advice on configuring a laptop windows system

What would you use Audacity for? Unless it does things that I'm not aware of, I don't see the need for it.

Though a few years old, a 2009 article on the Computer Audiophile website provides a good overview.

Here's the link: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/309-computer-audiophile-cd-ripping-strategy-and-methodology/

Robert,

Here is my set-up:

* J River 17 to an async USB DAC - get a decent USB cable
* db PowerAmp for ripping CDs - I rip exclusively to FLAC lossless uncompressed - provides more stable metadata and with db PowerAmp now allowing FLAC lossless uncompressed, I can't hear the difference to WAV
* dedicate the laptop in service to the music only
* go to Computer Audiophile http://www.computeraudiophile.com/ and search for JRiver set-up article under "CA Articles" - the article walks you thru setting up JRiver and your laptop to deliver bit perfect output to an async DAC

Good luck.

Brent

AFAIK, only EAC and dbpoweramp allow you to set the offset specific to your cd drive, and are preferred by audiophiles. That is crucial for perfect ripping. No other programs have it.

I bought dbpoweramp out of personal preference, and don't mind the cost because I'm ripping hundreds of cds. I rip to flac, and make a copy in mp3 for portable listening.

I use foobar for flac playback and remote control it from my phone. Foobar requires some work to set up, especially with the "components." My DAC is the Oppo BDP-105

It has been repeatedly reported USB should be avoided to simultaneously stream onto a DAC and to connect a HDD, because of the serial nature of USB. It will work, but optimum performance is to be attained buy avoid USB for both.

So assuming your external HDD is USB, consider another HDD as an upgrade path.

+1 on the suggestion to use the ripping guide found at Computeraudiophile. I used it to set up dBpoweramp the first time and works great.

Look around for comments regarding JPlay. Many say it's the best software in terms of sound quality. It runs on top of JRiver and improves the sound, while using the excellent interface JRiver provides. However, lately JRiver has taken issue with this and a danger/malitious software banner appears when JRiver detects JPlay is also being used.