Ok then this makes it easy! You will do exactly what I do at my desk setup then.
So USB coming out of iPad or iPhone (using Apple’s camera kit which have USB type A output).
You need to convert this USB to TOSlink to feed the RME ADI-2’s TOSlink input. I recommend miniDSP USBStreamer:
https://www.minidsp.com/products/usb-audio-interface/usbstreamer-box
But I also use this cheap one off eBay - it is bit perfect. RME have bit perfect test files they supply, so you can/should test this with any converter you get, to make sure all the bits get sent to the ADI-2 properly.
Mini XMOS XU208 USB to Coaxial /Optical /12S Converter Digital Interface DSD256 | eBay
The RME ADI-2 TOSlink input converts to USB output.
You take this USB output and feed it into HQPlayer. You can do it over the network or plug it direct into your HQPlayer server. Depends if HQPlayer server is in another room. If it is in a different room, you just have a little lightweight fanless machine inside your listening room (can be a Raspberry Pi4) - install HQPlayer NAA on it and make some changes via command line that makes it communicate with the ADI-2.
If you go down this path I can share the code but no point typing it all out if you don’t go down this path.
So iPad to ADI-2 to RPi4 which then talks to HQPlayer over the network (HQPlayer can be in a different room).
HQPlayer then pumps out to your iFi Stream NAA as per usual. That doesn’t change here.
Nothing in this thread affects the NAA connected to your DAC, so that doesn’t change. This entire thread is only changing how you feed HQPlayer. What comes out of HQPlayer doesn’t change.
Do you mean Airplay through HQPlayer around the house ? Or just Airplay in general?
Airplay in general isn’t related to any of this. This is all about feeding Apple Music into HQPlayer specifically.
Hope this helps
Note Jussi has only tested the ADI-2 Pro FS (which features A to D converter as well as DAC). But I can confirm I have it working with just ADI-2 FS DAC. But it is technically ‘experimental’. I bought this ADI-2 on the used market for cheap. I use the cheap one for HQP input. I have another newer ADI-2 at the DAC end .
I definitely wouldn’t recommend someone go buy an ADI-2 DAC brand new, just for the purpose of optical to USB converter. I guess for non-HQPlayer use, you could still use the headphone amp output for late night listening. iPad would still be connected to it via optical, so you could use headphones.
I have another way working at the moment that avoids having an ADI-2 and avoids optical conversion (keeps things USB) but you would need to buy this below, in place of the RPi4.
You also have to set HQPlayer to a fixed output sample rate - no auto rate family / adaptive rate or you can static for some reason. So this may tax your CPU, depending what you are doing.
I only tested on macOS and HQP OS image - works well for me.
You have USB cable from iPad straight to this fanless machine’s “micro B” input - not type A. So in theory less cables, less clutter inside the listening room. No need for optical converter or ADI-2.
https://up-shop.org/up-gateway-atom-x5-z8350-w-4g-memory-32g-emmc-board-w-vesa-plate.html