all my CDs ripped to laptop - how to connect to an amplifier

[suffolk009]

I'm just ripping most of my CDs to my PC laptop. I want to get a Fatman valve amp - it has a USB input which I'm told will accept a USB cable from the laptop. Sounds all right, but I want to go wireless - I wander round the house with my laptop and don't want to use cables.

Was hoping someone had a similar need and had maybe even done it already. I suppose there are some widgets to accomodate this. Dunnow what the are.

Appreciate any advice you can offer.

Cheers.

[miniman]

Apple Airport Express will route music into an amp (via 3.5mm jack) and installing the Remote app on an iPod touch or iPhone will remote control it over wifi.

[suffolk009]

thanks miniman - I was hoping to avoid apple. The fatman amps have a pretty good plug unit for an ipod/phone. So that would be the asy route...

Just hoping someone made a wireless extension lead, as it where.

[Melvin Udall]

The airport express is essentially just a router. No need to be scared of it because it has an apple on it.

[miniman]

Exactly. My Denon receiver has an iPhone dock but I never use it, it's much easier to either remote control iTunes and stream down to the Airport, or in fact to stream direct from phone to Airport using AirPlay.

[Bullett]

Squeezebox, sonos.
What format is the music in?

[suffolk009]

Ah, oh no. It's getting technical now.

I just ripped them onto my laptop. So it'll be whatever the nice people at Microsoft normally do it in. Windows Media Player is how I access it all.

[davepoth]

I'm struggling to understand why you would want to buy a valve amplifier for playing MP3 or WMA files though - with a clipped digital source like a compressed audio file you won't get the "analogue sound", so you may as well go solid state.

[suffolk009]

I'm not wedded to the valve amp. I just liked the look, and the price, and have always loved the idea of valves. If there's an amp out there with integrated wireless recieved then I need to know about it.

Thanks everyone.

[E31Shrew]

Sonos is your solution. Doddle to set up www.sonos.com

[igiveup]

Never used this, but looks like what you are after

http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/204...

[DayTrader]

I had this exact problem - loads of music on my computer and speakers and an amp gathering dust in my lounge - took me ages of looking to find this!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0018Q4WUO/ref=...

I have to say it's absolutely BRILLIANT. Just plug it in and it works - the sound quality is amazing. Best £100 I have ever spent and now I can finally enjoy my music properly.

Sonos is OK if you have lots of cash to throw at it but I just didn't see the point when the AudioEngine did EXACTLY what I wanted it to.

Here is What Hifi review...

http://www.whathifi.com/Review/Audioengine-W1/

And just FYI - it doesn't look untidy at all as it just plugs into the back of the amp - it only looks untidy with the AudiEngine speakers as they have a built in amp and the hole to plug this in to is on the top of the speaker as opposed to the back for some bizarre reason.

Hope that helps!

Edited by DayTrader on Sunday 4th December 08:59

[DayTrader]

Did you have a look at any OP?

[suffolk009]

yerr - still all quite confusing though. Phoned the people who make the Fat Man amps, their tech people never called back. Got in touch with a couple of retailers, they didn't know.

It all seems more difficult to pin down - and more expensive - than I had hoped it would be. I guess like all tech stuff wait six months and it will be half the price, or obsolete.

Thanks to everyone for the help. Appreciate it.

[DayTrader]

suffolk009 said:

yerr - still all quite confusing though. Phoned the people who make the Fat Man amps, their tech people never called back. Got in touch with a couple of retailers, they didn't know.

It all seems more difficult to pin down - and more expensive - than I had hoped it would be. I guess like all tech stuff wait six months and it will be half the price, or obsolete.

Thanks to everyone for the help. Appreciate it.

Surely the one I suggested does what you want for a reasonable price?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0018Q4WUO/ref=...

[TheHeretic]

But surely the airport express would do the same thing, for cheaper, AND you can use the USB for a printer, or external drive?

[suffolk009]

But it's ninety seven quid! Not a lot of money in the scheme of things (maybe a weeks petrol!!), but the amp is only £170-ish.

[TheHeretic]

How else are you going to magically get the music wirelessly to your amp?

[DayTrader]

suffolk009 said:

But it's ninety seven quid! Not a lot of money in the scheme of things (maybe a weeks petrol!!), but the amp is only £170-ish.

My amp was £100 but seeing as it was ever used another £100 was a small price to pay

[andye30m3]

I know you've said your not keen on apple products but I use apple TV and it seams very good

streams music to my amp, from my mac using the tv as a front screen and can be controlled using it's own remote or an Iphone. I think now it's only £100.