Airport Express Replacement (For audio use)

Not really any options other than a used or refurbished AirPort Express if you want to stay with a current Apple product that provides a 3.5 mm audio jack. An Apple TV will certainly handle AirPlay, but it only provides an HDMI output.

If the product does not have to be Apple, the Belkin SOUNDFORM CONNECT would be worth a look.

https://www.belkin.com/us/adapters/audio-video/soundform-connect-audio-adapter-with-airplay-2/p/p-auz002/

Well worth a go since you've got it on hand. Normally a fully computer is too expensive (both initial cost and daily power use) a unit to run as just an airplay to digital out device..

I just recently noticed my rather ancient Roku3 after a firmware update is suddenly available for airplay.

https://support.roku.com/article/360057488733

Roku of that age would be just a few dollars.. might be well worth a go.

Also a second hand Airport Express can have a power mod.. which is often the cause of failure..

See my website.

https://sites.google.com/site/lapastenague/airport-express-repair

A repaired Gen1 or Gen2 Airport Express is likely to last a lot longer than normal. The Gen1 I repaired were purchased dead for a few dollars and fix up easily for anyone with DIY soldering skills and a bit of electronics.

Other than a lightning strike burning out the ethernet they really shouldn't have any lifespan limitation.

you could also replace it with an old ipod touch or iphone in the dock with the 3.5mm minijack output to the amp

of cause they would not give you airplay but it could access a shared lib

or another way would be to connect it to a bluetooth adapter with 3.5mm

i use this one one place https://static3.nordic.pictures/18873935-thickbox_default/belkin-bluetooth-music-receiver.jpg

but it's not airplay of cause and not as stable (imho) as airplay

That is correct. You would need an 802.11n 2nd gen model (A1392) for AirPlay 2 support.

you could connect the express to any old 2.1 computer speaker setup and then rather than connecting the sub to the 2 stereo computer speaker connect the b&o wall speakers to the sub

the subs have an amp build in

and then add whatever minijac to rca one may need to connect it all

https://www.senioruniversitetet.dk/96573_cdn/3-5-mm-mini-jack-stik-til-2-mand-rca-stereo-phono-audio-thumbs_5.jpg

I'm not sure what is wrong with mine, it powers up to an orange flashing light but Airport Utility can not see it, do hard reset etc, still can't see it so can't configure it.

Not sure what you mean by this. Just to clarify here, if you perform a Hard Reset on the AirPort Express, then the AirPort Express will not appear in the main AirPort Utility window........because it has not been set up again yet.

You have to click on the Other WiFi Devices button in AirPort Utility, then click on AirPort Express xxxxxx so the AirPort Utility setup "wizard" will run.

it powers up to an orange flashing light but Airport Utility can not see i

Just to add a bit to Bob's post. If your Airport Utility on a computer cannot even find the unconfigured Express, then I strongly suggest using iOS device instead. The iOS version utility works better than the computer one to at least find the Express.. it is a lot messier in terms of configuration.. but finding the Express on the network is the first step. After a partial configuration you can then get a computer version airport utility to adjust some settings.

The flashing orange light is good sign.. it is at least still alive to some degree.

My suggestion is to plug it directly to your computer by ethernet if the above fails.. ie using iPad or iPhone.

Ethernet is much more reliable. If you don't have a Mac with ethernet port use PC with airport utility or buy a suitable dongle.

For older version with just one ethernet or the Gen2 you can also plug it directly to your main router and then proceed to do the configuration.

One other trick is to use manual setup..

Airport Utility does offer an alternative approach but you must know the ethernet address of the Airport.

For example.. I reset a Gen1 Express and plug it by ethernet to my main router.

Now you can go to the main router of your network and look up the DHCP table. (called different names in different places)

On my Synology router I can go to a few different places.. but it is named DHCP clients under local network.

If the list does not include the Express (MAC address on the side is a give away) then you can try a software network analyser like Fing (free version for iOS or Mac is perfectly adequate).

Fing will give you the IP.

Then in Airport Utility do as follows.

Top menu, File, Configure Other

Fill in the IP address you discovered. No password needed for reset Express. Click OK

And there.. lo and behold.. your Express appears

Now you will need to go to each of the tabs along the top and fill in all the details. Not hard..

If you need more details.. tell us make and model of your main router.

And what version of the Express you are using.

I haven't done a repair of the Gen2 yet. Dead ones haven't come up and they sell for ridiculous prices.. but it should be simple as the Gen1.

Here is a youtube replacement video.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sksY8ftBFHE

I would do something similar.

You can use the same method for a Gen1 Express.

Hmm, that would tend to indicate that this is an 802.11g version of the AirPort Express. It looks identical to the 1st gen 802.11n model. The version of the AirPort Utility on the iPhones is in the 6.x series. The earlier 5.x series is what was used for the 802.11g models and pretty much only available with Windows PCs.

Please look on the side of the AirPort Express to locate the model number. It is hard to see with light gray lettering on a white background, so you may need good lighting and/or reading glasses for this task.

The model number starts with an A followed by four numbers.

You have either A 1084, A 1088, or A 1264.

Which is it?

If you have A 1084, or A 1088, you will only be able to use the Windows version of AirPort Utility to configure the device. But......you cannot configure the Express to "extend a wireless network" with these models if that is what you are trying to do.

Yes, as I suspected, you have the older 802.11g version of the AirPort Express. You will only be able to administer this base station from a Windows PC (go figure) or from a much older Mac, still running OS X Leopard, Snow Leopard, or Lion.