Will computer to DAC replace transports and cdp's?

Nice :)

configured as RAID 5, so its pretty safe. If I blow up two drives at once, guess I'm reripping everything, but that prospect seems pretty minimal

I think it's just a question of time before computer storage makes CD/transport systems obsolete, but I'm not sure the technology is quite there yet. I use very expensive RAID5 systems in my work and have had 4 of them fail (3 because 2 drives failed at the same time, and 1 because the RAID5 hardware failed). Streaming music is much less data intensive than my work, but consumer RAID5 systems are probably much less robust too, so I would not be surprised if some people will be dealing with RAID5 failures and re-ripping all their CDs. RAID6 might help, but when I switch to a computer system I might use a single large HD, with a second disk as a backup, just to keep it simple.

I like the idea of using a computer based system, but I also like the simplicity of the CD/transport, and if CD is very close to the quality of a computer system I'd be happy to stay with the CD/transport until computer based systems are perfected and made relatively simple, hopefully that will be soon. For people who like playing with hardware and software I think computers are the way to go now - for me that still feels too much like being at work.

Another point - Steve Nugent is developing computer audio systems that avoid the conversion from I2S to SPDIF, when that's ready it might be another good reason to go with computer based systems.

I've had really bad experiences with consumer drives, but the Buffalo seems to be holding up well. I've actually got another 1TB PowerVault 645N with RAID 5 in my garage as well... That one gives me more faith, but my god it's loud!

That said, I figure the CDs are sort of the backup-backup. Some people sell 'em... I like having them around, even if they are packed in Xerox boxes in an upstairs closet...

Hi All,
I agree that eventually this will be the way to go. There is a VERY exoensive DVD system called Kaleidascape (sp?) that does this for movies. It will also hold HD material. AS you can imagine, it takes very large drives to hold that much material. It also retails for $30,000, at least. I can foresee the not very far future when all the dat will be sent to a high qulity set of DACs, say a Theta Casablnca with room correction. But it will take sveral years to make it availabl and affordable. Also, the storage softaware and algorithms have to be standardized. Meanwhile, I am REALLY enjoying my Esoteric X01 and my Meitner gear (one of which will eventually get sold).

David Shapiro