Wireless link from your computer to your system.

I also use iTunes and two airport expresses (one for the living room, one in the bedroom) and run both through the digital ins of my Pre/Pro's, while my stiff is still compressed, it is a huge perk to have the entire audio library available to you...

Soon I will re-burn the 600+ CD's into my MAC as lossless or AIFF and stream it in native rate... Just ahven't gotten motivated enough to buy the HD and, more to the point, go through reburning my entire collection..

Bolder Cable moddified Slimdevices Squeezebox2.

I have 900+ plus CD's ripped in lossloss. I use a PDA to control the SB2 and browse my collection. I will be adding another HD, and possibly a Linksys Slug, to expand my capacity. Best thing since sliced bread; no more searching through racks of CD's.

There are actually many different devices to stream audio from your computer to a DAC. Also a few, like the Airport Express, that also include a DAC or are a DAC and can stream an analog audio signal to your preamp. The DAC in the AE is mediocre, but it can be very capable at streaming a digital signal via Toslink (not considered the best way to go as far as digital transmission though). I use a Waveterminal U24 to stream the digital signal, via USB to Waveterminal to DAC via S/PDIF. I cannot tell the difference between my excellent transport and my computer streaming the same material to the same DAC. Which is to say this method works very well indeed for me. There are similar products made by M-Audio and other companies, many of whom are in the Pro-Audio world as opposed to Audiophile manufacturers. Among the latter are only a few marketing USB and Firewire cabable DACS. Wavelength would be one.

Agree on the convenience factor many have mentioned. Your entire library in high-rez lossless format, right at your fingertips. Outstanding!

Marco

Do you not find that the computer itself is kind of noisy?

Do you not find that the computer itself is kind of noisy?

My laptop is pretty quiet. The Mac-Mini is also quiet. Don't know about PC's. You could always build a quiet box with 2" pinkboard insulation from Home Depot. You could encase it in 3/4 inch ply with a Bubinga veneer and no one will know the wiser.

Marco