iTunes and Your Stereo

Once you've assembled a digital music library, you're going to want to listen to it using your stereo system. One option is, of course, an iPod: copy your music library to one, then connect the iPod to your stereo (or anyone else's) as shown on page 108.

But you can also connect your Mac to an audio system, and there are some good reasons to do so. You can play music with DJ-like crossfades: one song fades out even as the next song fades in (see page 74). You can play Internet radioanother trick no iPod can perform. You can play audio from other sources, from games to DVDs, and from streaming players to GarageBand. And if your Mac supports Apple's FrontRow software and includes a remote control, you can control your music playback without having to leave your recliner.

The journey from Mac to stereo system has several possible paths; the best one for you depends on the distance between your computer and your audio system, the specific Mac model you have, and your listening goals. Here's a roadmap of some popular routes.

AirPort Express

Three Ways to Connect

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