How to get downloaded music wirelessly from my Macs to the old Naim Hifi?

[Nick Armstrong]

The 'why buy CDs?' thread stirred me again into thinking that I've failed to find a way to get the collection of music and podcasts that I have on iTunes to play on my 'main hifi' without replacing components of the latter.

For some reason, I've found it difficult/confusing/impossible to find a straight and easy answer to what seems to me a simple question.

The HiFi is on the far side of the main room: the combination of speakers and the Naim amp and CD player produces ideal 'big' sound for me.

But the Naim 'Nait5' amp is from around 2001 and only has analogue inputs (http://www.naimaudio.com/sites/defau...it5_manual.pdf if anyone needs the details).

Typically I sit 20 feet or so away with a (2010) MacBook Pro on which is my downloaded music (and there's an older iMac in the same room with music on too).

Is there any way I can 'throw' the music and podcasts from my laptop across the room wirelessly to "something" plugged in with analogue cables to the Nait5, and listen to my iTunes through the big speakers?

I've read about the Logitech Squeezebox Touch being great - but it appears to have been discontinued, from what I can find.

What is my best / best-value solution please?

[Beef Oven!]

The 'why buy CDs?' thread stirred me again into thinking that I've failed to find a way to get the collection of music and podcasts that I have on iTunes to play on my 'main hifi' without replacing components of the latter.

For some reason, I've found it difficult/confusing/impossible to find a straight and easy answer to what seems to me a simple question.

The HiFi is on the far side of the main room: the combination of speakers and the Naim amp and CD player produces ideal 'big' sound for me.

But the Naim 'Nait5' amp is from around 2001 and only has analogue inputs (http://www.naimaudio.com/sites/defau...it5_manual.pdf if anyone needs the details).

Typically I sit 20 feet or so away with a (2010) MacBook Pro on which is my downloaded music.

Is there any way I can 'throw' the music and podcasts from my laptop across the room wirelessly to "something" plugged in with analogue cables to the Nait5, and listen to my iTunes through the big speakers?

I've read about the Logitech Squeezebox Touch being great - but it appears to have been discontinued, from what I can find.

What is my best / best-value solution please?

This reminds me, anyone wanna buy my circa 1999 Naim system?


Edit: Cali, there's no problem that Naim can't find a workaround for, for a couple of grand

[Stunsworth]

You could use an Airport Express and connect its analogue output to a line level input on the amp, or its digital output to a DAC.

On the Mac, if it's running Mavericks you could use Airplay to send iTunes output to the Airport Express. If Airplay isn't available you'd could use some software called Airfoil to do the same.

a refurbished Airport Express is £59 from Apple. Airfoil is $25.

[Beef Oven!]

You could use an Airport Express and connect its analogue output to a line level input on the amp, or its digital output to a DAC.

On the Mac, if it's running Mavericks you could use Airplay to send iTunes output to the Airport Express. If Airplay isn't available you'd could use some software called Airfoil to do the same.

a refurbished Airport Express is £59 from Apple. Airfoil is $25.

The bloke in the Apple shop in Regents Street said that to me when I was in there last week. About £80?

[Stunsworth]

Yes, £80 or so for a new Airport Express. The refurbished device is a bit cheaper.

[MrGongGong]

What's wrong with a mini jack > phono cable ?

I would always think about whether it really is necessary to have wireless connection with all the hassle you get with it ! Some things it's absolutely essential (I did some performances in a quarry this year with a roaming audience using wireless mics, headphones and all powered off 12v batteries > inverters etc, no alternative there) ....

A decent quality (not the virgin in the moonlight twisted by organic monkeys and blessed by monks version) would cost you about £10....
SO that's £70 to spend on CD's , Malt Whisky, presents for your children, commissioning new music etc etc etc

And OXOboy that was no "bloke" that was a "Genius" (modest job title ?)

[Pianoman]

I admit I use the 'long lead' scenario, which annoys the wife sometimes with a 12 ft cable trailing across the room, but does assure a proper connection to the main hifi. My internet is too flaky for wireless options. With a Macbook the headphone out is also optical, so mine is out from laptop to the dac and ensures identical sound the the cd - i've A/Bd it to be sure !

