Apple AirTunes sound Quality

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  • mb225
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2009
    • 131
    #1

    Apple AirTunes sound Quality

    Does anyone have experience with Apple AirTunes? I’m referring to the ability to stream music from iTunes to an AirPort Express or the new Apple TV. Both use 802.11n for wireless connectivity. I’m currently using a MacMini as a music server and I was thinking of adding an AirPort Express to be able to play music in another room. All of my music has been ripped in AIFF format in iTunes. I read that AirTunes will compress the audio to apple lossless before it’s sent. I have also found a few apple forums where people complain about the audio quality and they said it doesn’t sound like a lossless file but more like a low quality MP3.

    Does anyone have any experience with this?

    Thanks!
    MB
    Tags: None
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    • Hammie
      Senior Member
      • Oct 2005
      • 304
      #2
      I use an AirPort Express to stream my ALAC files from my Mac Mini to my B&W Zeppelin and have never had an issue with audio quality. They sound no different than the same songs that are on my iPhone in ALAC format.

      I do not have any experience with using AIFF files, but Apple Lossless is not a bad format. I use it for all of my music files. It is actually less compression than FLAC.

      Also, I just want to give you an quick overview of my home network. My 802.11n wireless access point has Gig-E ports and is connected to a Gig-E switch that my Mac Mini is also connected to at Gig-E speeds (1000Mbps). Not sure if this helps over a Fast Ethernet (100Mbps) network.

      What are you streaming them to? That may have more of an influence than streaming.
      Panasonic TC-P65VT30
      Onkyo Pro PR-SC5508 | M2Tech Young DAC | Emotiva XPA-1 (x3), XPA-2
      Oppo BDP-93 | DirecTV HR23-700 HD-DVR | Pioneer PL-670 Turntable
      Sony Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii | Apple TV 2, Mac Mini (iTunes Server), iPad
      B&W 804S, HTM3S, CWM DS8 | SVS PB12-NSD | Denon AH-D2000 Headphones
      Tripp Lite HT1210ISOCTR Power Conditioner, SMART1000LCD UPS System
      My Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series Setup
      Next Upgrade: Cables
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        • mb225
          Senior Member
          • Jan 2009
          • 131
          #3
          Thanks Hammie!

          I also found this review on the AirPort Express when it was only 802.11g (not current 802.11n version).
          Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi Hub-D/A processor
          http://www.stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/505apple
          Usually, a Stereophile "Follow-Up" follows up (duh!) a full review of the component in question.


          From the review it sounds like the keeps the original bit-stream.
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