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Mac Laptop & Sound Cards

O.K., I know I'm years behind but I just got a MacBook Pro laptop and a pair of desktop speakers. Have loaded hundreds of my own tunes and bought a couple hundred iTunes. I am retiring real soon and have always used company laptops but never was able to load any software, thus the new Mac.

I've read through a number of threads and am confused. What is a simple (and relatively inexpensive) way to upgrade the sound quality I get out of my Audioengine speakers? (Believe it or not, I have no idea how a souncard works or even where it plugs in.)

Thanks, people.
tomryan

Showing 5 responses by tbg

tbg
5,263 posts
 
Let me add an additional consideration. I have four Macs, with this 1.67 GHz PowerPC G4 with only 1 GB of memory being the most current. A friend uses a HT with two 750 GB drives, one as backup and uses MS music player software to get a AES/EBU into his dac. Can I use a Mac instead of this PC stuff? Could I store the music on the external hard-drives and control with my Mac? Would it not be the case that Apple Lossless would be the equal of AIFF he uses?
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Ckorody and Rbstehno, I would be using the Mac as a controller with all the storage in the HT box with a AES/EBU lead going to the dac. It is John Tucker of Exemplar, a close friend, who has this running. My question really is whether it is easier and better with a Mac. I don't really want itunes running everywhere. When I am not listening to music, I like silence. But I suspect that using a music server as the source of my digital would great outperform my use of cd transports. At least that is what John says he has achieved.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Home Theater, it is just a chassis. Although I don't have one, I thought it was pretty common usage.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Ckorody, I thank you also. I can fully understand how I might use my Mac with music on its hard-drive and feed thru the USB port, but can you explain how a substantial external hard-drive located at the dac might be used with the Mac located elsewhere might be used to control it. I know that John Tucker at Exemplar is using a AES/EBU connection between his PC based system and his DAC one of which I own. It does not have a USB port. He is talking about a wireless connection to his laptop and using a program called Fubar.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Ckorody, thanks. I need to talk more with John about all of this, but I suspect he must have a processor within his chassis with the big hard drives. If so, I would not be an Apple processor. Then my dilemma would be to just use it as he makes it or to pursue other means using Apple.
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