Is this a reasonable Audiophile Mac-based Server?

Synthfreak (and others),
There seems to be many of you who feel that a wireless network just won't give the same level of performance that you can get from real wire.

To explore this option, I've assembled a "Plan B" and put it up on the website. You can view it by clicking here

I remain unconvinced that it will outperform the wireless system in plan A, but I am going to try some A:B comparisons once I get my other components (B&W speakers and Classe Monoblock amps) in a 6 or 7 weeks.

One problem with a wired system is : How can I control it from my listening chair?

Henry, looking at your plan B I still don't think that Toslink will give you the same performance as a USB connection. I had several people over today and we performed some more comparisons in my system:

1) Slimdevices Transporter direct using the internal DAC in the Transporter
2) Transporter feeding Benchmark DAC1 via toslink
3) Mac Mini feeding Benchmark DAC1 via USB

Out of the above 1) and 2) were very similar, despite the different DACs.
Switching to USB made the biggest difference, i.e. 3) was clearly better, less hf noise, tighter more extended bass.

As for remote contrallability: The Macbook as well as the Mac Mini come with a Infrared remote to control iTunes or Frontrow. Alternatively take a look at Salling Clicker, which allows you to use a PDA or cellphone as remote (works great too).

Again, just my own experience, but have been playing with several of the combinations you suggested in my own system.

You should be able to try it both ways to see what works best. I got into this whole thing by trying airport express. It didn't work in my system, but as others have pointed out, that could be the exception rather than the rule.

Try it. If it doesn't work for you, return it to the apple store. Cat5 cable is cheap and easy to test too.

My system ended up being hybrid wireless. Ethernet connections from network drive to router to music server (sonos) then to dac. Wireless laptop controls playback. Simple and reliable.

Just stick a SB3, sonos, transporter or mac mini next to your dac and you'll have great sound that you can control from your listening chair wirelessly with your laptop.

Don't do anything that takes the laptop away from your lap or binds it with wires when it is there. There is a simple way around it.

I use a wireless keyboard with roller ball mouse. I use my HDTV as a screen. (Mac Mini can output 720P with some slight mods to the software that controls the video card)

But feel free to ignore this as I did quite a bit of programming for my setup so that I can control everything (even switch on and off any components using my Mac from my wireless keyboard at the listening position). My setup is for the more technically inclined.

Hdomke -

the wireless system may or may not work to your satisfaction, there is no question that the wired system would. What it would sound like is skips - same as a wireless phone or cell phone losing the connection. Obviously it works well enough to satisfy most people most of the time. But you asked about the ultimate which it is not simply for reasons of absolute reliability - no doubt it is a whole lot more convenient.

Since the performance is location specific the only thing to do is try it - after all you know you have a back up plan.

In describing your Apple (which sounds way cool)I think you are mixing your technologies. Airport Extreme is the same as WiFi - technically it is called the 802.11 standard. The newest version of the standard is "n" - as in 802.11n. You can read a nice description on Wikipedia - basically its the next evolutionary step - faster - but also able to handle more clients at once which you really don't benefit from in a home like you would in an office.

Gigabit ethernet has nothing to do with WiFi. Ethernet is a different communications protocol based on wires. The confusion comes in that some devices such as the Squeezebox can handle both Ethernet and 802.11.

Ethernet comes in several flavors (speeds). Most installations use what is called 10/100 which refers to how many bits the ethernet router can handle. Gigabit is a much newer standard and because of its greatly increased bandwidth (data carrying capacity) is preferred in SOTA installations that require high bandwidth - just for the record, audio does not need high bandwidth.

The Squeezebox or any of the other products from SLIM Devices, would basically replace the link from the Mac to the DAC. Because they are on Ethernet (or WiFi) the software enables you to use a remote control to control the SLIM box from your easy chair, just as you could use a remote to control the Mac mini.

A NAS is a network attached storage device which is a node on an Ethernet network. Thus my slang about "hanging it on" meaning it would have a unique TCP/IP address. A NAS is cool (and arguably the ultimate) because you can install the SLIM software in it and run the music system without needing your computer to be on at all. Check out the SLIM site.

Props to you for doing your homework and laying it out on paper - I am sure you will come up with a great system.