Apple AirPort Express - Reviewed as a Transport

[madbullram]

Gadgets are always a fascination, not being a purist, I was looking for a way I can eliminate a CD setup. The first was my DacMagic. But even in that I need to keep my laptop connected to the DM. Even though I have playlists, moods change too often to get up and load a new playlist. Thats when my search started, is there a way I can wireless-ly stream my music from my laptop. So my need was:

1. A wireless streamer of music
2. It should stream lossless audio
3. Should have an excellent range, so I can stream with my lappy in my kitchen so I can enjoy cooking and music at same time
4. Minimum disturbance from mobile, cordless etc
5. No spikes

My search resulted in:
Apple - Airport Express

My setup:
1. Acer 5738G laptop with Spdif using Asio driver
2. iTunes
3. CDs ripped in apple lossless format using iTunes
4. Philips HtiB (Dac is currently not working and at service station)

Setting Up:
Apple always ensures Windows users suffer to the extent you decide let me buy a Mac. Took me 3 days to get the darn thing play in my setup. My friend in US uses the samething and it took 1 min to configure and connect to his Mac and Airport Express Extereme setup.

But you see I dont give up, after extensive searching and many nights, found the way to link the AE to my BSNL wireless router.

Playing iTunes via AE to my Philips HTiB:
Once the pairing was done, all I had to do was open iTunes and select my AE as the speaker voila thats it. The music is live through my Htib in all glory.

1. Tried playing songs from my BDRoom, Living, Kitchen, Balcony, Neighbours house , it played flawlessly
2. The moment you load a song there is a 3 sec delay before it played in my HTib
3. There was no difference in SQ when playing the Audio CD in my HTiB and the iTunes lossless format through AE. This is after 3-4 hrs of A/B.

I am extremely happy with AE. Now, I can enjoy my music using my laptop as my source and AE as my transport. No CDPs, no WD to play music which is connected to my TV

Cons:
1. Calling bell sometimes causes a 1 sec mute, need to see why this is
2. Very very rarely i get the one sec spike sound when a song change. This happened only once it the last 10-15 hrs of play

Hopefully, once I get my DAC I can check the SQ between Acer + AE vs CDP .

I am enjoying wireless music while making Hot Bhajji for the CSK match... adis amigos!!!!!!

 

[arj]

MBR, I too have the Airport express and have used it a lot (since 2006) as a transport receiver and then converted to Analogue via an external DAC. I would say that it is definitely better than most entry level cdps but it does introduce jitter and the resolution does suffer. I find on A/B a trends UD 10 to be far better.
I think a squeezebox with a physical network cable might just be a better option.

But for the price and for the plug play of wireless it is a really good option especially with Macs..with windows there is some drops in audio and the network does behave slightly quirky once on a while..

 

[madbullram]

Nice arj, in the last one week, havent seen a drop out or jitter. But the real test will be when my DAC comes home. That will give the perfect score to SQ tests.

 

[ashishkesarwani]

Good to know that you have achieved peace with this device. I remember that when I was looking for something to add to my setup to solve the above mentioned problems and there I came across Apple Airport express which came as a boon to problems with the Full HD media playback through Xtreamer or lossless music playback via the itunes and the songs stored onto my NAS and that too all wirelessly.
SO in my present setup I am using it as a Wireless bridge to connect with the 5 GHZ band of my router and then its further connected to a switch from where it distributes the internet connection as well as data to my entire RIG.

It took me just 5 minutes to configure Apple airport express in my setup specially being a Windows user. Now all I have to do is that I use my Iphone to control my Music library which plays though my system.

 

[stevieboy]

welcome to the airport express family madbullram!

i've been a delighted user for a while now. absolutely no problems. setup on a mac was under a minute doable with eyes closed, that easy grin. streams even when the macbook is in the bedroom. sound quality wise definitely a good dac will be a good add on. by itself its decent enough. and if your laptop's got wireless n too then you're all set for a fast good time!

regards

 

[amit11]

Hi Friends,

I am thinking to buy airport express.
I have an apple tv , connected to Fiio D03k external dac and then the amplifer, but while listening i feel something is not just right.

Compared to headphone out connection, yes there is more air, bass is tighter; however just does not feel right somewhere. Possibly due to the fact that apple tv upsamples to 48 sampling rate whereas most of the music is 44.1 and this introduces some artifacts which may be difficult to pin point and explain but can be felt.

My concern is; i have read on the net that apple airport express also has jitter and lot of it, so will the external dac like fiio d03k take care of the jitter?

Also i have read and also agree that since it will not upsample to 48, rather keep at 44.1, it should sound better than apple tv.


Regards,
Amit.