Apple Airport Express Tests

For those interested in streaming to an AE:

As I suspected, the TOSLINK output is perfect; any audible limitation here is the AirPort's DAC and your source material. As far as I can tell short of comparing bit-for-bit, the optical digital output is a perfect copy of the original, the whole point of digital audio.

The AirPort Express DAC is also very, very good. In some ways it's not quite as good as a $3,000 CD player, and in others it's even better. I'm very happy, this new AirPort Express has much better analog audio quality than the old AirPort Express.

What's superb about this AirPort is that it has a full 2 Volt RMS output, not a whimpy 1 V or less output as we get from the jacks of iOS devices or many other and more expensive outboard DACs.

It's more difficult to set up than Bluetooth, but has no coding loss to affect the audio that Bluetooth does.

At any price, the Apple AirPort Express is a great DAC. It sounds great, with a completely silent background, full 2 V output, smooth detailed sound and full infrasonic bass response.


http://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/airport-express-audio-quality-2014.htm#rex

I use the Airport Express and Apple TV for wireless streaming. I find the Airport Express DAC to be good enough that I forget about the hardware and just listen to the music. I run the Apple TV output to my Emotiva DAC via toslink and find that to be a high performing combination.

I will have to get an optical 3.5mm to toslink adapter to facilitate the comparison of the Airport DAC to my external DAC. For $99 @ Fry's I think the Airport Express turns your iTunes device into a fabulous low cost wireless streaming solution.

The only caveat is that the 802.11 link between my Airport and router is not as reliable as I would like it to be. NOTE: The Airport runs quite warm. I have several and they all run warm. I also find that the newer Airport versions seem to be better behaved wrt volume control range and incremental volume changes.

Recommended.

Having two stereo systems, I got two AEs, one for each to keep cable lengths short. Would have spent more on cable lengths than the $100/each on the Airporters.
AudioBill, question for you. Can any smart-phone bolt up to the AEs and run Tidal, or do you have to stay with iOS?

I adopted the Slim Devices Squeezebox system (later purchased by Logitech) 10 years ago and have been happily using them since.  But the Airport Express does look to be a simple option for those looking for a playback device -- and unlike the Squeezebox they're still available new!

Skreifal, what is the magificent machine in your avatar?

It's a VPI Prime turntable. Quite different from an Apple Airport Express (or a Squeezebox), I suppose! But I can use and love both of 'em.

I was gonna say, it looks like a record-player of some sort.
VPI makes a very nice turntable. One regrettable thing I have learned about modern turntable-makers, not just VPI but Rega as well, is their quality control sucks. My new Rega RP-3 ran backwards, had to give it a good swat to get it moving the right direction. My new VPI Traveler arrived with the RCA output connections sloppily tightened, and nearly spun the ground connex off. Fortunately no wires broken, but it took several hours to un-bugger their sloppiness to get to the lock-nuts inside. Come on, guys, for a kilobuck or two you could check your work before you ship because, believe me, the retailer ain't gonna and won't remember your name when you bring it back.
The DUALs, Gerrards, Technics, Micro-Seikis and such never arrived in such contemptuous disarray. The new guys might as well sell their turntables as kits, because that's what they are.

I use ATV and Airport Express to stream music all the time. Occasional disconnects and dropouts, I'm need to try and move my router closer I guess. Sometimes works without a hitch.

Run a cat5 wire if possible. Wireless can be unreliable for streaming.

In my limited experience with this stuff, iPhone 4s running the Airport Express and streaming Tidal, best thing to do ahead of a listening session is to to just do a cold-start on the phone first. Hold the phone's top button down for a long moment, you'll get a swipe option to shut 'er all the way down, and do that. It clears the phone's memory. Let it chill for a minute, then hit the top button again to power back up. That eliminated all my drop-out/delay/disconnect issues.
The DAC in the new Airport Express boxes is exceptionally good. I am daily dazzled.
See: http://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/airport-express-audio-quality-2014.htm#rex
I have two AEs, one for each hi-fi lash-up, for $99 each plus the negligible cost for short analogue cabling you can't go wrong, and your smart-phone becomes a remote control.

Dave, as I recall, you're also using your express to set up a wireless network in your home, yes?