I agree with ljgerens. If what you have is an Airport Express model A1084 or A1264 with the combination optical and analog output, using a mini-Toslink to Toslink optical cable to connect over WiFi to a DAC is an excellent option. Any DAC with an optical input will work, I've been using an AudioEngine D1 for years to connect to my garage system.
50’ Connection Between Mac and DAC
I’m currently wirelessly streaming CD rez AIFF files from iTunes on a 2017 iMac to my main system (2 rooms away) using an older Airport Express device. I want to go with a wired connection from the Mac to a DAC (Looking at the Schiit Bifrost 2 or, less likely, a Chord Qutest.) which will reside in the rack with the main system......I really don’t want to purchase a dedicated streamer at this point. My understanding is that connection runs of this length are best done with something called SPDIF coax (??). Can this be divided up in such a way that I could use 3 runs of this coax - one from the Mac to an adjacent wall plate, an attic run, and then a third run from a wall plate adjacent to the main system to the DAC? If this is possible, would it be a significant SQ improvement over what I’m using now?
Thanks.
Thanks.