Simple Wireless Computer Audio Setup


I am getting very frustrated with the seeming lack of a comprehensive strategy for setting up a simple solution for computer audio.

One of my daughters is in college, and I am looking to set her up with a simple way to play digital files from her macbook. She is in a very small studio apt w/ wireless LAN, and there is very limited room for gear. I should add that she is a music major and has always had good stereo gear available to listen to. She knows that she will have to give up a little in terms of performance. Also, we are on a budget because... well, she's in college and it's freakin' expensive!

I have lots of stuff lying around, so this is what I was thinking:
1- wireless from her macbook to an Apple Airport Express
2- Connect Halide DS DAC (a USB-> RCA cable set w/ a DAC in the middle
3- Connect the DS DAC cables to a pair of Quad 12L active speakers

Sounds simple, right? Well, you can't get there from here. The Airport Express only supports output to a printer on USB. I could stick another entry-level DAC in the middle, but by the time you add in cables it gets much more expensive.

Other options might include using the Logitech SB Touch. I use these at home and like 'em but I'm not sure that I want to go there now that they are discontinued. I looked at the Sonos, but it has the same limitation as the AE - no USB out. And I have also looked at wireless DACs, but all the ones that I have found (Cambridge, Nuforce) don't work on WiFi but on bluetooth. Why is this is a good idea?

So I am open to suggestions, if anyone has any.
bodotes
Jorsan,

As I recall, it started with a bottle of cheap french wine and a candle on a cold evening...
Did you ever consider the Dynaudio Xeo 3? Besides active they are wireless too.
Xti16,

Yes, I considered the Dynaudio Xeo system. There are two main reasons why we didn't go this way?
1- The Xeo system requires the transmitter to be connected to the source. Since she is streaming from a laptop, this just didn't make sense. We needed the WiFi section to be from source to DAC/amp.
2- Too expensive.

But I have owned Dynaudio speakers in the past, and would happily have used them in this situation if I could have satisfied both of the requirements above.