ATv v Ae

I am thinking of getting an Apple TV to replace my Airport Extreme and was wondering if I put the ATV through my Denon amp would I get a better sound quality from it.

Don't really have a clue what you're talking about replacing an AE with an ATV. The basic function of these two devices are not even similar.

If the sound from your Denon amp and speakers provide better sound than your TV speakers do, then yes, they would still do so.

If you mean would it sound better with the same source, i.e: iTunes files, then no, it'll be the same. That is determined by the source itself.

If you are using the optical connection from the AE it is bit perfect and should sound great
especially if you used lossless as I did its virtually indistinguishable from a CD.

Wouldn't hardly think that anyone who has a Denon amp would have speakers that sound as shoddy as the average TV speakers. Thus, even the same source is going to sound better than listening on any of the TV speakers I've heard.

Ok lets see if I can make myself a little clearer. First thanks for the replies I have got all ready. I am using an AE through a Denon amp (and yes through decent speakers). I use Itunes files of 1411 AIFF or Apple lossless. It is fed to the amp using the fibre optic lead. If I get ATV and feed music into the amp using HDMI lead will the sound quality be better or is the HDMI feed just for video.I hope this is clearer.

Ok, that's clearer thanks.
The answer is no, it will sound the same or maybe worse, depending on how well the Denon handles audio via HDMI.
Personally I would use an optical cable from the ATV anyway, just because it's there for that purpose and leaves the HDMI cable to deal solely with the video content.

If your question is optical vs HDMI, I'd say you'll have to experiment.

Both are passing a digital signal.

I have two surround systems set up here and use my receivers for all my audio/video switching via HDMI. Nothing is connected via optical any longer that has the capability of HDMI.

I have my satellite receivers, a PS3 - aside from games it is used for Netflix, Vudu...; 2 HD-DVD players; Blu-Ray player; a Win 7 HTPC which is used for iTunes, Amazon's Unbox video, hulu, cinemax, netflix... the list goes on; a Roku player...

All are connected via HDMI for audio and video. I have not done any comparison of the audio from the same device trying optical vs HDMI, but I would venture there would be no difference.

I did experiment comparing my MBP via optical and the HTPC via HDMI and I could discern no difference between the two of them on an Onkyo/Infiniti set up listening to music I am very familiar with.

It's also going to depend on the specific Denon you have and the quality of the individual electronics of the optical vs HDMI.

My guess would be, that if you can hear a difference, you'd have to be listening so hard to tell the difference that it would spoil your enjoyment. I don't think the difference would be to the point where you could hear things on one input that you couldn't hear on the other... or have a better frequency response on one vs the other.

The last time I looked at Denon in a serious way was pre-HD audio and ended up going with Yamaha instead. I don't know that you can even set up an HDMI port and assign an optical input to it for the audio portion.

bobtomay said:

I don't know that you can even set up an HDMI port and assign an optical input to it for the audio portion.

Click to expand...

On the ATV if you connect both the audio will by default travel via Optical. Certainly did when I was messing with it (grrrr).
I agree, and suggested it's down to how well the Denon handles the HDMI.
They used to be top notch as you say. Interesting you went Yamaha, as did I

Kevriano said:

On the ATV if you connect both the audio will by default travel via Optical. Certainly did when I was messing with it (grrrr).

Click to expand...

That's an interesting default on the ATV.

Did you ever get yours working like you wanted?
Am still considering one along side the PS 3 in the bedroom as I don't need a 2nd HTPC in there. And I do purchase a lot more video content from iTunes than from Amazon.

Nope, sent it back as Apple could not assure me that they would ever fix compatibility with older Plasma's, even though they were working on it.
Decided to give up on the TV part and bought an Airport Express to stream my music instead (that would have been main use for ATV, but I liked the option for Youtube streaming etc).
I have a WDTV for HD content, so that's good enough.

So I would not be getting any better sound from an ATV then, so i might as well stay as I am.

Yep, no difference at all, main reason being is that it does not process the sound itself, just passes it through to the amp for decoding.

I've actually been debating the purchase of an ATV vs an Airport Express for the purpose of music streaming. My concern was that I would need to turn on the TV to view a menu on the ATV to start the music streaming. I don't want to have to turn on a TV to start listening to music. Is this an issue, or does the ATV just detect the stream and turn on automagically?

Also, if anyone has tried it, how is the compatibility between ATV/AE and apps like Pandora & Slacker Radio?

You would indeed have to have the TV on, unless you have an iPod touch/iPhone, and then you can just use the Apple Remote app to control it, and view on your screen.
If it's solely for music AE is definitely the way to go. Love mine (playing now )

Kevriano said:

You would indeed have to have the TV on, unless you have an iPod touch/iPhone, and then you can just use the Apple Remote app to control it, and view on your screen.

Click to expand...

I think I'd be ok using the remote app on my iPhone/iPad since I'd stream from there anyway.

Have you tried streaming Pandora or Slacker Radio?

No I haven't but if it streams through iTunes, then it should work no problem at all.
I can never be bothered with internet radio, too many to pick from and I have so much of my own music there's no need!

I'm so confused. An Airport Extreme is a wireless router. The Apple TV is not a router. How can you replace one with the other?

Are you instead really talking about an Airport Express and AirTunes?

Airport Extreme:
http://www.apple.com/airportextreme/

Airport Express:
http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/

AppleTV:
http://www.apple.com/appletv/

Three very different things...

I refer to Airport Express as AE, so that may be confusing now you mention it!
I will refrain from doing that, so yes, we are comparing Airport Express and Apple TV for the purpose of music streaming.

Kevriano said:

I refer to Airport Express as AE, so that may be confusing now you mention it!
I will refrain from doing that, so yes, we are comparing Airport Express and Apple TV for the purpose of music streaming.

Click to expand...

Actually many people use AE for Airport Express so that's not a problem.

The poster said AE, but then specifically said Airport Extreme in his posts which is why it's not making any sense to me what he's actually talking about.