How To: Play iTunes through Home Stereo?

[Rhobes]

Hi All-

Maybe someone can give me a few tips to get me started here. I have allot of iTunes music I purchased and is on my iMac. I never burned a CD of them, I assume I could (Apple allows it?). I hate to burn it all to CD because it would be difficult to categorize all the single recordings.

I have Airport express and Ailfoil (Rogue Amoeba), maybe a way to use these? I want to play through my home stereo; using my stereo Control Preamp, Power Amp, Equalizer and out through my Control Monitors. This means I don't want to control volume etc. from the iMac but through the stereo. This means I can't send or stream an amplified signal to my stereo or I can blow out my home system correct?

I'm including some of my Preamp specs FYI, and from the iMac, specs of what is available for outputs on it. I'm thinking it can't be done unless I burn & play CD's then play them through my stereo. But I would appreciate any links or direction to further my quest in this topic. Thanks-


PreAmp Spec:
Input Sensitivity/Impedance

Phono: ~ 0.03 - 6.0mV 50mV (line)
CD, Video, Tape, Tuner: 150mV/47 k-oHms

Output Level/Impedance
Pre Out: 1.5 mV/47 ohms
Rec Out: 150 mV/600 ohms

===========================

iMac Spec:
Connections and expansion

• One FireWire 800 port; 7 watts
• Four USB 2.0 ports
• SD card slot

Communications

• Built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking;2 IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible
• Built-in Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
• Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)

Audio

• Built-in stereo speakers
• Two internal 17-watt high-efficiency amplifiers
• Headphone/optical digital audio output (minijack)
• Audio line in/optical digital audio input (minijack)
• Built-in microphone
• Support for Apple Stereo Headset with microphone

 

[Jjayf]

There is a number of ways you can go. The easiest is to plug the 3.5mm output jack from your iMac into the audio line in on your receiver. Other options include using a 3.5 mm female to RCA male adapter and plug into the an input on your receiver.
On my old receiver I used the 5.5mm to RCA adapter. My new receiver has wifi and I can stream from any device.

A word of warning, unless you are physically connected to your receiver through a wired connection or Bluetooth, Apple Music will not stream. I have hundreds of albums downloaded throgh subscription and can not stream them to my receiver. Only purchased music can be streamed.

 

[cbautis2]

If you've got a smart TV or a smart Blu-ray player, you can easily stream Spotify (Spotify connect), Apple Music (Airplay) or local files (DLNA) easily to your home theater system.

 

[davidoloan]

You can use an external Dac, and you can connect both your Airport Express to the Dac by optical cable, and the iMac to the Dac by asynchronous USB which will be the best quality possible.

You then switch inputs on the DAC depending on which you want and your DAC sends an analogue signal to the Pre Amp.

You can, as Jjayf suggests use the Airport Express own dac and send an analogue signal directly out from it to your Preamp, but it sounds like you are a bit of an audiophile, and you will probably want an external Dac. The Airport Express is pretty good using its own Dac.

You can also connect your computer by USB to your DAC then RCA to your pre - amp and connect the Airport Express to another amplifier in another part of the house. You need a top quality network though or ethernet.

You can set iTunes to Airplay to the Airport express, or by cable to the USB connection on the Dac, and you can control and choose music using your phone or ipad without going near the computer. It works very well, now its very mature.

The Apple TV also works very well, with your TV sending an optical signal to your DAC or you can use HDMI out to some systems. There are few bugs with Music on the Apple TV homesharing, which has just been updated; hopefully they will be fixed soon, but you never know with Apple - it might be a few years. The bugs are nothing serious and are Apple TV only. Apple Music is on the Apple TV, but not Tidal.

There are lots of Dacs available - something like this will work pretty flawlessly http://www.arcam.co.uk/products,rSeries,USB-DAC,irdacii.htm

 

[Rhobes]

You can use an external Dac, and you can connect both your Airport Express to the Dac by optical cable, and the iMac to the Dac by asynchronous USB which will be the best quality possible.

You then switch inputs on the DAC depending on which you want and your DAC sends an analogue signal to the Pre Amp.

You can, as Jjayf suggests use the Airport Express own dac and send an analogue signal directly out from it to your Preamp, but it sounds like you are a bit of an audiophile, and you will probably want an external Dac. The Airport Express is pretty good using its own Dac.

You can also connect your computer by USB to your Pre - amp and connect the Airport Express to another ampplifier in another part of the house. You need a top quality network though or ethernet.

You can set iTunes to Airplay to the Airport express, or the USB Dac, and you can control and choose music using your phone or ipad without going near the computer. It works very well, now its very mature.

