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Going Digital!

slippers-on said:
When Lukasz was here, he had a small mac laptop. But bro.....once again, Macs and PC's...share some of the same parts inside man. Mac has a few that only they use, but I can tell you first hand, because I work with them both at work every day.....its about choice....quality and crap is found in both....its a matter of understanding computers and what to do with them and making them work when they go down, and if so, knowing whats a good part and a crappy part. Look at Bills computer...an old, built upon a PC frame and doing the job he wants....aint nothing wrong with that. NOw is one really better than the other? Having work with them both, not really, but its about how the individual likes it. Some like Ford, some like GM. But if your talking wifi adapters apple uses in their small devices, well thats a different story.

Ok, back on track.
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I have a Mac as my home computer which is in a different area of my home from my listening area. So in order to stream music to the Amber i was considering the miniMac or a Mac notebook. Any advice?
 
BenWaB3 said:
Yes, there is. The new Monitor Audio Silver 8's come in at that range & I've been curious about them as well. I imagine they would have a fairly different sound signature though. Then there's the new Maggie .7's at $1.400 too. Again it would get down to what the rest of your system sounds like to get the best match, speaker sound signature wise. Of course, since I have 3 different pairs of JSE Infinite Slope's I'm in no hurry until I have to start downsizing. Then I'll have to very reluctantly part with the Model 2's.
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I've heard the Monitor Audio Gold 300, 100 and 50's...in fact was able to do a shoot out with the 100's and my Canton Vento's in my own two channel room.

The Monitor Series at my Dealers house was all driven with Levinson gear. I find the Gold series can be bright, and fussy about placement as well as what gear you connect to them. The right gear and proper placement, you have a winner.

They are a very different sound from the GoldenEar speakers which I hear all the time. Its a sound thats very transparent and the subs have to be dialed in just right. A great speaker cable match with them is the Analysis Plus Big Oval 9's.I've listened to lots of different amps at my dealers house with the Goldenear, and I must say, it took a while for me to get use to them. Not because of sound but because of the fact I like wood on my speaker. But I've grown to love their sound. I hear none of what was said above about them....I hear a nice speaker i the Goldenear. But I must admit..if I was spending $5k on a speaker....it would be for a set of Canton Reference.

I would think the transparency of the Goldenear and the iFI Micro doing DSD 128 would be a winner!
 
for_p1 said:
Conversion of PCM source to DSD is just one more digital filter implementation. Get regular PCM DAC with selectable digital filter. It is better for experiments. DSD DAC is for playing DSD source material.
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I've heard the arguments, but thats just not my experience with the iFI. the conversion is done in the software and sent to the iFI native. Even on the fly its still better than PCM.
 
RH67 said:
I have a Mac as my home computer which is in a different area of my home from my listening area. So in order to stream music to the Amber i was considering the miniMac or a Mac notebook. Any advice?
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I am typing this on my 2012 MacBook Pro and I love it. But with the way Apple is locking down their machines anymore where you can't upgrade or replace parts I can't recommend them anymore. I was running my iFI rig with an older MacBook but when it came to trying to use J River's upconverting to DSD it just could not do it without stuttering and dropouts in the sound. I purchased a small Acer tower with a quad core i5 and 8GB of ram and Win 8.1 last fall for another purpose. With it I can change out and upgrade hardware as needed. After the Mac became troublesome I pressed the Acer into service as my music server and it has worked out great. There are some differences in the Mac and PC versions of J River. The Mac version can only do DSD 128 upconversion where as the PC version will go up to DSD 512. With the Mac you will have less configuration to get it put out bit perfect sound and with a Windows PC it will take some driver downloads and some extra configuration. Use what you feel comfortable with either types of machines work fine for media servers.
 
Lee Harvey said:
I am typing this on my 2012 MacBook Pro and I love it. But with the way Apple is locking down their machines anymore where you can't upgrade or replace parts I can't recommend them anymore. I was running my iFI rig with an older MacBook but when it came to trying to use J River's upconverting to DSD it just could not do it without stuttering and dropouts in the sound. I purchased a small Acer tower with a quad core i5 and 8GB of ram and Win 8.1 last fall for another purpose. With it I can change out and upgrade hardware as needed. After the Mac became troublesome I pressed the Acer into service as my music server and it has worked out great. There are some differences in the Mac and PC versions of J River. The Mac version can only do DSD 128 upconversion where as the PC version will go up to DSD 512. With the Mac you will have less configuration to get it put out bit perfect sound and with a Windows PC it will take some driver downloads and some extra configuration. Use what you feel comfortable with either types of machines work fine for media servers.
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Thanks. I had a PC for over a decade and made the switch to a Mac about 5 yrs. ago after having issues with Windows and assorted viruses. My GF works for Disney-CBS and was advised by their techs to make the switch to a Mac as Mac is what most of them have for personal use, since then i have yet to have one computer issue.

Having said the above i would be willing to use a PC again just for streaming purposes, a dedicated computer just for music. But how would i make the connection to my home Mac where i have my music using a PC? I`m not that computer savvy and all of our friends and family also own Mac`s in fact i do not know anyone who owns a PC anymore so it could be a dumb question but i have no way to try it without asking. Thanks.
 
