Music Servers
-- Tue, 01/06/2009 - 16:30
I am contemplating putting together a music server system based on the Itune/Imac foundation. For that, I will need a USB enabled DAC and am being steered towards the Wave Length tube alternative.
What are other and perhaps equal/better alternative DACs with USB inputs? Sure appreciate any help...
Gary
I have recently set up a music server using the Cambridge Audio DacMagic (only $399) with its USB input. While I have no basis for comparison to other external DACs, I am very pleased with what I'm hearing.
I am now busy comparing iTunes with Apple Lossles files to Media Monkey with FLAC files and enjoying it all.
Carl
If you are considering the Wavelength Brick be aware that it is limited to 44/16 data rate. More expensive Wavelength DACs support higher rates.
For higher data rates you should consider a DAC that can also accept S/PIDF inputs via coax or Toslink or one that takes higher rate via its USB input.
Steven Stone
Contributor to The Absolute Sound, EnjoytheMusic.com, Vintage Guitar Magazine, and other fine publications
Gary, you might consider using the Toslink output rather than the USB port - it's superior in quality for data streaming your digital music. Also look at using the Apple MAC-Mini (80G) for your iTunes server, an outboard disk drive for storage like a Drobo (Data Robotics) 4Tb, and for your DAC there are several inexpensive ones on the market. The Stello Signature is quite good and upsamples to 24/192. The key is to rip CDs to the MAC as 48k AIFF files and then output as 96k data streams to the DAC (use the MIDI settings). For somewhere under $1500.00 you've got a killer music server that I've heard on a SOTA stereo system and it was phenomenal.Good luck.
Gary,
One of the dealers I know Mike Kay at Audio Archon is creating a media server system using the apple mini and the Weiss DAC. The Weiss is not the cheapest of DAC's from what I am told but the performance is supposted to be something else. It might be worth your time to take a listen. I believe it is distributed by Precision Audio & Video in CA.
Gary,
One of the dealers I know Mike Kay at Audio Archon is creating a media server system using the apple mini and the Weiss DAC. The Weiss is not the cheapest of DAC's from what I am told but the performance is supposted to be something else. It might be worth your time to take a listen. I believe it is distributed by Precision Audio & Video in CA.
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