The Apple TV also works very well, with your TV sending an optical signal to your DAC or you can use HDMI out to some systems. There are few bugs with Music on the Apple TV homesharing, which has just been updated; hopefully they will be fixed soon, but you never know with Apple - it might be a few years. The bugs are nothing serious and are Apple TV only. Apple Music is on the Apple TV, but not Tidal.

There are lots of Dacs available - something like this will work pretty flawlessly http://www.arcam.co.uk/products,rSeries,USB-DAC,irdacii.htm

I guess I need to study-up because I'm not that familiar with allot of this technology. I believe that sending my iTunes from my iMac to the pre amp can't be done because my pre amp has no wifi capability. Besides, I think sending iTunes via any wifi will be a poor signal compared to any direct "wire" connection between the iMac and pre amp.

I have my internet connection using the single Ethernet port on the back of my iMac, so unless that port can be shared it looks like I would have to use the Headphone out iMac jack to run that lead to my pre amp, or the DAC you mention?

Yes, I am a bit invested into my phono turn table and such but have a good sized collection of singles bought in iTunes that I would like to hear through my stereo, the whole point here. The best signal to connect the iMac to Pre is a concern to me and am thinking a direct wire is best?

I looked at the DAC, it is spendy (considering I just spent a few grand on a new VPI turn table etc.) but, isn't this DAC sending to the pre amp by wifi then? (to which my pre amp has no wifi).

Presently, my stereo & iMac is not set up because I'm remodeling the office area and part of the area where the stereo/T.V. will be located. My thought, if an Ethernet or other sound lead can be run directly between the iMac and stereo pre amp I will have wall access to hide the wire. So, I could run something if it is possible to use with my pre amp.

Thanks for your input & I need to do some homework on this soon-
Robes

 

[davidoloan]

I guess I need to study-up because I'm not that familiar with allot of this technology.

I know how you feel because I felt the same when setting up a projector with an audio system. However, its much less complicated than you think.

You can test it out very simply. I'm sure you will want to set it up as you wish later, but just to get an idea of how simple it is:

When you can, set the Airport Express, iMac and stereo up together.
Connect the iMac to the Airport Express network, either by ethernet cable or wirelessly.
Connect the Airport Express to one of the Pre Amp inputs with a 3.5mm to RCA cable.

Install / Open Airport Utility on the iMac (or IOS) and select the Airport Express.
Click "Enable AirPlay"
Assign a name to to the field "AirPlay Speaker Name"

Open iTunes on the iMac
Click the Airplay symbol
Tick the box for your Stereo system

On your Pre amp select the input you plugged the Airport Express RCA's into.
Then play your iTunes music on your iMac and it will play through your stereo.

Later on you can think about connecting it all by ethernet cabling, external DAC's, remote apps and having the stereo and iMac in different parts of the house. But you should have a much better idea of how it works in principle. Hopefully, I haven't missed anything, but it is really simple.

 

[Rhobes]

I know how you feel because I felt the same when setting up a projector with an audio system. However, its much less complicated than you think.

You can test it out very simply. I'm sure you will want to set it up as you wish later, but just to get an idea of how simple it is:

When you can, set the Airport Express, iMac and stereo up together.
Connect the iMac to the Airport Express network, either by ethernet cable or wirelessly.
Connect the Airport Express to one of the Pre Amp inputs with a 3.5mm to RCA cable.

View attachment 735112
View attachment 735103

Install / Open Airport Utility on the iMac (or IOS) and select the Airport Express.
Click "Enable AirPlay"
Assign a name to to the field "AirPlay Speaker Name"

View attachment 735104

Open iTunes on the iMac
Click the Airplay symbol
Tick the box for your Stereo system

View attachment 735110

On your Pre amp select the input you plugged the Airport Express RCA's into.
Then play your iTunes music on your iMac and it will play through your stereo.

Later on you can think about connecting it all by ethernet cabling, external DAC's, remote apps and having the stereo and iMac in different parts of the house. But you should have a much better idea of how it works in principle. Hopefully, I haven't missed anything, but it is really simple.

Thanks so much, that's a great help! I can get that up and going & like you say, take it from there. Guess I can't go wrong by running an Ethernet cable between the two into the rooms they will be in and worry about that type of connection later if that's where I go, at least it will be there. This will get me going- Thanks much-
Robes

 

[davidoloan]

Guess I can't go wrong by running an Ethernet cable between the two into the rooms they will be in and worry about that type of connection later if that's where I go, at least it will be there.

Definitely, I’ve done it myself and it’s more than worthwhile. I would get some conduit and run four Ethernet cables to your TV / stereo location.

