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First toe dip into the digital stream

The kids gave me an iPod Touch on Father's Day and I have a 5 year old Mac G5 with a new hard drive waiting to be turned on.
I have been putting off the moment of my first CD rip because I do NOT want to do it twice and I know it will be a serious time suck.
I am also a Mac virgin.

I have a $500 budget and want to make sure that I have high quality rips that last a lifetime.

For my $500 I would like to be able to rip at high quality, wirelessly stream to my Linn AV5103 DAC and a Yamaha receiver (for 2 other less important listening areas) and control music selection with the iPod Touch.

Possible for a low tech like me?
Recommendations and directions to good threads would be great. Simple is truly better!
clarets2
magfan
1,583 posts
 
Hello,
I use the system you describe in your first post.
But, a few additions.
First, for paranoia reasons, I have a wired network. I use my Airport Express in wireless mode by first turning ON my Mac's Airport. I have NO wireless router, and the AE is used as a 'dead end'.

The ONE FLY in the ointment is that SOME equipment DOES NOT like the high jitter / clocking problems of the AE.
My CA840c, which has a wonderful DA section simply will not 'lock' to the AE for more than a few minutes at a time. The noise it makes for a couple seconds while it is out of sync is really Awful....

CA has sent me an update which I am chicken to install, needing to use my laptop and VIA Serial Port! not even USB!

So, I'd just add that you should TRY the DA convertor with the AE and do so for at least 15 minutes, to make sure there are no clocking problems. You don't want to go thru this.
hellofidelity
77 posts
 
Magfan brings up a good point. Some DACs have trouble locking onto the AE's signal. :(

In addition to listening for a longer period of time, also change tracks and turn the stream on/off to verify your DAC/processor can lock properly. The 5103 does a good job.
clarets2 OP
34 posts
 
Thank you for all the advice. thought it was time for an update.
My G5 fried its new hard drive as some of the capacitors were faulty ...missed the recall back in '08....so that got recycled.
Back to my PC and now happily ripping with corrections and all else turned off as AIFF files.....simple.
Purchased a Squeezebox Duet and loving it.
Digital out to my 5103 is great though the Ikemi still beats it so will hang on to that for a little time to come.
Turntable still wipes the floor with both but that's another thread!

? I have is how to expand the number of rooms? Do I have to buy more receivers from Logitech or do I have another alternative?
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