#Apple airport express multiple setup mod
#Apple airport express multiple setup software

Here is the 3rd generation AE (current generation) courtesy of Rogue Amoeba The DAC chip used in the second generation AE is the CS4344 (the 10-pin chip in the photo below) This version connects to the on-board DAC chip with I2S Here is the 2nd Generation (also knows as the first generation “N”) AE. That is a lot of electronics in a $99 package! Even for a simple DAC implementation such as this, the board is a 4-layer PCB. The audio board is a daughter card that plugs into the network board. The AE is partitioned into two parts: the network board and the audio board. Nowadays, Samsung is likely not building “low-end” components anymore… The switching supply was made by Samsung in their China Dongguan factory (Dongguan is about an hour drive from ShenZhen). We’ll try to save the case.Ĭertainly a cleaner approach than what iFixit did 🙂 The case can still be used after cutting the the case apart. In particular the power supply wires are butting against the casing. Several passes were required in order to gauge the appropriate depth and avoid cutting into any internal components. But rather than brute force, I preferred an approach with some finesse…: The two halves of the Airport Express are bonded together with some kind of crazy glue. At the time I was struggling with this issue, forums and such indicated that the jitter in the N model was much higher than the G…įor reference here is the “original” Airport Express take-apart post: My DacMagic frequently lost lock when used with the N but is rock solid with the G.

I have both a wireless G model & a wireless N model. An outboard DAC can only suppress incoming jitter, but can never remove.Ģ- The “G” version in turn has better audio performance than the “First Gen N” version of AE: …To make a long story short, yes, the AE First Gen will have a lower jitter and better sound with your outboard DAC, than the AE Second Gen.

The original AE (“G” version as in 802.11g) seems to have the “best” audio performance of all the AE models.ġ- Tests published at CA shows that the “First Gen N” version (the follow-on version to the “G” version) has better audio than the current “Second Gen N” version of AE The USB port cannot be used to connect a hard disk or other storage device. The original version (M9470LL/A, model A1084) was introduced by Apple on June 7, 2004, and includes an analog–optical audio mini-jack output, a USB port for remote printing or charging the iPod (iPod Shuffle only), and a single Ethernet port. The original Apple Airport Express was introduced in 2004. Reports seem to indicate that the original AE is probably the best one to use for audio and for modding… (for I2S output, you would need a different PCM chip (PCM2706 or PCM2707) or use a newer version of Airport Express that uses an I2S based DAC such as the second and third generation AE (the first generation “N” and second generation “N”.

#Apple airport express multiple setup mod

But for diyers, there is always something to mod 🙂įor this model of AE, tapping into the I2S signals is not feasible since it is based on the PCM2705 which only supports SPDIF output.

#Apple airport express multiple setup software

With multiple built-in switchable inputs available in the Sabre-32 DACs which are easily implementable under software control, there is even no need for an external switching device.Ĭertainly no modding is necessary since the AE already has a Toslink output. Now, adding an additional “Airplay” input to the audio system is a desirable option, especially for an “iOS household” like mine. I have been contemplating modding the Airport Express since at least 2009, but never got around doing it. Its performance can be enhanced several notches if the I2S digital output can be tapped. “The beauty of this unassuming component,” said JA, “is its S/PDIF data output, which allows the Airport Express to assume a respectable role in a true high-end audio system.” However, its lack of an internal clock can lead to the first couple of seconds of songs being missed with DACs that are slow to lift their mutes. While the Airport Express works only with iTunes v4.6 or later (running on both PCs and Macs), is limited to 16-bit data, and functions only at a 44.1kHz sample rate, the combination of iTunes and the Airport Express offered an easy way to pipe CD-quality music around the entire home.