I would also consider USB, because the best current connection between a computer and a DAC is asynchronous USB.

I have run USB the short distance between 2 rooms that back onto each other; the max recommended distance is 5m.

Corning sell a long distance optical USB cable which I would like to run 20m to another room, but I could never get their customer service to answer a few questions, so I haven’t done that yet.

You need to consider your modem and router location, and whether you are going to have a switch and if so where.

 

[Rhobes]

Definitely, I’ve done it myself and it’s more than worthwhile. I would get some conduit and run four Ethernet cables to your TV / stereo location.

I would also consider USB, because the best current connection between a computer and a DAC is asynchronous USB.

I have run USB the short distance between 2 rooms that back onto each other; the max recommended distance is 5m.

Corning sell a long distance optical USB cable which I would like to run 20m to another room, but I could never get their customer service to answer a few questions, so I haven’t done that yet.

You need to consider your modem and router location, and whether you are going to have a switch and if so where.

Well, I need to update a few things. My iMac has an Ethernet port but used to connect to my router for internet. My preamp has no Ethernet, USB, FireWire, or any WiFi capability. The iMac also has ports such as 1)Mini DisplayPort, 2)Four high-speed USB 2.0 ports, 3)Audio in/optical digital audio in port, this port is also a S/PDIF stereo 3.5 mini-phono jack, 4)Firewire 800 port, and 5)Headphone out/optical digital out port "Connects headphones, external powered speakers, or digital audio equipment. This port is also a S/PDIF stereo 3.5 mini-phono jack". I think #5 the headphone jack is the port that needs to be used.

The next issue, I need to hard wire from the iMac to the stereo, wifi is not going to work best for me as I see it, especially because I need to run 40 feet from iMac to preamp.

The 40 feet introduces the length limits on the various cables available. I don't think I can go the async. USB route due to cable length. Is the TOSlink as good as the USB in maintaining the signal quality at that length? What if I use a 3.5mm TOSlink to Toslink connect:https://www.amazon.com/FosPower-Tos...81688&sr=8-7&keywords=mini+TOSlink+to+TOSlink from the iMac headphone jack then to this Repeater/Extender: https://www.firefold.com/toslink-extender?gclid=Cj0KCQiA3dTQBRDnARIsAGKSflk9uEuJOG6zPRGHqKLqkagV4AOdTDxc8BnB71jYbEaWAT78WeYRePEaAncvEALw_wcB

Then another TOSlink to TOSlink connect from Repeater to a DAC located near the preamp. The Repeater would have to be located/wired for AC power midway between the iMac & preamp though. Then short RCA leads to the preamp.

I'm not sure if any of the links here show quality brands, if this would be a good way to do it I'm not sure what brands or cost this optical cable & repeater/extender would cost.

I found the Corning async. usb but it needs to be USB 3.0 and my iMac is only usb 2.0 so, I believe that puts the brakes on that idea....

Robes

 

[davidoloan]

I promise its much simpler than you think.

There are four ways to do this using cables, no wireless.

1) Connect your iMac's optical digital out to a stand-alone DAC, by Mini Toslink to Optical, and run RCA cables from the DAC to an input on your Pre Amp.

2) Connect one of your iMac USB sockets by USB cable to a stand-alone asynchronous DAC and run RCA cables from the DAC to an input on your Pre Amp.

3) Connect your iMac ethernet socket by ethernet cable to your router. Connect your Airport Express to your router by ethernet cable. Run a 3.5mm to RCA cable from your Airport Express to an input on your Pre Amp. This uses the Airport Express DAC.

4) Connect your iMac ethernet socket by ethernet cable to your router. Connect your Airport Express to your router by ethernet cable. Run a Mini Toslink to Optical cable from your Airport Express to a stand-alone DAC, and run RCA cables from the stand-alone DAC to an input on your Pre Amp. This uses the DAC inside the stand-alone DAC, the Airport Express will not use its own DAC; it will just forward the music to the stand-alone DAC.

I think you would be well advised to use method 3 above or method 4 if you decide to buy a stand-alone DAC.

There are two basic principles to all this:
i) you can connect the iMac to the Pre Amp using audio cables and a DAC, if the iMac and the Pre Amp are physically close together.
ii) you can connect the iMac to the network, and the Pre Amp (using the Airport Express) to the network, and send music over the network, from the iMac to the Airport Express and onwards to the Pre Amp, if the iMac and the Pre Amp are going to be in different rooms.

Therefore, I don't think you need to update any equipment, other than:
i) 3.5mm to RCA cable (analogue) or Mini Toslink to Optical cable (digital)
ii) Some good quality CAT 6A or better ethernet cable
iii) Ethernet wall sockets and wall plates.

