#11
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I already own a macbook pro (battery power) with pure music software and all my music in itunes. Maybe I'll buy the halide bridge today with the 10 foot usb extension cord they sell to get started .
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#12
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Quote:
dCS wrote an excellent primer for computer audio (pdf) http://www.dcsltd.co.uk/page/assets/...uter_Audio.pdf dCS: Digital Audio Overview Sonic Studios (maker of Amarra) has a 'How To' Amarra Computer Music Player Reg
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AMP's: MC2301 (2), Shuguang Treasures KT88-Z/Gold Lion ECC81 Preamp: C500C/T, Gold Lion ECC83 TT-1 Clearaudio Innovation Wood, TT-2 & Universal Arms, Goldfinger V2 & daVinci V2 Carts TT-2: JA Michelle Gyro SE, SME IV.Vi, Lyra Helikon Mono Cart, HR Power Supply Phono Stage-1: Aesthetix Io Eclipse Phono Stage-2: Channel D - Seta Model L Server-1: Sooloos Control15 / 808.3 CDP / MD600 2x3TB / TwinStore 2x3TB / MS600 Server-2: Mac Pro (16G RAM), 2x3Ghz, Quad Core, 4 SSD Drives (Hirez, AIFF) Software: Amarra 2.3/Amarra Vinyl/Pure Vinyl 3.0 NAS: NetGear READYNAS PRO (4Tb, ALAC) ADC & DAC: Amarra Model 4 (Sonic Studio Badged: Metric Halo LIO-8 + DSP) Speakers: Sonus Faber Stradavari (2) Sub's: JL Audio Fathom f113 (2) Power: PS Audio PPP (4) Isolation: HRS-MXR Racks (2), SRA Amp Stands (4), Sound Anchor Sub Stands (2) Room Treatments:(Diffusion): RPG Hemiffusor W1 (Bass Absorption): RealTraps Cables: Wireworld Silver Eclipse 6.0 XLR's & SC's, Silver Electra PC's |
#13
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David,
It's cheap, not white plastic but brushed aluminum (sorry Dan), and fits well in my rack. While it's not for everyone, the benefits your OP mentions are quite real. When you consider the versatility of a full-fledged computer combined with the musical capabilities with the right connections, it's very powerful. Do vinyl and my MVP-871 sound better? Arguably yes, but there's time for those sources as well. My time's primarily in a 'one size fits all' room where a 5.1 setup is primarily used for listening to the Mac Mini in stereo and surfing or hanging out here with you guys. There's lots of possibilities for improving the sound with better cabling, Amarra, etc. It will only get better with time. The addition of HDMI with the current version of the Mac Mini (June '10) was a relatively big step in the right direction. Now all I've got to do is get a MX150.
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Sources: Vinyl: Clearaudio Innovation Wood turntable with 9" Universal tonearm, Da Vinci V2 cartridge, Stillpoints SS & Stillpoints clamp, McIntosh MVP 901, Apple Mac mini via Benchmark DAC 1, Aurender N100C via Schiit Yggdrasil Control: McIntosh C1100, Mcintosh MX151 Power: Mcintosh MC2301s (front), McIntosh MC501 (center), Mcintosh MC402 (rear) Speakers: Sonus Faber Amati Futura (front and back), SF Vox center Power/connections: PS Audio Power Port receptacles, RGPC 400 pro (2) WireWorld interconnects and speaker cable |
#14
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Paul.......No problem. You can tell I have yet to embrace computer based audio beyond my MS750 feeding the DACs in my MCD500. I prefer to listen to the best sources I have. The only reason I even own a Sonos is to audition new music to purchase. The presently available online catalog of Hi-rez material hasn't wet my appetite enough to go through the effort of purchasing, downloading, and manipulating through software and computers.
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Dan STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113 VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A |
#15
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Dan, You know I secretly lust for a MS750 body into which I could put that Mac Mini...
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Sources: Vinyl: Clearaudio Innovation Wood turntable with 9" Universal tonearm, Da Vinci V2 cartridge, Stillpoints SS & Stillpoints clamp, McIntosh MVP 901, Apple Mac mini via Benchmark DAC 1, Aurender N100C via Schiit Yggdrasil Control: McIntosh C1100, Mcintosh MX151 Power: Mcintosh MC2301s (front), McIntosh MC501 (center), Mcintosh MC402 (rear) Speakers: Sonus Faber Amati Futura (front and back), SF Vox center Power/connections: PS Audio Power Port receptacles, RGPC 400 pro (2) WireWorld interconnects and speaker cable |
#16
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A couple of reasons I have not considered the mini are: 1) the looks do not fit into my room 2) I don't like the iTunes GUI. It is fine for managing the music on my iPhone or iPod but not for my server.
Jim |
#17
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I have been utilizing a Mac Mini or macbook in my system for about 4 years now. Yesterday I just picked up a new black Ayre QB-9 to use as the DAC. THe HD Traks 24/96 and 24/192 recordings are amazing. My dealer had let me borrow a silver model until the black came in. The QB-9 is everything the magazines say it is.
I use Pure Music, AyreWav, and Audiorvana (sp?). kind of have a love hate relationship with Pure Music, and I havent yet used it to play the 24 bit FLAC stuff. All my music ripped from CDs is in AIFF, although one should determine which format works best for them. I have 2 1TB WD firewire drives storing the music. The drives are in a cabinet 10 ft away from the system. I'd consider moving the Mac Mini away from the system as well, but I use the Mac Mini to watch TV instead of cable, and I don't want to run a long hDMI cable to the TV. I still lust for a SooLos though.
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Benchmark DAC2 DX, Benchmark AHB2 Amplifier, Sonus Faber Cremona M, Bryston BDP-2, Oppo BDP-103, Torus TOT, GIK Acoustics Soffit Bass Traps (2) 242 Acoustic Panels |
#18
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Quote:
Enjoy your DAC! Reg
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AMP's: MC2301 (2), Shuguang Treasures KT88-Z/Gold Lion ECC81 Preamp: C500C/T, Gold Lion ECC83 TT-1 Clearaudio Innovation Wood, TT-2 & Universal Arms, Goldfinger V2 & daVinci V2 Carts TT-2: JA Michelle Gyro SE, SME IV.Vi, Lyra Helikon Mono Cart, HR Power Supply Phono Stage-1: Aesthetix Io Eclipse Phono Stage-2: Channel D - Seta Model L Server-1: Sooloos Control15 / 808.3 CDP / MD600 2x3TB / TwinStore 2x3TB / MS600 Server-2: Mac Pro (16G RAM), 2x3Ghz, Quad Core, 4 SSD Drives (Hirez, AIFF) Software: Amarra 2.3/Amarra Vinyl/Pure Vinyl 3.0 NAS: NetGear READYNAS PRO (4Tb, ALAC) ADC & DAC: Amarra Model 4 (Sonic Studio Badged: Metric Halo LIO-8 + DSP) Speakers: Sonus Faber Stradavari (2) Sub's: JL Audio Fathom f113 (2) Power: PS Audio PPP (4) Isolation: HRS-MXR Racks (2), SRA Amp Stands (4), Sound Anchor Sub Stands (2) Room Treatments:(Diffusion): RPG Hemiffusor W1 (Bass Absorption): RealTraps Cables: Wireworld Silver Eclipse 6.0 XLR's & SC's, Silver Electra PC's |
#19
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Quote:
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#20
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Quote:
You can't listen to HD music with the MS750. My other reason for going in this direction is so I can have the the 3 D Bach filters installed in the pure stereo software so I can listen to music in 3 D. Once you experience 3 D music you will never want to go back to stereo with crosstalk. |
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