Music Server vs. PC vs. Transport vs. ?

Chris, I run wireless to my Sonos and no issues. FYI Sonos runs on a proprietary wireless network that seems to be more robust than my wifi (Linksys). I have not had any issues with drop outs or any other strange sounds. One thing to keep in mind when thinking about what approach you want to use when setting up a music server is the user interface. How easy will it be for you to access your library? The Sonos comes with a nice handheld wireless controller with a large color screen and Ipod like scroll wheel that makes accessing the library very easy.

Chrisla - the review you mention is an old one, using a USB driver from M-Audio, ASIO and SRC upsampling. This really taxes any computer. I think there might have been a bit of user error here also.

With newer Windows drivers and the USB firmware I implemented (very costly) this does not happen anymore.

If you have a really old laptop with a slow processor and .5Gbytes of memory, it may still happen with any USB converter or DAC. All USB interfaces have this potential. This is why I recommend fast CPU and 1-2GBytes of memory.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Tboooe - I also have a Sonos and controller. Great user interface, but the jitter from the stock ZP80 is quite bad, much worse than a typical transport. IMO, if you want something decent stock, the SB3 is it.

Steve N.

want a nice interface, use your iphone or ipod touch and get an itunes interface to control your music remotely. Sonos is a nice setup if you don't want to get your hands a little dirty in building a more complete setup. i use airport express unit for my remote systems and it is quite a bit cheaper than going an alternate route like the sonos. take the extra $$$ and buy an external dac for each airport express and get much better sound than any out of the box music server (of coarse it depends on the quality of the dac).

Gotta share this with you guys.

I went to the apple store today, showed up right when they opened. So first, I asked the guy if he understood home distributed audio. He said he was one of the most knowledgeable guys there. I tell him, "I want to have a computer hooked up to my DAC on my stereo, and then have a remote of some sort, either a macbook or anything with a screen at my listening chair. He tells me that it can't be done without spending a lot of money, but home audio guys can do it with something called a music server that would be simpler and cheaper!

I open up this thread in the store, and show him what was said. He then comes back and says that he can sell me the boxes, but there is a guy, and he gives me the guy's name and website who sets this up, he does exactly this same type of thing, it is very difficult, but this guy used to work there, and he's the T&A. SO we look up the website that he was given, there is none that we can find. One of the other salespeople call this guru, and after a half hour, they say his cell phone isn't on, but that they will leave a message. The salesman reiterates that there are lots of things that have to change in the computer, the hard drive turns off, and then you have to re-awaken it, and that is tough to do remotely, ad nauseum.

Now here I am with only really one question unanswered, does it require a separate computer at the listener chair, or can I have a wireless keyboard and display, ready to drop an estimated 5 grand if needed....and I am told it's way to complicated and difficult for me to do.


And I leave with nothing other than the ipod gift certificates I purchased for my daughters.........

Seems to me my absolute worse case would have been a macpro next to the rack, an airport express, and then a small notebook at the listening chair....Am I missing something?