Will computer to DAC replace transports and cdp's?

I agree that digital inputs on new CD players should be standard (if not USB inputs).

you're description of storing your music on a separate HD, and then yet another copy on another HD is exactly what keeps me away. That's too much damn work for someone who simply wants to listen to music.

The big hurdle is ripping your exisiting collection one at a time. If you can do that while doing another task, or watching a movie...listening to music, etc. it is really not that much effort, but indeed it takes time. Once you've done that everything else is a piece of cake. Each time you acquire a CD you take the three minutes it takes to rip it to the collecition. Copying a hard drive is a no-brainer. Drag-and-drop old hard drive onto the new hard drive and walk away. I copied a 250gb drive and it took about 2.5 hours from my laptop. I spent all of two minutes actually making the copy.

Now burning the library to DVD's is probably a bit overboard, and certainly does take time, you're quite right there if that's what you were referring to. It's probably not necessary, but I guess I like the piece of mind it gives me. The likelihood of two hard drives failing simultaneously has to be infinitesimally small.

I'm not sure what the Palm Pilot software interface is like...I believe it is freeware that is downloadable, or else it is very cheap from when I recall looking into it. There is a link on the Wavelength website. It requires that you have a PalmPilot that is Bluetooth enabled (not all are), as well as a laptop with Bluetooth. Your laptop, short USB cord, interface device, and cable (toslink or S/PDIF) all can stay with your system (on the other side of the room). You have your PalmPilot on the other side of the room which would control your music program. So it goes back to the question as to just how complete is the Palm software to control the computer...what do you have access to? With the AE or the MUCH more expensive Offramp you would have your laptop on the other side of the room and the wireless device plugged in near your system and wired to the DAC. This way you would have complete control of your library from your laptop. I would not run a USB cord across the room. USB has a limit of 6 feet I believe. If you need to go further you'll need some kind of repeater device every 6 feet (not very attractive or convenient for sure - no idea how that may effect the audio feed).

Marco

I hope companies like Krell start making computers before the computers take over.

The CD itself will be a relic soon, as well. As available bandwith increases, delivery of the original music will all be computer to computer and there won't be any need for the little plastic disc. That trend is already well underway for computer software delivery.