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eattoride's picture
Submitted By: eattoride
member
Location: Here and there
Joined: Sep 7 2009
Posts:
Computer Audio - Where to Start?
Posted: December 17, 2011 - 6:06pm

Hello -

I am starting to think about ripping my collection of CD's to computer, but before I do so I want to understand what hardware I should be considering for playback. I want to playback through my two channel system, which consists of a CD player and an integrated amp.

My Simaudio Supernova CD player has an S/PDIF via input via BNC connectors - so I can stream music files to my Supernova and make use of it's good DAC.

My first question is: Is the S/PDIF a good connection for use in computer audio?

Assuming that I can use my Supernova as my DAC, what hardware works well as the file server, a PC based platform, or is there a better audio specific hardware choice?

Lastly (for now) what controller should I use? Squeeze box? I'm not really interested in wireless.

 

Thanks

Mike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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jazzfan's picture
Submitted By: jazzfan
member
Location: Northern New Jersey
Joined: Sep 8 2005
Posts:
#1
Touch
Posted: December 18, 2011 - 7:09am

Simple answer: for under $300 get a Squeezebox Touch.

The Touch can be connected wirelessly or wired (Ethernet). The Touch has both coaxial S/PDIF and Toslink (fiber optic) digital output connections.

Once you have the Touch up and running there are several different ways to control it:

1) Via the touch screen and the IR remote

2) Via your computer using the Squeezebox server software which runs in a browser window.

3) Via your computer using one of several third party Squeezebox controllers. I use Moose to control my various Squeezeboxes.

4) Via a smartphone or tablet using one of several different third party controllers such iPeng which runs on an iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

By the way the hardware is the easy part, the hard part is making sure that your CD rips are done properly with proper tags and cover art.

And most importantly: BACK UP EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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eattoride's picture
Submitted By: eattoride
member
Location: Here and there
Joined: Sep 7 2009
Posts:
#2
Thanks Jazzfan! My wife and
Posted: December 18, 2011 - 7:22pm

Thanks Jazzfan!

My wife and I had a lengthy discussion re our priorities, and she does not want me to turn into a computer geek - hense no computer audio for the time being. She would prefer that we upgrade our 2 channel components - amp and preamp. She like the Classe CA-M300 and Ayre 5XE-MP. I like the same amp but am leaning towards the Classe CP-800... 

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ikymagoo's picture
Submitted By: ikymagoo
member
Location: Chicago
Joined: Dec 1 2011
Posts:
#3
do you have a computer near your set up?
Posted: December 19, 2011 - 8:17pm

i have a imac connected to a yamaha reciecer via toslink cable, i use the yamaha's DAC. i just use itunes and mostly apple lossless files. not too bad. i use my itouch as a remote for itunes which is very handy.

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