2. pc-audio
  3. 1187700527

PC-Based Set Up/Process - Comments?

I am finally going to bet around to setting up a PC-based music server for my mid-end system (Rotel components, Paradigm reference speakers, Music Hall CD player, etc.). I am NOT seeking perfect sound. I am seeking a music server system that will sound as good as my Music Hall CD player.

Can you please provide comments with respect to any potential flaws in my system and or process to achieve the above?

- Rip CDs to Dell laptop (La Cie external hard drive) using iTunes in Lossless format (Windows XP environment)
- Play CDs using iTunes
- Airport express connected to external DAC (eg. Bel Canto)

I know that in the past I have heard issues with playback on the PC under windows XP. What specifically do I need to be aware of and how do I solve that?

Thanks to all.

Lawrence
fishbone222
kublakhan
717 posts
 
I'm confused by the rash of recent posts regarding the airport express connecting straight to a dac.

As I understand it, the Bel Canto DAC has USB.

Here's my setup. Airport EXTREME connected via usb to an external hard drive (where my music resides.) Then the music is streamed wirelessly to my computer and fed via USB to my USB dac which connects to my integrated amp.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
You can connect the AE directly to the Toslink input on a DAC, but the jitter is really awful. Requires a reclocker to clean it up, or at least a really good clock and S/PDIF digital output mod.

Jitter is not bad on a Squeezebox, even stock. Slaved from a reclocker such as the Pace-Car, these networked servers can have extremely low jitter. This is the main advantage over USB. The disadvantage is that most do not do 24/96 yet.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
fishbone222 OP
6 posts
 
I think my thread got jacked a little here. From what I am reading elsewhere, it is beginning to appear that I cannot use avoid the K-Mixer with iTunes (Apple Lossless) and Windows XP and I can't use the Airport Express with FLAC files (to use EAC and Foobar). Does that sound right? If so, can I get good sound using a PC, iTunes and Airport Express? I would prefer not to be spending additional money on a Squeezebox or something similar.
racerxnet
54 posts
 
Foobar will allow the use of a ASIO driver. There is also ASIO for All. I am not to sure if the latter works as well as a sound card driver based solution. Both will bypass Kmixer. I use dithering and secret rabbit code with Foobar 0.83 to the DAC. I rip to .wav files and tag with freedb.org. You might look for plug-ins for the use of FLAC files.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Fishbone222 - kmixer is avoided for PC when using ANY networked server, such as AE, SB3, Sonos or Olive etc...

kmixer is only a problem for USB streaming audio, and only for certain devices and firmware. It is not a problem for my Off-Ramp and Freeway because the firmware makes it bit-perfect.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
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