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This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Hello BeoWorld.
I have recently bought a Beovision 7-40 MKII and a Beolab 7-2.
My next purchase will be a pair of Beolab 5.
I want to stream music to them wirelessly from my Mac (rdio, spotify, youtube and so on).
Therfore, I'm looking at SONOS and Airport Express but I can't decide wich one to buy.
I like the multiroom function that sonos offers and their intergration with rdio and spotify.
But, I don't like that I can't play youtube music through them?
And does anyone know, if I have to turn on the speakers with my BEO4 everytime, or if they turn on by themself everytime they receive a signal from SONOS or Airport Express?
Am sure someone far more knowledgeable than me may correct me, but if using Airport Express - aka AE - (which I would recommend) using the coaxial digi output for best quality, the Lab 5's would need a sync cable as well as being connected to the 7-40 via Powerlink.
My initial view is that the Lab 5's would not turn on automatically when fed with a signal via AE, they would have to be operated via the BEO4.
Hope this helps in some way, or at least steers the question so it is resolved!
Take a look at LINKPLAYER in the search of the forum.
It is software written by Philippe (a B&O nut like most of us, but he actually does useful stuff like writing programs to make all our lives better)
It may be just what you need for your integration purposes -- there is a beta (free of charge) currently running that you can experiment with
Instead of an AE look at options like Mac media centres and/or Apple TVs !
BeoNut since '75
I have now looked at the LINKPLAYER but it seems as if I have to buy i Beoport and connect it to my MacbookPro?
And from the beoport to my TV?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but that doesn't seem very wireless?
I have looked at the Apple TV but my Beovision7 is a MKII and It does not have a HDMI connection.
Currently I have a Sony Ericsson MW600 connected to my Beovision 7, and through the option PC on the Beo4 I can stream music through bluetooth.
I'm looking for an easy solution like that, so that ALL the sound fra my MacBook Pro is streamed wirelessly to my TV and the beolab 7-2 speaker :)
I can't speak about SONOS, but I have an AirPort Express connected to a BeoVision 7 mkV. My experiences are mixed - and I may be mistaken in some cases, so please correct me, anyone, if I am wrong.
1. AirPort Express (AE) is a wifi base station. If you already own one, AE can extend the range and improve the signal quality.
2. AE works with AirPlay. On a Mac that means iTunes. There is a lot you can cram into iTunes, though, and you'll find iTunes on iPhones, iPads, iPods and PCs. But I'm afraid YouTube etc. is not an option.
3. Sound quality is limited to CD quality.
4. AE's built-in Digital Analog Converter (DAC) is of poor quality; use the digital output. BV7 can take digital signals, but only as video sound. For stereo music you will want the center speaker to be quiet, but this you have to set yourself, each time you turn on music from the AE. This is very annoying. Alternatively you could buy a separate DAC. Or perhaps there is a way to feed the digital signals directly to the BL5s, bypassing the BV7 altogether?
5. Beware that AE's digital output is optical while BV7's digital input is electrical coax. You need a converter in between.
Sigmund
Okay that sounds like a bit of trouble.
I just can't understand, that B&O haven't made a easy way to stream your music from a Mac or PC to their great speakers.
I have looked at Beosound5, but the problem is, that I don't have any music stored on my Mac, it's all in my online music service, Rdio and spotify...
MARKFS:I have now looked at the LINKPLAYER but it seems as if I have to buy i Beoport and connect it to my MacbookPro? And from the beoport to my TV? Correct me if I'm wrong, but that doesn't seem very wireless? I have looked at the Apple TV but my Beovision7 is a MKII and It does not have a HDMI connection.
I think I may have found the solution.
DAC1, which I think look easy to use and it will stream all my music from my mac.
But I have to use an USB-dongle to make it use...
Okay so I have just spoken with my Bang & Olufsens dealer and he suggested Airport Express.
I have now hooked op my AE with my Beovision 7 through the PC port, so I do have to press PC on my Beo4 to turn on the speaker if I wan't to use the speaker in my TV.
And when I buy my beolab 5, all I have to do is connect it to my TV and then I can play music my BV7.
If I later then buy another set of speakers, lets say in the kitchen, I just buy another AE and controls them through Airfoil.
So, Airport Express + Airfoil = perfect match for B&O!
You can have multiple rooms playing the same song, and you can control it all with your Mac, iPad and iPhone. :D
To listen music from your PC using AE, you wouldnt need to have airfoil installed.
I have a AE hooked up to my BL6000 and when I wanna listen to music from my Itunes, it gives option what speaker is going to be played to (PC speakers or AE)
There is another Wifi music streamer called Kaiser Baas
You should check it out as well.
You need to have AirFoil if you are not playing music through iTunes, and I have all my music in RDIO :)
I have looked at Kaiser Baas, but I think that this setup is very nice.
It's easy to use and I can now stream all my music so my Beolab 7-2.