Music Server vs. PC vs. Transport vs. ?

Chrisla,
Here's my Rube Goldberg version that I've put together and that my wife uses daily for hours on end. She wanted something simple to use since she works at home, so that's what I've got. I was looking for a relatively low cost way to put this together. Here's what I've done. I have a Dell PC(2.4 Pent 4 with 1 GB mem) with a 320GB internal drive and one 320GB WD Caviar external drive for backup. This holds my 1000+ CD collection. I use ITunes and cut my tracks using Apple Lossless. My network is wireless using a DLink DI-624M router. On the audio end I have a Squeezebox 3 running into a DAC then to my Preamp. The SB3 has a nice remote, which makes it easy for my wife to find any albums or songs by name or genre, etc, and/or playlists. We also can load our IPOD for car, vacation, etc from ITunes on the Dell PC. The SB3 allows internet music and radio as well.

Total cost for a used Dell PC, 2 large disk drives, SB3, & Benchmark DAC 1 ran under $2K. How does it sound? Very, very good indeed. We use it every day pretty much without fail, no pops, clicks or errors(no pun intended). Once in a while the microwave makes the router blip, but that's minor. I have to say I could spend lots more, but who knows what % better it would sound. I'm sure an SB Transporter and/or better DAC would do more. This was just my way of doing things. I got started trying to build my own music server and this is what I now have 2 years later!!! Good luck and enjoy...

Hi Chris,
Since we have similar systems, let me share my experiences. I sold my Esoteric X-01 Limited to switch to a Wavelength Audio crimson DAC. I used i-tunes off of a Mac-mini. Everything pretty much set up itself. The results are mixed, actually very similar to one of the above posters. Great separation and imaging, but very bass shy. Not boomy bass, but bass dynamics, such as drums. I switched out preamps to an MBL 6010 from an ARC REF3, as you know, and the dynamics improved. I then auditioned an AMR CD player with a USB DAC, and while imaging and soundstaging were not as good, the bass reappeared. i then auditioned a purpose -built PC with all the nno-essential software stripped and with only one moving part, a very quiet fan. This uses solid state memory running S/PDIF to a mid-level MSB DAC. This was far superior in my system, and the crimson is now sold. The other bonus to this approach, besides the sound, is that since the bass is back, I am going to check out digital room correction to see if that can help.
just my $.02

David Shapiro

Check out the Apple TV. I rip all my Cd's into Itunes apple lossless, then Itunes Syncs with the apple Tv which has an Internal 160 GB Hard Drive, then use the optical out on the Apple tv into my DAC. Then from the apple tv into television (home theater setup as well) and then you can scroll through your cd collection with all the artwork etc.. on your tv with the remote. Also of mention the Apple TV has no Volume control, so it's just a digital feed. This Setup has worked EXTREMELY well for me. Compared to my Arcam FMJ cd-23T with the famed Ring Dac it of course is not quite as good, but that is probably due to the dac i'm using in my pre/pro vs. the quality coming off the Apple Tv. Anyways, it's much easier to me than setting up an actual computer as a music server. Also of mention, it's completely Silent, which was of great concern for me. I can't even describe how great it has been not to have to dig through hundreds of Cd's!!

Folks thank you all for your time and efforts. One thing that has come through, once you go mac, you never go back..(sorry too good to pass up) but it strikes me that not a single person on this post said "screw it, I;m going back to a transport". Once set up, you all seem to like the harddrive option much better, or are willing to deal with potentially slight sonic losses for ease of music.

If I have the notebook as a controller at my seat, then I can work while I listen, and write it off! So I think for me, that is the way to go. I am going to hear Tommy's system soon, with the Sonos, and his new Ayre amps, that should be fun. Wondering at this point whether I should wait for CES and go see what's there before I make a final decision. Seems like the SD transporter gets very very good reviews, though.

Thanks to all, will post to my system when I finally get off my a$$ and do something.

Merry Christmas,
Chris

Chris - dont be surprised if the Sonos does not blow you away. It has a great user interface, but the jitter fromt he digital out is atrocious. It needs to be reclocked. The Squeezebox is a lot better stock, but not as much fun as the Sonos to use. I have all of them.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio