Alternative for Airport Express-Airtunes

[koswo]

Hi, I use iTunes together with an Airport Express to stream music to my speakers in my living room. Since iTunes version 8, I often experience connection problems between iTunes/iMac and my Airport Express. I tried everything: resetting Airport Express, firmware upgrades, reinstalling OS X and iTunes etc etc. Only one thing really helps: downgrading to iTunes 7 which I don't want to do because I need iTunes 8 for my iPhone.
So now I'm looking for alternatives to play my iTunes 8-library-music on my speakers. What do you guys advise?

Thanks!

 

[ChrisA]

Hi, I use iTunes together with an Airport Express to stream music to my speakers in my living room. Since iTunes version 8, I often experience connection problems between iTunes/iMac and my Airport Express. I tried everything: resetting Airport Express, firmware upgrades, reinstalling OS X and iTunes etc etc. Only one thing really helps: downgrading to iTunes 7 which I don't want to do because I need iTunes 8 for my iPhone.
So now I'm looking for alternatives to play my iTunes 8-library-music on my speakers. What do you guys advise?

Thanks!

Have you tried re-positioning the Airport Express. Move it higher or lower or closer. I had to place mine about eyelevel on a shelf in direct line, without blockage to the router. If you have yours plugged directly into a wall AC outlet 12 inches off the floor, that is a very poor location. Buy about 20 feet of audio cable and experiment

 

[koswo]

I already tried that kind of things. Didn't resolve the problem. As I mentioned, with iTunes 7 I don't have any problem... Very very anoying!

 

[pauld]

On a semi-related note,

I've recently started using one of the new MacBook Pros after about four years of using iMacs.

I'm wondering of there is any {cheaper} way of sending sound to speakers other than Airtunes that doesn't restrict the sound to that which is coming from iTunes.

Any takers?

 

[dmmcintyre3]

There are hacks to get the full audio through airtunes.

But there are also USB ones

 

[TwinCities Dan]

I already tried that kind of things. Didn't resolve the problem. As I mentioned, with iTunes 7 I don't have any problem... Very very anoying!

That's very odd, mine is a very old one and still plays nice with iTunes 8 all the time, never had any problems.

 

[kirreip]

On a semi-related note,

I've recently started using one of the new MacBook Pros after about four years of using iMacs.

I'm wondering of there is any {cheaper} way of sending sound to speakers other than Airtunes that doesn't restrict the sound to that which is coming from iTunes.

Any takers?

Well, not exactly what you asked for but you might want to look at Airfoil.

http://rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/

It works great and offers wireless music through Airport Express from about any application.

@OP
This could also work for you, as you can set Airfoil to play your iTunes music too. So even if iTunes 8's native support doesn't work for you, you could use Airfoil instead (they have a trial version to download)