USB Ext Sound Card Vs. Squeebox

Forgive my ignorance - i just got a Paradisea for Christmas and wanted to try it with a Squeezebox, Airport Express and straight from a Macbook Pro and was hoping to tap into your expertise - (1) how do you output from iTunes via the USB and (2) what are the best music players (Mac compatible) given the shortcomings of iTunes 7 for high bit rate files? i assume more sophisticated players probably make it easier to output via USB to DAC. thanks in advance.

Lww4k -

Just get a USB cable with the appropriate ends. (I recommend the Belkin Gold USB cable, but any good quality USB cable will work.)

Plug the two devices together. Make sure the DAC is on.
Go to the Audio MIDI SetUp (utility folder) - and select the Paradisea in the pull down menus.(The DAC needs to be on and connected for it to show up in the Setup choices)

Ho to the Wavelength Audio USB DAC site if you need a more detailed blow by blow

http://www.usbdacs dot com/

Push Play in iTunes and off you go.

Be sure you do all of your ripping using Apple Lossless with Error Correction On and the rest of the DSP functions Off. This is all in the Preferences.

Not sure what you mean by "shortcomings". I am not aware of any other Mac compatible music players. iTunes is a Redbook application - if you want to do upsampling it has to take place on your DAC.

If you are sufficiently technical you might take a look at Max which is an Open Source ripping app similar to EAC which is the PC standard and is an alternative to the iTunes ripping software. Do not expect much if any support on this board. There may be some users on the Audio Asylum PC Audio board.

My suggestion is to listen to what you have first. Chances are you will be very pleased once you get all the pieces broken in and dialed up.

Have fun!

Thank you - this is very helpful. I will try this.
I've heard FLAC files are the way to go but not supported by iTunes is major drawback.

If you are using iTunes on a Mac there is no reason to use FLAC. Use Apple Lossless.

FLAC is a preferred solution for PCs because for whatever reason iTunes does not work as consistently in Windows/Vista.

Both Apple Lossless and FLAC do the same thing.

Since you are a Mac guy, you have nothing to gain.

I followed your instructions and the USB connection to the Powerbook works - fantastically easy setup following your instructions. I then tried using a Toslink output from an Apple Airport Express I have been using to-date prior to the Paradisea. The Toslink connection did not work. Furthermore, on the back of the Paridisea is a small toggle switch that appears to be an input selector for the Paradisea, with one side pointing towards the toslink and one towards the USB/RCA inputs. The Toslink didn't work regardless of where the toggle was and the USB worked with the toggle on both options. This makes me wonder if the Toslink input works at all. Any suggestions?
Another question - does it matter how long a USB chord one uses is?
Final question - the Paradisea is picking up radio signals. I tried pulling the ground in the power chord by using an adapter but still picking up faint radio signals when the music is quiet/off in the Paradisea.
Many thanks for all the help.
Lloyd