AIR

[f1eng]

I used to use USB or AES/EBU via Stello U3 DDC as I experienced frequent dropouts with AIR. Recently I retried AIR wifi with iTunes and found no dropouts and sound quality is superb. I also like simplicity of AIR with no need for cable.

Only downside would be I need to turn on AIR App when listening. As I use headless Mac mini, this is an additional procedure compared with AES/EBU. Also Apple remote is less convenient than Jremote.

Now that AIR is stable, what is a rationale to get Aries or other players? Any advantage for such separate players in terms of sound quality or usability?

This is my opinion too. Air works without problems for me. Why use anything else? Its cable can't be bettered ;-) there is only one master clock, in the Devialet. By what mechanism could any of the other methods be superior?

I tried UPnP about 4 years ago (a Linn Klimax DS on loan for a week at home) and didn't like the functionality, though it sounded fine. Back then it crashed too often to be considered domestic audio in our opinion.

I started off with a headless Mac mini and also found remote desktop a pita so I bought an iMac from the Apple refurbished store and it is dedicated to music and the Devialet. The huge screen gives me the possibility to look at the album artwork as big as when I had LPs too.

My most used source is still my CD transport with the iMac running Air second with my FM tuner and my TT and SUT vying for third/fourth.