PC vs MAC laptop as music server

Rbstehno, you almost had me until you recommended toslink to hook a computer up to a DAC.

I have been into computer for quite some time, and toslink sucks for transporting data from a computer to a DAC. I have tried it, and the current way I am doing it (with Empirical Audio's Offramp Turbo2 via USB port) is so superior, it is not even funny.

Microsoft has little to do with my ripping and playback per se. Foobar2000, my playback program, was developed by a 3rd party and is very stable (in it's current version). Exact Audio Copy was also developed by a 3rd party, and is ultimately stable as well. These programs have been developed over 8+ years by people who are extremely dedicated to both. I have never gotten a blue screen running either EAC or foobar2000.

"there are many other ripping programs that run on a mac so that is a non issue, and if you wait, there will be a new 1 tomorrow" - 1,000,000 bad rippers do not equal 1 excellent ripper. Please name a ripper on the Mac that has over 8 years of development behind it. Ripping programs for the PC are a dime a dozen as well, but I freely admit, most of them are not that good or just average. I have tried quite a few for comparison.

Also, do you realize how much of a difference a great aftermarket power supply makes for a music server for playback? Unless you have disassembled your Mac and changed out the power supply (I imagine it voids the warranty like most other Apple products if you take them apart), you have no idea.

Interestingly, I do like Macs. And if someone demonstrated to me on a Mac a playback program as good as foobar20000 and a ripper as good as EAC, I'd consider switching to a Mac. I would still want to change out the power supply.

Heck, if I could get better playback and ripping using LINUX, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Last I checked, there are quite a few rippers and players for LINUX. Still, none as good as the ones I mention above.

Great suggestions regarding EAC. Being a Mac guy myself, maybe I will consider running EAC on Paralells/Win XP.

A far as players, since OSX has direct access to the underlying core audio, I don't think any special player is needed.

Tok20000, it's interesting what you say about the importance of the computer's power supply. My brother runs a home studio built 'round an iMac. I gave him a good isolation transformer. He plugged the computer into that and the overall sound gained noticeably in clarity and smoothness.

Would you want to change out the whole supply for a new subassembly, or just change parts, and to what?

I change out the entire supply for another.
I have found going with larger power supplies is better (800 watt+). The last one I installed in my music server was an 850 watt Thermalake Black Widow (~$185). It sounds better than the 650 watt Corsair I had in there before. I just upgraded graphics cards so I could display 1080p on a front projector, and I was pushing the Corsair too hard.

PC power supplies are pretty complex devices (it is amazing how inexpensive they can be), and I do not recommend modifying them unless you know EXACTLY what you are doing (e.g. you are a highly skilled electrical engineer, and power supplies are your life's work).

I do believe you that power does make a difference sonically with a computer. However, I would only recommend plugging a computer into passive power filtration (as opposed something like PS Audio's regenerators) without consulting the maker of the regenerator.

Keith

Keith

There is another ripper for Mac besides Itunes called Max (sbooth.org). It also converts between almost every format you can think of, including FLAC. An alternative player by the same guy is called Play. I haven't compared them but you are not stuck just with Itunes.

I use a Core 2 Duo Mac Mini running firewire out to an Apogee Duet ($500). I control it either with a laptop running JollysfastVNC or with an Ipod Touch. JollysfastVNC is faster than Chicken of the VNC and in active development.

I haven't compared Max to EAC but I get great sound and it's very reliable and easy to set up and use. Being a die-hard PC person there was a bit of a learning curve but now I really like OS X, especially not having to spend so much time on troubleshooting and maintenance.

The Mini is also hooked up to the LCD TV and I use it to watch DVDs and internet video.

Whichever way you go, having all of your music on a hard drive is so much better than using a disc player.