[Beef Oven!]

Yes, £80 or so for a new Airport Express. The refurbished device is a bit cheaper.

Might check out the refurbed one, need to hold over some cash for a connection lead to the Naim pre-amp (Naim insist on having DIN connections because they say they sound better (sic ). Adding a headphone input is quite cheap at £200 (second hand)! Sorry, I'm in a Naim-hate mood today!

[MrGongGong]

Naim insist on having DIN connections because they say they sound better

???



You mean 5 Pin ?

[Nick Armstrong]

You could use an Airport Express and connect its analogue output to a line level input on the amp, or its digital output to a DAC.

On the Mac, if it's running Mavericks you could use Airplay to send iTunes output to the Airport Express. If Airplay isn't available you'd could use some software called Airfoil to do the same.

a refurbished Airport Express is £59 from Apple. Airfoil is $25.

Hmm... that's red-lined my technical "knowledge".

I am running OSX 10.6.8 as I haven't fancied upgrading.

Should I now do so, in your opinion? I have just seen from a search that Apple may be about to discontinue support for 10.6.8... and moreover that "Mavericks is free for Mac users running Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and up." I've not upgraded before because (a) what I have suits me fine, and I've heard of glitches from those who did try to upgrade; and (b) it cost money. I didn't want to pay for something I didn't need and which gave grief.

But I'm inclined to think I should now do so. As someone who clearly knows his apples from his onions, I'd value your view.

Sounds like it would make the resolution of my query in this thread easier and better?

[Beef Oven!]

???



You mean 5 Pin ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIN_connector

[MrGongGong]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIN_connector

They are lying to you matey
5 pin DIN (as used in MIDI connections) is a pile of cr*p
unreliable and likely to fall apart if you unplug and plug in more than a few times
WHICH is why very few people use them any more

[Stunsworth]

Hmm... that's red-lined my technical "knowledge".

I am running OSX 10.6.8 as I haven't fancied upgrading.

Should I now do so, in your opinion? I have just seen from a search that Apple may be about to discontinue support for 10.6.8... and moreover that "Mavericks is free for Mac users running Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and up." I've not upgraded before because (a) what I have suits me fine, and I've heard of glitches from those who did try to upgrade; and (b) it cost money. I didn't want to pay for something I didn't need and which gave grief

Caliban, I upgraded to Mavericks and have had no problems. However, I may have misled you a little bit.

I did some digging around and you can send the music directly from iTunes to an Airport Express using the icon to the right of the volume control at the top of the iTunes window. That gives a box of available devices that the sound can be sent to. Currently this might be empty for you as there's no device set up in your system.

To configure everything, all you need to do is to set up the Airport Express in 'client' mode, connect the Airport express to your amp using a suitable lead, and then tell iTunes to send the sound to the Airport Express. There are set up details here...

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4587?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

In particular the part headed

Connecting to an existing Wi-Fi network, exclusively for iTunes music

I would still recommend the Mavericks update, but it may not be necessary to achieve what you want to do.

[Dave2002]

I am not sure whether an Apple TV will also do the same job - around £100 instead of around £80 for the Airport Express. I think some around here may know more. For myself I use a now obsolete Squeezebox unit fed into a DAC. Apparently new ones are still available at a high price on eBay, and even the second hand ones are more than £100. They can be configured quite easily to work with an iPad as a controller, and use the Logitech Media Server with access to the local iTunes library.

There are cheaper devices from Roku which will do the wireless link, but they perhaps don't have the quality level desired.

[Stunsworth]

I am not sure whether an Apple TV will also do the same job - around £100 instead of around £80 for the Airport Express.

It would, but the Apple TV relies on the person using it to have some visual feedback of what they're doing - i.e. it would need to be connected to a TV using an HDMI cable.

One thing I didn't mention earlier is that if you have an iOS device - iPhone or iPad - there's a free app that acts as a remove for iTunes, and allows the user to select the music to be played etc. This works with both the Airport Express and the Apple TV.