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Post by ncred02 on Nov 2, 2014 6:24:40 GMT -5
Never thought I'd be moving away from CDs but streaming is to freaking convenient.
So I need a suggestion on either Mac or Windows, what to look for and if a used one that could be upgraded would be better. Please keep in mind that I know nothing about this but am willing to lewrn. Actually looking forward to hearing what I can build.
I will be using an external hard drive that's got tons of music on it and streaming Internet radio, with the latter my preference.
As always thanks to all the members here who have been a great help to me in the past.
john
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Post by brubacca on Nov 2, 2014 7:24:40 GMT -5
John,
First of all, good luck with the streaming adventure. I have lots to say on the subject and will detail some of my thoughts for you. Please understand that I have a very strong opinion on the subject, but do respect other points of view.
A question for you is are you looking for multiple places to listen to your music or just one?
First of all, Windows 8.1 / Windows 8 is a horrible operating system. We just got a laptop for my wife with 8.1 and absolutely hate it. I have used windows since version 3.1 in the 90s and by far Windows 8.1 is the worst.
I have been trying to do high quality streaming for many years now. I have repurposed pcs, I have built myself a small dedicated fanless server, I have also gone the Squeezebox route. Linux, been there tried that. Since you are looking for a laptop I am going to assume that you want streaming in a single location, but you want access to all your music at once. In my experience the best sound quality that you can achieve is with a dedicated streamer that has the ability to read your files from a memory stick. Something like a Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6 with a 256GB flash drive should do the trick. Possible since your external hard drive is powered it could be used directly to the stream magic. My latest experience is with a Naim UnitiQute and it sounds better from a local flash drive than streaming from a server (each hard wired to the same switch).
I'll post more for you later.
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Post by ncred02 on Nov 2, 2014 7:45:59 GMT -5
Just want to listen in my dedicated room.
Would a Macbook be a better option?
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Post by pdaddy on Nov 2, 2014 7:52:18 GMT -5
Apple will be the pricer option but with apple you can connect USB to your DAC (wired) you can stream via an airport express (so you have to buy another piece of hardware) or you can stream audio and/or video to an apple tv. If you go full in, you can use iTunes match to put your music in the cloud and stream from any additional iOS device you might acquire. Again, Apple will encourage you to buy more very expensive hardware, but once in the ecosystem, I find it super easy to wirelessly use my content where I want.
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Post by garbulky on Nov 2, 2014 7:53:41 GMT -5
Hi. So a laptop will work. I would personally go windows. But.... you would do better with a PC for long term use. With a laptop you would probably need an external hard drive. With a PC you can just add them internally.
You will need a DAC - I reccomend an Emotiva DC-1 over say your UMC-1.
You would also probably need a pre-amp that's can deliver the clarity - to which I would reccomend an XSP-1. However, your USP-1 should work - just maybe not as well as the XSP-1 would. If you are happy with it, don't worry too much about that for now. But you would need a nice DAC.
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Post by brubacca on Nov 2, 2014 9:35:38 GMT -5
Sorry, but I have lots more questions....
How do you see yourself using this system? Are you wanting to sit the laptop on your lap and control the music at the stereo? Do you want to have the laptop sitting at the stereo and walk over to control it? Do you have a tablet that you could use for remote control of the laptop?
what file formats do you prefer? Are you wanting to stay within the apple ecosystem (Apple Lossless, AAC)? or are other fileformats like FLAC acceptable? Where you plan on getting music if you buy more? iTunes Store? HD Tracks? Linn Music? B&W Society of Sound? Are you just going to rip all your CDs? Does this device you are getting need to rip the CDs for you?
I know it may seem like I am being a pain, I do apologize. There are literally dozens of ways to go depending on how you want this thing to work.
You could get this laptop and set it directly at your stereo. Some have optical outputs and you could connect this directly to your DAC. Control would be walking over to the unit. If you have a tablet or smartphone control could be with this. If you stayed in the Apple ecosystem you could use their remote app to control the computer from your chair. In my personal opinion J. River is a better audio option, you could use that software and it's control app in place of iTunes and Apple things.
You could have your laptop with you at your chair and use some device at the stereo to actually connect to the stereo. A couple of vendors have wireless DACs that have one end plugged into your PC and the other at the stereo.
Lots of options...
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Post by aud on Nov 2, 2014 9:38:36 GMT -5
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Post by ncred02 on Nov 2, 2014 9:43:23 GMT -5
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Post by ncred02 on Nov 2, 2014 9:49:24 GMT -5
How do you see yourself using this system? Are you wanting to sit the laptop on your lap and control the music at the stereo? Do you want to have the laptop sitting at the stereo and walk over to control it? Do you have a tablet that you could use for remote control of the laptop?............................ yes the laptop or what ever device will be part of my system and used for music only. I do have a tablet ( galaxy tab2= poc)
what file formats do you prefer? Are you wanting to stay within the apple ecosystem (Apple Lossless, AAC)? or are other fileformats like FLAC acceptable? Where you plan on getting music if you buy more? iTunes Store? HD Tracks? Linn Music? B&W Society of Sound? Are you just going to rip all your CDs? Does this device you are getting need to rip the CDs for you?........................I was thinking hd tracks. Id like to get away from Itunes. I may rip my CDs but when I do serious, or showing off to non audio friends, listening I throw a disc on
I know it may seem like I am being a pain, I do apologize. There are literally dozens of ways to go depending on how you want this thing to work. ........................A pain? no way!! Im a total novice with pc audio. kind of the area I tried to stay away from but am slowly giving in. I find myself listening with my IPOD dock alot . Mainly for convenience.
