ExactAudioCopy ripping software

Compressed lossless means when it is played back that it reconstructs the original data perfectly so they are effectively the same, but compressed takes up less space.

That part of the equation is audiophile quality, and since you can feed that same data to any DAC on the market via a USD to spdif converter or directly from a computer to an audiophile USB DAC, that is also beyond reproach.

The weak link is getting from the compressed file on the computer to the DAC. If you are close (25 feet or so) enough to use a USB cable you are good to go via one of the methods above, but if you aren't or want to go wireless then you have a problem.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the only wireless solutions (Apple Airport, Squeezeboz, Sonos etc.) use their own DACs and I don't think they are considered audiophile quality. I would love to hear if I am wrong about this.

The problem today is that all USB audio is Isosynchronous and there are no wireless USB transmitters that handle it, they can only handle asynchronous. I traded some emails with Silex about http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=317840&pfp=SEARCH and they told me that they hope to have isosynchronous USB device servers later this year. That would be the last piece to the puzzle..

Apple Airport Express and Slim Devices Squeezebox both have analog and digital outputs so the results depend on how you use them. I can't speak for quality of the Airport digital out, but the Squeezebox SPDIF output quality is excellent, and improved even further with some simple modifications. Using the digital output, the sound is pretty much determined entirely by the quality of external DAC you choose to use.

Thanks for the correction Kjg. At present I'm using a USB DAC so I'm tethered to my computer but I'm going to look into the Squeezebox. Do you have more info/links on the modifications?

Hi Herman - are you saying that I will have a quality problem if go with both compressed and wireless ?

Because thats what im planning: using the Sonos wireless with a high quality DAC and Amp. etc.(once Sonos finally provides for a DAC bypass).

Please advise

It looks like the Sonos ZP-80 player has digital outputs so I don’t see why it would compromise the quality when fed to a good DAC. It isn’t clear from their literature what the output format is and I am no expert on these products, but if it works like the Squeezebox then it should be just fine.

Don’t take me as the final word on all of this. I’ve researched this stuff quite a bit but I’m still learning. I’m not saying it was a bad choice but I'm curious why you chose the Sonos over a Squeezebox? They look about the same to me and the Squeezebox is a bit cheaper. I would start googling both players and they both have user forums on their sites which have a lot of info.

I’m curious when you say you bought a Sonos system with a 500 gig drive. It looks to me that none of the Sonos systems have storage, they just get the data from your computer.