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

[Dave2002]

I guess you mean "remote". Thanks for the observation re visual feedback - at this time I have no experience of those Apple TV devices.

[mangerton]

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

Indeed. Many years ago I had some equipment which used DIN connectors. I made up quite a few leads, and they were a b*gger to solder.

Come to think, I still have a Grundig reel-to-reel which uses DIN connectors - and valves.

[Beef Oven!]

Indeed. Many years ago I had some equipment which used DIN connectors. I made up quite a few leads, and they were a b*gger to solder.

Come to think, I still have a Grundig reel-to-reel which uses DIN connectors - and valves.

My DIN connections are still going strong after more than a decade.

[David-G]

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?

I have found an excellent solution to this. I have a similar requirement to yours. I have a lot of music on my laptop, which generally lives on the kitchen table. The hi-fi is in another room; like you it only has analogue inputs.

I consulted a well-known hi-fi shop, and they recommended the rDAC and rWave from Arcam. The rDAC is a DAC which sits next to and is connected to the hi-fi amplifier. The rWave is a "dongle" which plugs into a USB socket on the laptop, and talks to the rDAC wirelessly. Note that this wireless connection is separate from and entirely different to the wireless connection between the laptop and the router.

I am extremely pleased with this setup. There is no inconvenience of long leads. The system is extremely reliable. And best of all, the audio quality is simply fantastic. It wasn't cheap, but for me well worth the money.

My laptop uses Windows, but it seems that the rWave can work with a Mac, so hopefully you would not have a problem.

[Dave2002]

I have found an excellent solution to this. I have a similar requirement to yours. I have a lot of music on my laptop, which generally lives on the kitchen table. The hi-fi is in another room; like you it only has analogue inputs.

I consulted a well-known hi-fi shop, and they recommended the rDAC and rWave from Arcam. The rDAC is a DAC which sits next to and is connected to the hi-fi amplifier. The rWave is a "dongle" which plugs into a USB socket on the laptop, and talks to the rDAC wirelessly. Note that this wireless connection is separate from and entirely different to the wireless connection between the laptop and the router.

I am extremely pleased with this setup. There is no inconvenience of long leads. The system is extremely reliable. And best of all, the audio quality is simply fantastic. It wasn't cheap, but for me well worth the money.

My laptop uses Windows, but it seems that the rWave can work with a Mac, so hopefully you would not have a problem.

I never had any Arcam kit, though I was impressed with some I heard and got close to buying some. One problem the firm seems to have is a product range which "shifts" - perhaps not rapidly, but sufficiently quickly that I can't see that the rDAC is still available. The firm has a range of products, but you have to look at the specs quite (very?) carefully to be sure exactly what each one does. Currently there are the irDAC, the airDAC and a few others. I can't give a link, for technical reasons (doesn't work!) - but a search for Arcam rDAC should give results, including a link to Superfi which has some products currently.

I think the rDAC itself has been discontinued.

Finally, while wireless connections can work well, they don't in all situations. I finally decided that it is easier to use wired connections and ethernet switches - and for the wired connections I use Homeplug/Powerline units to get the signals - even from one side of a room to the the other. Whether this will be necessary for all users depends on the configuration, the routers used, and perhaps also the pattern of data traffic. Some (most?) routers treat wired connections differently from wireless ones, and there is likely to be less interference due to other traffic with wired connections, though in some environments interference, even using wireless, is minimal to the point of being undetectable.

Of course laptop users will probably want to use wireless for convenience.

[Phileas]

I am not sure whether an Apple TV will also do the same job

Apple TV has no analogue output so requires an optical digital input somewhere on the hifi.

As for visual feedback, the Apple TV needs to be connected to a TV for initial setup but can subsequently be used as a "dumb" box.

I think it's worth trying a wireless solution before resorting to wires. I have no issues with my wireless set-up.

[Dave2002]

I think it's worth trying a wireless solution before resorting to wires. I have no issues with my wireless set-up.

Thanks for comments re Apple TV. Some people seem to find it a useful device, but it clearly depends what the needs are. If it has no analogue output (some of the Roku ones do have, as does the NowTV box, which is a variant of Roku ...) then the output would need to be fed into a DAC - such as one of the Arcams or other makes.

I agree about trying a wireless solution first - most people should find it satisfactory, but there can be limitations and problems.

[Nick Armstrong]

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....

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

Thank you very much for the digging and advice.

Mavericks is now successfully installed and running smoothly, it's like having a new computer

Now: as usual, I stumble at the first fence with technical stuff. I have no "icon to the right of the volume control at the top of the iTunes window"... The top left corner of my iTunes looks like this:



Any ideas where I look for the icon...? Is it something I have to select, under 'view- ???' or 'controls' ??

[Phileas]

You have to have an Airplay device connected to the network e.g. an Airport Express.

[johnb]

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?

I am a big fan of the Squeezebox Touch. IMO no other product comes close in terms of value for money, sound quality and versatility (when used with the Logitech Media Server running on a computer or server).

However, you are correct - the Touch was discontinued a while back. (I quickly bought a backup Touch when I heard about Logitech's decision.)

[Stunsworth]

You have to have an Airplay device connected to the network e.g. an Airport Express.

Yes, I forgot about that, sorry.

[Nick Armstrong]

I am a big fan of the Squeezebox Touch. IMO no other product comes close in terms of value for money, sound quality and versatility (when used with the Logitech Media Server running on a computer or server).

However, you are correct - the Touch was discontinued a while back. (I quickly bought a backup Touch when I heard about Logitech's decision.)

I wonder why on earth they discontinued it if it was so good. Not enough take-up to make it worthwhile manufacturing presumably... Odd that there's nothing which appears to have taken its place, except the Apple kit referred to above.

[Beef Oven!]

How do I get that Air thingy (£60 recon, £80 full price) to work with my iPad and active speakers?

The speakers have a simple RCA connector and a mains socket.

If I go to my nearest big Apple shop, will I just be able to buy the thing and plug it in at home and play my iTunes library from my iPad?

[Stunsworth]

How do I get that Air thingy (£60 recon, £80 full price) to work with my iPad and active speakers?

The speakers have a simple RCA connector and a mains socket.

If I go to my nearest big Apple shop, will I just be able to buy the thing and plug it in at home and play my iTunes library from my iPad?

The Airport Express is connected to the hifi using a standard cable with a 3.5 stereo plug on one end and two phono plugs on the other.

You can then use Airplay on the iPad to send the audio output to the Airport Express. When you do that, whatever you play on the iPad will playback through your hifi.

if you want to play back recordings from your mail iTunes library, rather than the iPad, you can do that using the free Apple Remote app in the iPad.

[Beef Oven!]

The Airport Express is connected to the hifi using a standard cable with a 3.5 stereo plug on one end and two phono plugs on the other.

You can then use Airplay on the iPad to send the audio output to the Airport Express. When you do that, whatever you play on the iPad will playback through your hifi.

if you want to play back recordings from your mail iTunes library, rather than the iPad, you can do that using the free Apple Remote app in the iPad.

Thanks very much Steve. I'll have a think about how to link it to my pre-amp (I was hoping I could link directly to the speakers since they are active).