You could get this laptop and set it directly at your stereo. Some have optical outputs and you could connect this directly to your DAC. Control would be walking over to the unit. If you have a tablet or smartphone control could be with this. If you stayed in the Apple ecosystem you could use their remote app to control the computer from your chair. In my personal opinion J. River is a better audio option, you could use that software and it's control app in place of iTunes and Apple things.
You could have your laptop with you at your chair and use some device at the stereo to actually connect to the stereo. A couple of vendors have wireless DACs that have one end plugged into your PC and the other at the stereo.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I originally thought going the mini mac route
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Post by AudioHTIT on Nov 2, 2014 9:50:16 GMT -5
I agree with pdaddy's thoughts. Do you really need a laptop if you're not going to move it around? A Mac mini is a great choice for this, you can use your TV or projector when you need the screen, but can control your music selection through an iPhone or iPad as well. They have a new model at $499, but plenty of good used ones as well. Small, quiet, easy to use, great choice. |
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Post by ncred02 on Nov 2, 2014 9:53:31 GMT -5
I agree with pdaddy's thoughts. Do you really need a laptop if you're not going to move it around? A Mac mini is a great choice for this, you can use your TV or projector when you need the screen, but can control your music selection through an iPhone or iPad as well. They have a new model at $499, but plenty of good used ones as well. Small, quiet, easy to use, great choice. i had a few used MMs in mind in the 1to 200 range, but the dated way back to 2009 , give or take a few years. like this one raleigh.craigslist.org/sys/4727057496.html |
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Post by Priapulus on Nov 2, 2014 9:53:58 GMT -5
What about an iPad and airport express (or AppleTV if you want to include video)?
/b
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Post by ncred02 on Nov 2, 2014 9:57:13 GMT -5
video? nah.
I have seen that setup. I wonder how the SQ is going wireless?
now that brings up another option. I have an MAC in my office just 30 feet from my system. I would give that a run. I always wondered if I could stream from my desktop mac to my system..
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Post by AudioHTIT on Nov 2, 2014 10:03:50 GMT -5
I agree with pdaddy's thoughts. Do you really need a laptop if you're not going to move it around? A Mac mini is a great choice for this, you can use your TV or projector when you need the screen, but can control your music selection through an iPhone or iPad as well. They have a new model at $499, but plenty of good used ones as well. Small, quiet, easy to use, great choice. i had a few used MMs in mind in the 1to 200 range, but the dated way back to 2009 , give or take a few years. like this one raleigh.craigslist.org/sys/4727057496.htmlThere are some hardware advantages that started with the 2011 models (especially AirPlay), if you go used I'd go 2011 or better yet late 2012. |
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Post by AudioHTIT on Nov 2, 2014 10:06:55 GMT -5
video? nah. I have seen that setup. I wonder how the SQ is going wireless? now that brings up another option. I have an MAC in my office just 30 feet from my system. I would give that a run. I always wondered if I could stream from my desktop mac to my system.. Yes, I used to do that with 10 meter TOSLink cable to my XDA-1, it worked great. You could also do it with an AirPort Express, or AppleTV. Edit: With the post 2011 Mac you can mirror video through Apple TV as well. |
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Post by ncred02 on Nov 2, 2014 10:15:38 GMT -5
just to inform I have
Mac desktop, Airport extreme wireless router, available ethernet cable up to my HT system, used for netflix and the occasional youtube vid
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Post by djoel on Nov 2, 2014 10:20:05 GMT -5
All I can whole heartily say is that windows 8/8.1 truly suck. I've had my own thread about this same subject about a year ago, and I can't smoothly navigate this laptop as I've done with Windows 7. Perhaps Windows 10 will be better than this, but hears to hoping!
Djoel
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Post by audiobill on Nov 2, 2014 10:23:21 GMT -5
If you hook up this way, you could use remote app to control things with an AE.
Computer -> Airport Extreme via Ethernet or wireless -> Airport Express via Ethernet or wireless -> dac via toslink -> stereo.
Control all with iphone or ipad with Remote. Limited to 16/44, but one step at a time.
if you like this, you could move to Mac Mini later for hires
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Post by brubacca on Nov 2, 2014 10:42:05 GMT -5
I think that you could use your android tablet as the remote. If I were you I'd look for something small that you could put at the stereo to output to your stereo. Check out the vortexbox computers at smallgreencomputer.com. You could hook one of these up directly to a USB DAC like the DC-1. I built something similar with a SSD so it was quiet. I had some success, but didn't like having to use the tablet as the remote all the time. Check out the PK90 at this site. I read an online review that raved about it's sonic capability. www.auraliti.com/PK_Store.html If you go the Mac Mini route check out J. River Media Center... Actually it could be used with a laptop too. If you go with something commercial like a Dell Laptop look at the business laptops. A bit better build quality and much less junk loaded on it. Do you have Ethernet at your stereo? If you go with something is hard wired only, you'll need to get a internet signal there somehow. |
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Post by ncred02 on Nov 2, 2014 16:45:20 GMT -5
Brubacca, I do have internet right at the system. Thats why I figured a small PC would be ok. Jriver is what I planned on using
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