You may choose to buy a standalone DAC, but the Airport Express has a DAC built in for this purpose already. The only reason to buy a standalone DAC is because you believe it will sound better, or you want a DAC with multiple inputs. You can install a stand-alone DAC in between the Airport Express and the Pre Amp, but you don't have to.

You do not need to use Wi Fi if you are prepared to run ethernet cable, and install the sockets and wall plates.

There is no benefit to attempting to run Toslink forty feet to another room. There is no need for Toslink repeaters. You run ethernet cables to the other room. This will transfer the digital audio data perfectly and you can then connect an Airport Express to the ethernet, forty feet away in the other room. I have run ethernet to multiple Airport Express's /Hi Fi systems in various rooms, over similar distances. Using the system over approx two years it works flawlessly. My iMac is coincidentally approx 40 ft from the sitting room Hi Fi. My bedroom Hi Fi is approx 40ft in the other direction from the iMac; it works perfectly too.

The only way I know to connect to the asynchronous USB input of a stand-alone DAC is to run a USB cable from your iMac to the stand-alone DAC. The maximum USB length is 5m, although this can be extended by using a Corning optical cable and USB 3.0 as you said. Some very expensive stand-alone DAC's offer asynchronous inputs on all their inputs, but nearly all stand-alone DAC's only have a USB asynchronous input with the other inputs being synchronous.

The benefit of an asynchronous stand-alone DAC is that in addition to performing a digital to analogue conversion, it uses its own clock and instructs or controls the iMac, whereas a synchronous input on a stand-alone DAC is controlled and instructed by the iMac; runs on a clock / signal from the iMac.

I know your equipment is packed away while you are remodelling the room where the stereo / TV will be. I really think you should set it up because it will become crystal clear, and help you to run the right cables in the walls to the right locations, and you won't have to open it up / paint etc again. When you have it all set up its easy to imagine a 1 metre ethernet cable is 15 metres to another room; you can set it all up together, make it work and plan the cable routes, right first time.

If you have the walls open, and its not difficult to route, I would create an extra conduit / route for a future, long length USB cable install, and just leave it empty with blank wall plates.

I don't want to overcomplicate, and I imagine you will set this up using the Airport Express DAC first, but since you have your Stereo and TV together, a stand-alone DAC with multiple inputs will allow you to connect your Airport Express, and also your TV and any connected equipment such as Apple TV's, Roku's, Blu Ray Players etc via the high quality DAC to your Pre Amp. I do this (using an integrated amplifier though) and it is brilliant for music concerts on the TV, accessing your iMac iTunes music over the Apple TV (nice interface) and just for general TV and movie viewing.

This is the remote app on the iPhone or iPad. The music isn't playing on the phone, the music isn't synced to the phone (though you can), it's just controlling the home office iMac, so that it plays through the Hi Fi in the sitting room / any room without you having to go back to the computer. All the music travels over ethernet, only the instruction from the remote app is wireless.

Album view

 

[davidoloan]

My preamp has no Ethernet, USB, FireWire, or any WiFi capability

That’s not a problem. The whole point of the Airport Express’s music capabilities are to add network features to it.

 

[trucdev88]

If you want to digitize your vinyl record, cassette tape collection, or other sound source, you can connect your home stereo to your computer. Then use GarageBand to record the music on your Mac.
You need a USB or FireWire audio interface that has dual RCA inputs. If your Mac has an audio input, you can use a 1/8-inch stereo mini plug.
To record from your home stereo to your Mac, follow these steps:
Attach the RCA connectors to your stereo receiver's auxiliary (aux) output. This might be called "Record" or "Tape Out" on some receivers.
Connect the other end of the cable to the audio input port on your Mac or to your Mac-connected audio interface.
Turn on your home stereo.
Make sure that your stereo is set to output via auxiliary.
Choose Apple () menu > System Preferences, then click Sound.
Choose the Input tab and select your audio interface or the audio line “In."

 

[Rhobes]

That’s not a problem. The whole point of the Airport Express’s music capabilities are to add network features to it.

I'm going to follow your #4 from previous post. Thinking I might as well add my Blu-ray, T.V. etc to a stand alone DAC. Thanks so much for the detailed replies! I've been spending a considerable time looking at DACs an saw this one with some great reviews: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XW8WS1R/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3DLIZX4T1QPH&psc=1 It was recommended to upgrade the power supply to it also. It has 1 optical, 1 coaxial, and 1 USB inputs. So the optical input will be taken by the AE & assume I can make the coaxial and usb work for the other mentioned devises. Do you think the SMSL M8A will be satisfactory?
Robes-

 

[Fishrrman]

You probably don't have to spend that much for a DAC that will "do the job"...

