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Internet Radio

I'm looking to add internet radio accessibility to my listening room environment. Right now I use my iPad, taking the headphone out to a cable that is terminated with stereo RCAs on the other end. It mostly works.

But I'm thinking there should be better. I see the Grace digital tuner, about $165. Seems the knock is lousy user interface. Today I saw a Sonos Connect and bridge- would run about $400. Some complain the wifi connection isn't robust. I also see the Magnum Dynalab tuners, which is way more that I can justify right now.

If anyone has experience with this stuff I'd appreciate your insights. I would go with then Sonos is if it's a solid answer to my needs.
128x128zavato

Showing 2 responses by sandstone

sandstone
358 posts
 
Hgeifman, Pls explain how one connects to an IPad with an ethernet cable.
sandstone
358 posts
 
Zavato, As you've found out, IPad has its limitations as a source, but one interesting trick is to buy the IPad Camera Connection Kit for $29. This gives you a USB connection, with some caveats. An undocumented feature is that this USB will bypass the earphone port and actually stream digital output at a resolution of up to 24/96. I think this goes through some of IPad's onboard Cirrus Logic circuitry.
Then you connect this to a DAC. The DAC must have its own power source, and I don't think asynchronous DAC's will work. I've successfully streamed Pandora Radio and several other radio apps, as well as high-res FLAC files from an IPad into a Bel Canto DAC 3.0. It actually sounds surprisingly good.

That said, most folks seem to use IPads in their system as wireless controllers of a PC or Mac as the source, via DLNA.

There are also a few good articles floating around regarding its use in digital audio.

Good luck!
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