Is this a reasonable Audiophile Mac-based Server?

That looks like a pretty good set up. I tried airport express in my xp network and it failed miserably. It ended up crashing my entire network and it took days just to get my email back. Apple tech support was stumped. But you shouldn't have that problem with Macs.

The thing that concerns me a little is carrying the lossless files wirelessly from your airport base station to the express. If you can go ethernet you'll have a faster and more reliable stream. (Plus, I thought I heard someone say in your other thread that wireless streams get compressed?)

Either way, for the short period of time that the airport express worked in my system it constantly cut out to buffer the lossless files.

When the airport express didn't work out I had basically two choices left. SB3 or Sonos. I went Sonos but you probably can't go wrong with the SB3 either. I have it set up similarly to yours but have the NAS connected via ethernet to the router, the router via ethernet to sonos, the sonos via digital coax to the Dac. No desktop computer is needed between the NAS and the Dac. Laptop is wireless like yours for controlling playlists. (I didn't bother with Sonos remote, I live in an apartment. But like having the option for later)

What I like about your setup is that you can stay 100% in itunes.

I think RDC's experience is atypical. I used an XP computer to AE with absolutely no streaming problems. I don't know what happens enroute but the data from the AE is not compressed.

The reason most say that AE route is inferior is that the AE data has a relatively high amount of jitter. If your DAC can handle the jitter then data is data and a jittery toslink data from the AE will be the same as less jittery USB data. I used one with an Altmann DAC which has circuitry to deal with the jitter and it was superb. I would assume other DACs that somehow reclock or deal with the jitter would be fine as well.

The AE cannot output audio data via the USB port, only via the toslink or analog out.

I called Benchmark's technical support and spoke to them at length about your assertion that USB is superior to Toslink coming out of the Airport Express. They assured me repeatedly that Toslink would be "identical" to USB.

I know Benchmark says that it sounds identical. However, I can tell the difference between Airport Express (AE), Slimdevices transporter fed via toslink to the DAC1, or directly to USB. Direct via USB it better with a tighter sound, less glare in the highs, and more low lever resolution.

That allows me to save several hundred dollars by skipping the USB.

I would go with the USB version of the DAC1 in any case:
- More flexibility down the road as you can try USB direct.The excellent USB implementation in the DAC is one of the main reason to go with the DAC1USB in first place.
- Better driver stage in the USB version which is supposed to sound better than the last incarnation of the DAC1.
- You save yourself the $100 for the AE.

As for the interface, it's a matter of personal taste: Frontrow on a larger LCD screen, clicker software with a PDA, Laptop in you lap. Try them out if you can before settling on one.

Henry -

hard to see the walls... but if I were after the ultimate I would take both the wireless and the Toslink out of the design, wireless first.

Wireless is prone to interference which a hardwired solutions are not. You have a choice of Ethernet cable and the Opticis Fiber Optic USB cable for going any conceivable distance it takes to route it. Both are inexpensive, low profile and flexible.

This leaves you with a Squeezebox, Transporter or their new device the Duet at the end of the Ethernet cable which is nice because you can use the remote to access the server (Ethernet is two-way.) Check out the Bolder modified Squeezeboxes and the Modwright Transporter with the modified tube analog section.

The cleanest set-up would be to hang a NAS on the Ethernet network thus taking the computer completely out of the equation except for ripping.

If USB is your preference it is hard to do better then the Wavelength Audio USB DACs since they go from USB to I2S entirely avoiding SPDIF and Toslink. A lot of people seem to be real happy with the Benchmark and Stereophile has a review in the issue that came yesterday.

You can also use any number of devices to go from USB to SPDIF or Toslink. Hagerman and Blue Circle are two of the better known names offering this type of device. Use a very high quality SPDIF or Toslink cable (critical) and go into whatever DAC you own or can get a screaming deal on.

You will need to have a laptop or a Mini to control the server. Check out Front Row (an IF remote) that works with iTunes, that might work for you.

Also browse around for other small remotes - a lot of people have been playing with them and posting recently.

"RDC's experience is atypical"

No doubt. Apple wouldn't sell those AE's like popcorn if they didn't work at all. Henry did open the thread with "best sounding music server, regardless of price"

I doubt AE, SB3 or Sonos is that. Transporter probably isn't either from what I've read.

Re-thinking Henry's set up, if cost really isn't a factor I'd probably eliminate the desktop in the other room and put a mac mini and the best sounding USB Dac near the hi-fi rig, then use the laptop or some other cool apple device to control it from the listening chair.

And I still think I would hardwire the streaming if at all possible and leave wifi for controlling playlists and other computer tasks...