Is this a reasonable Audiophile Mac-based Server?

Henry -

hard to see the walls... but if I were after the ultimate I would take both the wireless and the Toslink out of the design, wireless first.

Wireless is prone to interference which a hardwired solutions are not. You have a choice of Ethernet cable and the Opticis Fiber Optic USB cable for going any conceivable distance it takes to route it. Both are inexpensive, low profile and flexible.

This leaves you with a Squeezebox, Transporter or their new device the Duet at the end of the Ethernet cable which is nice because you can use the remote to access the server (Ethernet is two-way.) Check out the Bolder modified Squeezeboxes and the Modwright Transporter with the modified tube analog section.

The cleanest set-up would be to hang a NAS on the Ethernet network thus taking the computer completely out of the equation except for ripping.

If USB is your preference it is hard to do better then the Wavelength Audio USB DACs since they go from USB to I2S entirely avoiding SPDIF and Toslink. A lot of people seem to be real happy with the Benchmark and Stereophile has a review in the issue that came yesterday.

You can also use any number of devices to go from USB to SPDIF or Toslink. Hagerman and Blue Circle are two of the better known names offering this type of device. Use a very high quality SPDIF or Toslink cable (critical) and go into whatever DAC you own or can get a screaming deal on.

You will need to have a laptop or a Mini to control the server. Check out Front Row (an IF remote) that works with iTunes, that might work for you.

Also browse around for other small remotes - a lot of people have been playing with them and posting recently.

Just to add on to Edo who has certainly put together a nice rig -

Running out of a G5 is a nice way to go. Before I moved to USB, I ran the Wireworld SuperNova Toslink from my G5 to my TriVista and it was very very good. Fine solution to 15 feet. No cables longer then that.

There is no "but" except that you really need to pay attention to the quality of the cable. Also be aware that not all Toslink implementations are created equal. So YMMV depending on the DAC.

However you may not need or want a G5 (full size tower) for your listening environment. It works for me because the rig is also my office - I just put up with the low level noise. If you are using a tower, one thing I would recommend is to take advantage of the SATA drive implementation rather then the LaCie USB/FireWire implementation. SATA is much more robust to live with (no FIFO/LIFO nonsense) and doing back-ups between SATA drives (which is essential to plan for) is much faster. Besides again in the office context it makes sense for me,

A lot of guys are doing Mac Mini implementations which seems like a very nice way to go if it works in your room. Both the iPod Touch and the iPhone can control it remotely. Front Row is free etc.

Apple has just announced some upgrades to the Apple TV along with a price drop. Assuming you have your rig in a room with your HDTV this is an elegant solution.

Onhwy61 makes the point elegantly and succinctly - the issue here is not capability but reliability...

Hdomke -

the wireless system may or may not work to your satisfaction, there is no question that the wired system would. What it would sound like is skips - same as a wireless phone or cell phone losing the connection. Obviously it works well enough to satisfy most people most of the time. But you asked about the ultimate which it is not simply for reasons of absolute reliability - no doubt it is a whole lot more convenient.

Since the performance is location specific the only thing to do is try it - after all you know you have a back up plan.

In describing your Apple (which sounds way cool)I think you are mixing your technologies. Airport Extreme is the same as WiFi - technically it is called the 802.11 standard. The newest version of the standard is "n" - as in 802.11n. You can read a nice description on Wikipedia - basically its the next evolutionary step - faster - but also able to handle more clients at once which you really don't benefit from in a home like you would in an office.

Gigabit ethernet has nothing to do with WiFi. Ethernet is a different communications protocol based on wires. The confusion comes in that some devices such as the Squeezebox can handle both Ethernet and 802.11.

Ethernet comes in several flavors (speeds). Most installations use what is called 10/100 which refers to how many bits the ethernet router can handle. Gigabit is a much newer standard and because of its greatly increased bandwidth (data carrying capacity) is preferred in SOTA installations that require high bandwidth - just for the record, audio does not need high bandwidth.

The Squeezebox or any of the other products from SLIM Devices, would basically replace the link from the Mac to the DAC. Because they are on Ethernet (or WiFi) the software enables you to use a remote control to control the SLIM box from your easy chair, just as you could use a remote to control the Mac mini.

A NAS is a network attached storage device which is a node on an Ethernet network. Thus my slang about "hanging it on" meaning it would have a unique TCP/IP address. A NAS is cool (and arguably the ultimate) because you can install the SLIM software in it and run the music system without needing your computer to be on at all. Check out the SLIM site.

Props to you for doing your homework and laying it out on paper - I am sure you will come up with a great system.

As Pwfletcher says: Plug the USB cable directly into the Mini and not a hub (if you are going to use a hub make sure it a powered one with its own wall wart). Because a) it will have direct access to the USB and because b) it will have sufficient power - remember USB carries 5v.

Yes a DAC will probably see USB differently then coax. Coax is coming in SPDIF, USB is coming in USB and then has to be converted to SPDIF.

Based on everyone's comments it is starting to sound as though the Bel Canto is very sensitive to signal level.