2. pc-audio
  3. 1133743568

High End User Interface for PC Audio

In the future, I am sure high end manufactuers will give us the same tweaky, visual and tactile happiness that we enjoy with exotic digital and analogue source devices.

In the meantime, however, one of the things that really disappoints me about PC audio is the cheesey, plasticky feel of surfing through iTunes on a computer, with my Tympanis, ARC and Mark Levinson eyeing me suspiciously from the background.

Indeed, there are times when I almost feel guilty, as if I were pouring cheap wine into a beautiful glass.

So I am wondering: using technology available TODAY, what would you use to upgrade the look and the feel of a hard drive based system, using UNCOMPRESSED files, delivered to the DAC of your choice?

A metal keyboard? laser mouse?

A sexy, HD capable monitor sitting on a coffee table to surf through your digital library?

Wireless technology to increase the - wow this is cool -factor for PC based audio?

Apple Mac G5? (Not a good answer IMO.)

Airport type wireless device? Or USB based device?

Thank you for your ideas.
cwlondon

Showing 6 responses by kenn39

kenn39
75 posts
 
If you want to pursue software upsampling and other DSPs, go with a USB to SPDIF converter or a DAC with built-in USB input.

Otherwise, you can save yourself a lot of trouble to go with Squeezebox or Soundbridge (avoid M1001) and use their digital output to the DAC of your choice.

See http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1205/slimdevices_squeezebox.htm
kenn39
75 posts
 
To be fair, Off Ramp Turbo is state of the art. Pairing it with a good DAC, it should be as good as anything else.
kenn39
75 posts
 
Slothman,

One more scenario to your question: SRC upsampling in Foobar to an upsampling DAC. I use SRC upsampling to 96k and Benchmark DAC1 upsmapling to something like 110k.

This is conceptually hard to accept. But once I tried it, I became addicted to this configuration. Obviously, whether the sound is better or not, it's more a matter of personal preference.
kenn39
75 posts
 
I use a lowly M-Audio Transit and yes, Toslink. Happy so far.
kenn39
75 posts
 
When it comes to the digital output, Squeezebox is an audiophile device. It claims an output jitter of less than 50ps.
kenn39
75 posts
 
The best source is SlimDevices.com.

Basically, you run a software called SlimServer on a computer or some NAS device. You can tell it where your music files are. Then, over a wired or wireless network, you can play these music files on the Squeezebox which offers analog and digital output.

No, you can't really use iTunes. SlimServer does scan iTunes playlists and incorporate the information in its own directory. A similar product, Soundbridge, can use iTunes in place of SlimServer.
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