MUSIC SERVER - HOW DO YOU............

Good for you.

Yes jitter is a real problem and most just hope their Dac deals with it. I'll let you in on a little secret. Virtually none of them do much to correct it. The Empirical Off Ramp converts USB and virtually eliminates jitter. I have tried it on a number of Dacs with a number of very very experienced audiophiles and we all agree it is an amazing device.

I use an Anti Cable Spdif cable which was about $150. It is on par with the Stereolab but less $. That's an easy way to go and it sounds really really good. They're not on the website so you'll have to contact them directly to get one.

At any rate good luck w/ the rest of your journey.

Thanks, I'm trying to understand. I also appreciate all the links that have been offered, guess I like to do a lot of research.

I ran across some info on a new USB converter, a music fidelity v link. Seemed intersting to me because it is simple. The hype says it is very good for what that is worth.

Anyway the more I research the more I understand and one thing seems certain, the future is digital.

Thanks all!

I am running the 2010 Mac mini with 120 OWC SSD, 8 gb ram, 2.6GHz and 2 lacie 1T (7200) firewire 1394b with apple lossless and the original Mac mini 1394b rehoused for back-up. Everything into the W4S DAC-2 and the initial sound is very good. I am looking forward to the improvements over the next 200 hours of burnin.

I don't regret boxing my MF Nuvista 3D for the convenience or †he sound.

As to cables, and this is what I have read and researched (but there are definately two+ families of thought). I actually prefer the toslink approach as it keeps the transfer of data as a light form. The RCA/SPDIF is an electronic signal and (from what I have read) more suceptable to environmental factors.

With toslink, I am of the opinion that one does not need to spend a large amount of money on these cables, that the connectors are actually more important than the cable itself (secure, prevent light leakage, etc). Obviously, since conveying the signal as light, the key is to not allow for a kink in the cabling.

Over the years, I have had many more problems with RCA/SPDIF cables failing (two times) than toslink cables (I have never had one fail).

I have also found no difference as to the cost of the cable and its performance (I have a pretty revealing system and can certainly tell a notable difference with difference ICs and SCs).

I’m also thinking to go computer based front end.
I have great DAC with async USB, so it is begging for digital.
After reading many forums here and on Computer Audiophile, I decided to get MAC mini and install SSD drive from OWC and run it headless with Ipad.

Can anyone out there who done that, please share their experience in details on how to make Ipad talk to mac mini. I have the wired router to three PC in my house that using hi speed Comcast internet. Do I have to go wireless first so Ipad can talk to MAC mini? Can I install wireless router in addition to wired. How to download the software to MAC Mini for the first time before connecting Ipad, can I use TV as a display? The step by step walk thru instructions and connectivity, ripping and playback software recommendations will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.