Mac or when streaming wirelessly to an Airport Express connected via Toslink to the same DAC.

Interesting that you get the same results from the same source regardless of router... Have you tried a DVD or other transport into the DAC and compared that?

I wonder if some of what I am hearing is due to my laptop's wifi transmission. However I've spent so long on this to no avail that things have moved on - I've just organised myself a VortexBox.



I do hope that I’m not a numpty with one ear :-)


Unlikely in the extreme - reading my first post back it I see it may have given offence & I'm glad you didn't take it that way. My darling wife - who is interested in music but not in hifi, and normally couldn't give three hoots - commented that 'something sounded wrong'. That wasn't in an A/B test, just in passing when playing via the AE - and she didn't know what the source was.

Cheers

Simon

[Marco]

Hi Simon,

Thanks for adding your real name and a rough geographical location to your profile. I look forward to reading your introductory post in the Welcome section and the opportunity to properly welcome you into our community :)

Enjoy! :cool:

Marco.