Computer Audio


My old Denon 1650 cd player has finally died. I plan to switch to computer audio and need advice. My total budget is about $1500. I am considering getting a used Apple note book as the server. Questions: What Apple note book should I get ? Will the cd in the lap top be good enough for ripping CD's in my collection ? What do you recommend for storage of music ? I am considering a used Wavelength or any other high quality USB DAC (I heard the Wavelength brick and cosecant about 6 years ago and was blown away). My system is Unison Research Unico SE integrated amplifier, and Sonus FAber Auditor speakers, located in my living room (no TV).I am a novice to computer audio and would appreciate any advice on how I should go about setting up my system. Thanks. Chander
chanderb
http://www.empiricalaudio.com/computer-audio/

Your computer will probably be fine, although in order to use Amarra or Pure Music, you should have a more recent machine and 8Gbytes of DRAM. A SSD also can help with SQ.

The thing to understand is that the Master Clock jitter is the single most important thing to optimize in digital audio, both CD transports and Computer Audio. In Computer Audio, it is the USB interface that houses the Master Clock, whether external or internal to the DAC.

Steve N.
Emirical Audio