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Dummy Guide on What's Needed to hook up Mini Mac

I have read many post on this issue, but am still utterly confused.

Current system Mini Mac will be hooked up to:
YBA stereo integrated amp
Oppo universal player
Madisound home made speaker system

1.) What exactly do I need to buy and how do I hook up a Mini Mac digital playback system to my current system for CD playback?

2.) How do I get CD's into it?

3.) Do I need external DAC and transport?

4.) How much memory in hard drive is needed?

5.) Can it operate with a remote?

6.) Will this system act like a music server?

7.) Is the sound quality as good as high end CD player?

Finally:

8.) I don't know what questions to ask, as I'm a real dummy on this issue, so please tell me what to buy (on a budget) and what to do?
128x128mjcmt

Showing 2 responses by bruce_1

bruce_1
96 posts
 
If you are wanting to get the best sound for the least investment using a Mac as your source, see my thread: Digital Playback Comparison which I posted yesterday. There is a significant difference in sound quality from the different methods of using a Mac in the system.
bruce_1
96 posts
 
Rbsteho, you are right--I wouldn't recommend for anyone to use a laptop as their primary source. I used mine solely for the purpose of the test. My plan is to get 30ft of coaxial cable and use my iMac desktop computer as a source (iMac-->USB cable-->HagUSB-->coax-->Trivista as DAC-->preamp).

Marco, thanks for your comments. I think I should be able to do better than the HagUSB, but I'm not sure what that would be. I need to cover 30ft of distance from my computer to the TriVista, and the HagUSB solution is better than the Airport Express with Toslink out. I might go with an Empirical Audio Pace Car reclocker between the AE and the TriVista if I knew that the $1500 for it would be a significant improvement over the HagUsb and 30ft of coax.

Does anyone want to comment on the best solution to using a remote computer as a source, given that you can't use a run of USB cable for long distances?
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