 

[cbautis2]

I'm going to follow your #4 from previous post. Thinking I might as well add my Blu-ray, T.V. etc to a stand alone DAC. Thanks so much for the detailed replies! I've been spending a considerable time looking at DACs an saw this one with some great reviews: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XW8WS1R/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3DLIZX4T1QPH&psc=1 It was recommended to upgrade the power supply to it also. It has 1 optical, 1 coaxial, and 1 USB inputs. So the optical input will be taken by the AE & assume I can make the coaxial and usb work for the other mentioned devises. Do you think the SMSL M8A will be satisfactory?
Robes-

That should be good, but don't add your Blu-ray to the SMSL since it doesn't have Dolby decoding capabilities like those from HT receivers. If your TV and Blu-ray has a PCM out option i.e. the Dolby streams are decoded to PCM before going out, SMSL should work fine.

 

[davidoloan]

You probably don't have to spend that much for a DAC that will "do the job"...

While they often use the same high quality Wolfson or ESS Sabre chips, its worth paying for good design and quality components IMO. Also for a warranty from one of the known Hi Fi brands.
[doublepost=1511730882][/doublepost]

That should be good, but don't add your Blu-ray to the SMSL since it doesn't have Dolby decoding capabilities like those from HT receivers. If your TV and Blu-ray has a PCM out option i.e. the Dolby streams are decoded to PCM before going out, SMSL should work fine.

You can set DVD and Blu Ray Players to output PCM stereo and Dolby Digital 2.0 if you want to connect directly to a stereo DAC.

The way I do it is connect everything by HDMI to the TV (Apple TV, Blu Ray, anything else etc), and then set the TV's "digital audio out" "SPDIF Selection" to PCM. I think this is the best possible method for a stereo setup used by multiple people; the TV is then connected by Optical cable to one of the inputs on the DAC. A Stereo set up is not for surround sound anyway.

This has the advantage that for everyone else in the house, that the TV and all connected TV devices have one input. On my Amplifier it is labelled as "TV". Its simple for them and works really well. They are not even aware they are using an external DAC. They switch between "CD", "FM' and "TV" on the amp remote and don't touch the DAC.

 

[davidoloan]

I'm going to follow your #4 from previous post. Thinking I might as well add my Blu-ray, T.V. etc to a stand alone DAC. Thanks so much for the detailed replies! I've been spending a considerable time looking at DACs an saw this one with some great reviews: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XW8WS1R/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3DLIZX4T1QPH&psc=1 It was recommended to upgrade the power supply to it also. It has 1 optical, 1 coaxial, and 1 USB inputs. So the optical input will be taken by the AE & assume I can make the coaxial and usb work for the other mentioned devises. Do you think the SMSL M8A will be satisfactory?
Robes-

I think it uses an ESS Sabre chip which is good.

One big problem I see is that it only has one Optical input. You need that for the Airport Express. If your TV has Coaxial output, then there is no problem, but most TV's only have an Optical output. I know a lot of LG's have a Coaxial output.

SMSL are a Chinese company and this is being sold by them via Amazon. Will Amazon accept a return if it develops a fault within the warranty period. I did a quick google and some people were being asked to ship their products back to China for replacement or repair, which was very expensive.

I read some good things about SMSL, but nothing in the mainstream Hi Fi press.

The link you gave, went to Amazon UK for me, and the SMSL was £192. In the UK you can buy the Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus for £249, which is £100 off. I don't know if the same deals are available in the US.

It gets good reviews :https://www.avforums.com/review/cam...ling-digital-to-analogue-converter-review.261

It has a fixed line level output which you can connect directly to your Pre Amp. It also has its own built in Pre Amp (you can turn it off) with volume control which you could could connect directly to your Power Amp, which might or might not be of use.

It has 3 Coaxial / Optical connections which is really good. My first Arcam rDAC had only one Optical, the later model two.

It has asynchronous USB.

It uses Wolfson DAC chips which are good quality.

 

[Rhobes]

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. Last night I finally pulled the trigger on the "Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus" for $349. Too many out there as well as so many different prices to study each one. This one has the 2 optical outs I need as well as others I can grow into. I'll run the Ethernet line and when I have that run I'll set up the system and buy other connecting cables & hardware for a nice custom look. It will be awhile before this happens but good news, today my new VPI Prime TT arrives so can't wait to get the house finished and get this all together.
A special thanks to "davidoloan" I'll resurrect this thread when I get things up and running. Allot to do till that time-
Robes