HDMI to iPad (?)

[GPap]

Hello, can I connect my iPad to my Sony sound system via HDMI to audio jack (with cable or adapter).
Or the result will be the same with audio cable 3.5mm to 3.5mm (as I have it now) ?

 

[zhenya]

The best solution for getting great sound out of an iOS device is to use an Airport Express or even an AppleTV. Then you can transmit the audio wirelessly and in perfect fidelity - as it transmits it digitally.

 

[GPap]

Thank you. So, I can connect Airport Express with iPad and my sound system and I can get great sound ?
Airport Extreme is good for this ?

 

[zhenya]

Not, the Airport Extreme, only the Airport Express. Use the Express if you don't have a TV connected to this system. If you do have a TV, use the AppleTV.

With the AppleTV, you can connect via HDMI, or with either you can connect with a pure digital toslink connection if your stereo supports such a connection.

And these require no physical connection from the iPad. They connect directly to the sound system, and your home network, and you then use Airplay on the iPad to send the music to the device.

 

[GPap]

But which connection holds the battery of iPad longer ? With cable I'm afraid it's better. Or not ?

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Cable is better for battery.

And I would choose the easy version with a single audio cable, as I don't think you can hear a quality degradation over digital output, but YMMV of course.

 

[zhenya]

For all practical purposes there is no battery hit while streaming music via Airplay. An iPad will stream music like that for days from a single charge so long as the screen is turned off most of the time.

 

[GPap]

But if I want to listening music from the Internet ? Express supports only iTunes ?

 

[zhenya]

No, from the iPad any audio source can be routed to an Airplay Express (so long as it is not being blocked or otherwise disabled by the particular content developer). On a Mac computer, it is limited to iTunes without a 3rd party app.

 

[GPap]

Thanks zhenya, one more thing : If I connect express with analog cable on my sound system, it is not same as I connect it directly my iPad to my sound system ?
I can listen better quality if in the middle it is express ? My sound system does not have Ethernet or USB port.

 

[zhenya]

The Express should not change the audio in any audible way for most content - whether for good or for bad. With streaming from a Mac using iTunes, I know that it is what is called 'bit perfect' in that the bits that come in are the same as the bits that go out if you are using it to pass a digital signal. I'm not sure that's the case from an iPad, but I would not expect any different sound whether you use the Express or the iPad directly. Does your sound system have a digital Toslink input?

 

[GPap]

http://www.cnet.com/products/sony-ht-xt1/

Scroll down at the features and you can see my ports.

 

[zhenya]

It does have a Digital In port that you could potentially use - you'd need the special Toslink cable that has 1/8" on one end and standard Toslink on the other - somewhat unusual - but easy enough to source online. In practice though, there is really no need, just use the analog input which requires just an 1/8" to 1/8" cable to connect the Express to your sound system.

 

[GPap]

Thanks, if there is no quality difference I stay with analog cable and no need to buy Express.
Also do you believe cable matters ? Now I have one Samsung cable from my TV. Do I need to buy this one ?

 

[zhenya]

The Express just means that the iPad doesn't need to remain tethered to the stereo. You get the same quality, but wirelessly so you can use your iPad wherever you like. Cable doesn't really matter. That one would be fine.