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Airport Express + Toslink + Bryston BDA-1 = Happy

This has been my system for the past 2 years. Currently using Rdio, and my ITunes library on my IPad2, streaming it to the Apple Airport Express

Is there any reason to consider any variations on this ?

I continue to play with amplifiers and speakers, switching from vintage solid state like my Sansui AU-717, the Mark Levinson
27 amplifier and 28 preamplifier, and thinking about picking up a nice EL 34 integrated tube amp (Cary perhaps).

Someday i would like to try some ribbon speakers. but my real question is, this seems to be an idealized setup for source.
If anyone is using a similar setup, is there a reason to change - Is there an upgrade to consider from a setup like this ?
128x128mrisney

Showing 3 responses by kijanki

kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,402 posts
 
MacMini+AirportExpress+Toslink+BenchmarkDAC1+Rowland102+HyperionHPS938 = Very Happy.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,402 posts
 
Slothman,

You can always be happier. I'll stop improving once I start getting orgasms when I listen to the music.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,402 posts
 
Mrisney,

This setup has advantage. Because data on Hard Disk has no timing and is sent to AE in packets, timing is created in AE, that has respectable 250ps jitter further reduced by Dac's processing. It means that computer noise, type of program etc have no bearing on the sound as long as data is "bit perfect". Toslink should be worse than coaxial but it should be looked at as a system. It depends on transport slew rate, system noise, ambient electrical noise etc. Toslink also breaks ground loops.

It all comes to jitter that manifests itself as noise proportional to signal. This noise, since proportional to signal level, cannot be detected without signal and shows only as a lack of clarity. If you hear clear transparent sound then there is nothing else to it IMHO. According to what I've read BDA-1 is even better than Benchmark.

One more thing - data is sent to AE in ALAC format. I store data in ALAC format avoiding additional processing (compresion). Also using Firewire HD takes load of main processor since Firewire does transfers with it's own processor.
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