New Computer: What Should I Get for Audio?

I am very happy using my Apple MacBook Pro with 8gb of RAM and 500gb hard drive as a music server. I just use iTunes and connect to a PSAudio Perfectwave DAC using the optical connection, but USB works fine too. I store my music as Apple Loseless files. The advantage for me of using a MacBook is that I can pick it up and use it elsewhere and for other purposes without needing to connect to another screen. Of course with iTunes you can also control it remotely using the iTunes remote app on an iPhone or iPad.

Get any HTPC that features an Intel Core "TM" processor without built-in video, meaning the video is NVIDIA, ATI, etc. Memory can be 4GB+ (usually up to 8GB). Depending on the HTPC input power required (usually 12V or 19.5V), find a proper all-linear power supply. Use Windows 7 (x64) with JRiver MC17 and the new XMOS based hiFace Two USB to S/PDIF interface with its own ASIO driver set at low latency. Rip CDs to uncompressed WAV. Do not use any DSP effects. Try JPlay with JRiver or with its own JPlay Mini Player.

Good luck!
Alex Peychev
APL Hi-Fi

John, I'd only try the Mac because there is so much in the threads about it... overall with the tweeks, i'm quite happy with my PC. I didn't mention, but the consensus is that on Windows, you need a 64 bit version. I have also heard that windows 8 has better drivers and is audibly better than windows 7. I have a developers copy, I may try that soon. I bought a cheap 3gb 320, removed a 1 gb stick of ram and added a 4gb stick, so I have 6gb 320 and also have a 1 terrabit external.
JFZ, Your puzzled that a good cd player might not sound as good?.. I have a MHZS, that i've done alot of work on, it is very good indeed... As far as high res. I listen to a ton of Jazz. My excellent recordings are excellent regardless of bit rate... For Duke... Duke Ellington all stars is Fabulous, Jazz at the Pawnshop... Excellent and many others that I have are 16/44.1. I do own about 50 Hi res recordings, but even in hi res a crappy recording sounds crappy... For me, the addition of Hi Res and the utter convenience of a computer, I won't leave this format.

Wow…thank you for so many responses. I have to admit, though, that I am overwhelmed already. For example, I don’t have a clue what some of the acronyms and abbreviations mean. I am having difficulty even forming questions, but I’ll start with the most obvious ones.

Roscoe: I don’t understand “You could not use you PC/Mac with an Oppo. It can take hard drives or flash drives and then you choose music on screen with the remote.” What’s the point of the Oppo having a USB input (or eStat, whatever that is) if it can’t be used "with" a PC/Mac? And I don’t understand what your second sentence means at all. I guess I’m dumber than I thought when it comes to “computer audio”.

I guess a question is “what is a digital input?” Dan Wright is working on a digital input for the Oppo 95, and people are excited about it. If USB (or eStat again) isn’t already a digital input, what the heck is it? I think I must be missing some very fundamental knowledge that most everyone takes for granted?

Alex: I’m not sure what this - “(x64)” - next to Windows 7 means? That I want a 64 bit computer to play hi-rez files? Also, what’s the “HT”in front “PC” - i.e., “HTPC” – mean? (just Googled this…Home Theater…man, this gets complicated to think about…I have separate audio and video systems…the video not nearly as good for audio…and don’t have much room or flexibility to adjust)

I just noticed this: Timlub says “Any Windows machine will include an optical drive, so you would need a USB DAC”. Again, why couldn’t I use the Oppo, since it has a USB input?

Alex mentions ripping CDs. I don’t care about doing that, although I suppose people might be thinking that down the road I’m going to want to do that. For now, though, I’m just interested in being able to access hi-rez files and play them through a high-end audio system. On the other hand, based on what Timlub is saying, maybe I don’t need to do this at all. ??? (I’ve been assuming that I could potentially get much better sound with hi-rez files…maybe even sounding as good as great analog? Maybe the differences between truly great Redbook on today’s best players (e.g., Playback Designs, the Modwright Oppo, etc) and hi-rez files is not that big? Maybe I should just get a Modwright Oppo (considered by at least one guy on Agon to be significantly better than the Playback Designs player), and forget about computer audio.

A final thought:
I clearly do not know what I don’t know.

Sorry for so many questions. ALL your answers are much appreciated!

You should think about ripping CDs, with dbpoweramp on PC or XLD on Mac. You will not find very much of the music you like and are familiar in hi-res downloads. Very limited IME.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio