Connecting Iphone to the Hifi

There is no logic to your thinking. Use the iphone AS a remote to control something like a squeezebox or and AppleTV or and Airport express which is connected to your hifi.

well that was my question. What is the best way of getting my ipod music to my hifi. Does a squeezebox rely on a computer? And will that sound better than a Ipod dock?

Originally posted by garyi:
Yes in all instances a computer or NAS is required somewhere.

So assuming that right now you have a coputer to which your are speaking with us you need to purchase something which will act as the 'reciever' at the hifi end.

Of course what you choose as the reciever ranges from a hundred quid squeeze box up to and beyond a uniti or one of linns streamer offerings.


200 quid in your case will set you straight. If you have a TV in the room and consider you might want to be able to see photos/video from your computer then I would recommend an AppleTV. Plug it into the TV and to the hifi and either navigate with the supplied remote or use the iphone as a remote (So the TV does not have to be on for music)
The ATV outputs digitally if wanted so can goto a dac in say the Supernait or naims new baby.
It also has analogue out.

On the computer end you need to have itunes to send music to the ATV, and this can either do that by streaming in which case you need the computer on or syncing in which case it will copy the music to the ATV so the computer does not need to be on. Depending on the size of your digital music you may need to have a bit of both.

If you are totally sure your only consideration will only ever by music then something like the Squeezebox 3 would be a good choice I understand there are apps that go on the iphone to control it.

The squeezebox needs a computer running its software to deliver the music.

If you like what the iphone does, then the ATV is the way forward, its easy to use, uses itunes of which you already have installed for your phone and is totally silent in operation.

And if the future you pump up for a uniti or what ever then it makes a great bedroom streamer.

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:
Originally posted by garyi:
Yes in all instances a computer or NAS is required somewhere.

Unless of course you get the Naim DAC and use the iPod as a transport.
-p

Sorry but I don't see the point of that. If you have an iphone then use it as a remote, if you have an iphone you must have a computer in the same house in order to update it etc, this can be attached to the dac with far more options available to you. An iphone sat across the room on top of a naim dac is most odd to my mind.

I agree with Garyi. I always find it very odd that people contemplate iPods and iPhones as sources. Just connect the computer that has the original files on it. There are many ways to do this.

quote:

Originally posted by winkyincanada:
I agree with Garyi. I always find it very odd that people contemplate iPods and iPhones as sources. Just connect the computer that has the original files on it. There are many ways to do this.

in the last 8 weeks ive tried the ipod and memory sticks as the source of the dac.

to my ears they are inferior to my nas sytem.

if you want the quality approaching a good audio system why would you . this option for me is a waste of time. yes i use the iphone but only has a controller.

if anyone out there will use a stream/nas system with the dac try optical input on the dac it is very good and isolates the dac from the network. allan

i was just doing some hair splitting, thats all.

I cant speak to the quality but I am guessing that using the ipod as a source isnt the worst thing in the world.

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:
i was just doing some hair splitting, thats all.

I cant speak to the quality but I am guessing that using the ipod as a source isnt the worst thing in the world.

An iPod might well be a decent quality source, but it is far from convenient. When you get a new CD, or download a new track, then you need to re-sync the iPod and then reconnect it. There is no remote control. Creating playlists requires re-syncing.

I prefer just to use the computer that holds the files. Why place an iPod in the middle? I use he iPod for portable music (travel and car), not for a source at home.

i thought you could use it to stream audio to the dac. Thats what im talking about. NOt using its internal files.

Indeed you probably can but you still have to get up and goto the ipod every time you want to change a track.

Not if you have a SECOND iTouch/iPhone !!....Which was one of the suggested connection options in the DAC white paper....A bizarre solution in my mind, but there you go....!

Seems like an exceptional expense when one could simply run a lead from the computer or an airport etc.

I can see the iphone port having a use if say an imaginary friend was coming round who happened to have his/her iphone and also who happened to have a fantastic new album that you would have to listen too. Other than that I am struggling.

The suggestion in the white paper is to use an iPod Tough/iPhone runing PlugPlayer to achieve bit-perfect playback from a uPnP server such as Windows Media Player 11, which the white paper says has been tested and produces good results with the DAC.

Garyi,

I agree, but so many hear are screameing for a streamer, I though it might have value to some.

You better believe that now that you can easily use the Remote App with Foobar, I am buying a 2nd hand iTouch or iPhone to dedicate to controlling it.

So not that far of a stretch.....

Although, since my PC is now in the listening room, it isn't really applicable. But sometime down the road when I get my DAC.....

-p

What about the iPad P?

Apparently Redeye is going to be doing new software for the Ipad to use with their IR system for controlling your hifi. IMagine if you will full touch screen access to your albums and control of your hifi all on the same screen.

Shweeettt

Garyi,

Not really interested in a larger version of what I already have in an iPhone. In terms of controlling the hifi, there isn't much to do other than volume (I only have one source), which I can do with the Remote app.

For me the beauty of the device is its size. My eyes are fine.

Now if the iPad was ALSO a full fledged PC, I would reconsider.

-patrick

I probably see an iPad in our living room at some point in the future for iTunes remote control purposes as well as a bit of casual browsing. I find the iPod touch a bit fiddly so I use the screen share on my Macbook most of the time. The iPad seems a good middle ground. My significant other keeps suggesting we get one, too.

Jamesfuge, an apple universal dock with a good cable like the Chord iChord, terminated from minijack to DIN, is really fine for about 100 pounds. But it will be limited to the analog out of the iPhone.

garyi has many good suggestions.

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:
i thought you could use it to stream audio to the dac. Thats what im talking about. NOt using its internal files.

Patrick, I have been doing some listening and comparing with Tune's demo DAC here at home and have been using an iPod Touch plugged into the DAC via USB. I have been listening to Grisman/Garcia from their self titled album and from Shady Grove and Not For Kids Only. All great recordings of acoustic music with wonderful and emotive performances. The files have been a mix of AIFF, apl lossless, ripped in iTunes.

The Touch streaming the files from this MacBook Pro via UPnP Plug Player sound great. Alive and shimmering. Leads on both mandolin and guitar really pop and sing. The player back on rhythm still sounds lovely and real. But playing the same file from the on board iTunes does not sound so alive and great. iPod settings are totally flat: no EQ or fade or level matching junk. What is going on?

Also, the files coming straight out of the optical on the computer, via 3m Chord Optichord minitoslink to toslink to DAC sound about the same as the iTune files on the Touch. MacBook Pro is solid body 15" running snow leopard and iTunes 9.

The difference isn't night and day, but for me it is really the difference between being engaged and delighted by the music and just letting it sit back and happen. There is a harmonic rightness that is gone with the iTunes rendered tunes vs the UPnP channeled stuff.

Of course my reference system for these comparisons are on a recapped Nait2 and nSATS, maybe things will be different at the shop and on higher res systems. But those are my findings here.