I have 2TB of drive space on my PC that I use as a music server and I use J River Media Center to rip my CD's to DSD 128 format and store on its drives. You could use a USB drive to transfer your music files from your Mac over to a Windows machine. I use Splashtop remote desktop software to remote from my MacBook to control my Windows machine and then run J River on the Windows machine to play back music. Or you could order a Mac Mini with an dual core i5 with 8GB of ram and a 1TB drive and use it as a music server with your music files on it. There are other remote desktop apps out there that your can use to remote to the Mac Mini to control it to play your files. I have done both methods of controlling either a Mac or a PC to play back music files. This is assuming that you have a wired or Wifi network running in your home?
 
Lee Harvey said:
I have 2TB of drive space on my PC that I use as a music server and I use J River Media Center to rip my CD's to DSD 128 format and store on its drives. You could use a USB drive to transfer your music files from your Mac over to a Windows machine. I use Splashtop remote desktop software to remote from my MacBook to control my Windows machine and then run J River on the Windows machine to play back music. Or you could order a Mac Mini with an dual core i5 with 8GB of ram and a 1TB drive and use it as a music server with your music files on it. There are other remote desktop apps out there that your can use to remote to the Mac Mini to control it to play your files. I have done both methods of controlling either a Mac or a PC to play back music files. This is assuming that you have a wired or Wifi network running in your home?
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WOW! Thanks, i`m really in a new realm. I do have WiFi though.
 
RH67 said:
I have a Mac as my home computer which is in a different area of my home from my listening area. So in order to stream music to the Amber i was considering the miniMac or a Mac notebook. Any advice?
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My dealer uses an iMac. It has worked out great for him. I have friends who brag about their mac mini's as well as their mac books. I have friends who love their PC as well. Another dealer friend has a custom fan-less music computer.....here is something to concider as well. Checkout the installation guide and the gallery on the side.

http://www.hd-plex.com/HDPLEX-H1.SODD-Fanless-Computer-Case.html
 
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slippers-on said:
My dealer uses an iMac. It has worked out great for him. I have friends who brag about their mac mini's as well as their mac books. I have friends who love their PC as well. Another dealer friend has a custom fan-less music computer.....here is something to concider as well. Checkout the installation guide and the gallery on the side.

http://www.hd-plex.com/HDPLEX-H1.SODD-Fanless-Computer-Case.html
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Thanks,Byron. I have been over at Computer Audiophile and there does not seem to be one perfect solution as no matter what you choose they all have there ups and downs. I want to keep things simple yet get the best sound.

I have been reading some good things about the "Regen" have you tried one yet?
 
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RH67 said:
Thanks,Byron. I have been over at Computer Audiophile and there does not seem to be one perfect solution as no matter what you choose they all have there ups and downs. I want to keep things simple yet get the best sound.

I have been reading some good things about the "Regen" have you tried one yet?
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No...Ive decided to go a step further than the Regen....next month I will purchase this.http://www.hd-plex.com/HDPLEX-Fanless-Linear-Power-Supply-for-PC-Audio-and-CE-device.html

Yeah, Yeah...call me crazy! But I dont drink, smoke or chase women any more...all I got these days is this hobby!:D
 
RH67 said:
Thanks,Byron. I have been over at Computer Audiophile and there does not seem to be one perfect solution as no matter what you choose they all have there ups and downs. I want to keep things simple yet get the best sound.

I have been reading some good things about the "Regen" have you tried one yet?
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On some things in this hobby...no one simple way to do things...computer audio will always have its challenges....that's the nature of the beast. I work in a NOC where there is always problems due to the nature of it....and believe me you....its a 247 thing in a NOC that deals with coast to coast clients. Computer audio can be the same way with challenges. You learn to simplify as you grow with learning the technology. For a newbie, it can be overwhelming. You never learn it all, and some one always knows more than you.

No...I've decided to go a step further than the Regen....next month I will purchase this.http://www.hd-plex.com/HDPLEX-Fanless-Linear-Power-Supply-for-PC-Audio-and-CE-device.html

Yeah, Yeah...call me crazy! But I don't drink, smoke or chase women any more...all I got these days is this hobby!:D
 
slippers-on said:
Yeah, Yeah...call me crazy! But I don't drink, smoke or chase women any more...all I got these days is this hobby!:D
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But then when everything is set to your satisfaction, you can just sit with a glass of 20 y.o. whiskey or cognac and enjoy the music playing through your system. Good cigar can add to that enjoyments.
 
for_p1 said:
But then when everything is set to your satisfaction, you can just sit with a glass of 20 y.o. whiskey or cognac and enjoy the music playing through your system. Good cigar can add to that enjoyments.
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Last drink was 1989....whiskey to these lips....one sip and I'd pass out :D
 
This adventure can be daunting, i need to slow down and take baby steps although i just placed an order for the Regen amber.
 
slippers-on said:
Ahhh, you'll be ok.
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Yeah, i know i will be. But at 60+ yrs. old sometimes i do not have the drive like i had at one time. What i have heard though drives me, the sound and feeling i get reminds me of when i had access to master tapes and vinyl first pressings, like being united with a long lost friend.
 
RH67 said:
Yeah, i know i will be. But at 60+ yrs. old sometimes i do not have the drive like i had at one time. What i have heard though drives me, the sound and feeling i get reminds me of when i had access to master tapes and vinyl first pressings, like being united with a long lost friend.
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Hahahahaha.....I feel ya! But I cant do the Cubans.
 
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