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Mini Mac as audio server?

OK, I've existed in blissful ignorance of the OSX world, being a Windows dude. But, this little miniMac thing might change my world. Small enuf to stick next to the stereo... Cheap enuf too... With DVI and DVD, probably eliminates my DVD player as well. Check it out:

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore/

Sooo, someone wanna educate a non-OSX user on audio via Macs? Right now I'm 70% through ripping over 1K CDs to WAV files. I'm thinking the files will eventually end up on one of the Buffalo Terabyte NAS RAID 5 devices when they become available next month. So... the questions...

- Can I play the WAV files via iTunes?
- Is iTunes smart enuf to recognize that I've dropped the files into /Artist/Album directory format and create tags?
- Anyone using an Edirol UA-1D via USB out of the Mac? Any compatibility issues?
- Anything better to do PCM output from the Mac than the Edirol?
- If I watch a DVD, and output the video to my plasma via the DVI port, will the Apple media software recognize that I want PCM output, not multichannel?

Any help appreciated.
edesilva
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Yes, I was about to edit my post...I was referring to the iPod Shuffle.
True, it lacks some features, but for a basic digital playback machine it
appears to be ideal for active use, i.e. at the gym. The Shuffle could be
another home run for Apple...especially the 1 gig version that will sell
for $149.

Apologies for hi-jacking the thread...

...back to the originally scheduled discussion...

aida_w
308 posts
 
Welcome on (MAC-) board!
--Can I play the WAV files via iTunes? Of course you can.

-- Is iTunes smart enuf to recognize that I've dropped the files into /Artist/Album directory format and create tags?
Yes it is, you can tell iTunes a lot of criteria for sorting which is esp. handy on the iPod.

The limitation for working "as audio server" might be the (small) harddisk (40GB).
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
That's what the one terabyte Firewire drive is for!
c123666
871 posts
 
The Grace unit is leagues beyond the performance of the Edirol and has coax and AES/EBU interfaces as well as analogue outs. I am not sure if it will accept a USB input but that s/b easy enough to find out. Of course, it is a tad more expensive than the Edirol.
edesilva OP
768 posts
 
After doing some further research, I think I'm actually going to use one of the Waveterminal U24s. I'm curious though, since the Edirol is just a USB audio device (i.e., routes audio out to USB and converts to PCM), how can you say the Grace is better if you don't know whether it has a USB? Better at what? What is the Grace?
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