Hi All,
I am re-entering the hi-fi world after years away and have little clue how a lot of newer digital systems work. I am interested primarily in listening to music, using my library of Apple Lossless files ripped from CDs. I plan to purchase an AV receiver and stereo speakers initially, and maybe add more speakers in future if I ever find myself caring about movie surround sound.
My question is this: What is the most cost effective way of getting a digital signal out of my iPod (ideally) or Laptop (as a fall-back) and into a receiver? I have been somewhat confused by the prevalence of reasonably priced receivers (such as the HK AVR171 for example) which have features like Bluetooth, AirPlay along with HDMI and USB inputs but which are not, according to some reviews, capable of being plugged straight into a computer for playback. What am I missing? Why can't I plug my iPod into the USB input or my laptop into the HDMI input and start listening? Or can I?
Thanks in advance!
