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Dummy Guide on What's Needed to hook up Mini Mac

I have read many post on this issue, but am still utterly confused.

Current system Mini Mac will be hooked up to:
YBA stereo integrated amp
Oppo universal player
Madisound home made speaker system

1.) What exactly do I need to buy and how do I hook up a Mini Mac digital playback system to my current system for CD playback?

2.) How do I get CD's into it?

3.) Do I need external DAC and transport?

4.) How much memory in hard drive is needed?

5.) Can it operate with a remote?

6.) Will this system act like a music server?

7.) Is the sound quality as good as high end CD player?

Finally:

8.) I don't know what questions to ask, as I'm a real dummy on this issue, so please tell me what to buy (on a budget) and what to do?
128x128mjcmt
tpk123
61 posts
 
Save yourself and just buy an iMAC and the USB DAC. It will save space if all you will use this unit for is music and it comes with the monitor, remote, mouse, keyboard.
mjcmt's avatar
mjcmt OP
710 posts
 
Tpk123,

I did some looking at the Apple web site and saw the Mac Book laptop. It has it all. Does this seem like a good option?

I can get a Mac Book laptop for $1099 and a PS Audio Link III USB DAC for $995. Is this a good option?

Can I send a signal wireless from the Mac Book to the USB DAC or is there sound quality loss?
tpk123
61 posts
 
I am not sure about the Mac books, but I was thinking the iMac would have larger hard drives...I only know b.c I looked into it. I believe you can send wireless signals through a squeezebox, but I am unsure about sound degredation. I have not done coputer audio yet, this is just what I have researched. I am still on the fence.
rmrobinson1957
57 posts
 
Good thread.

Is there a way to get 24 bit/96 kHz PCM out of a Mac? A sound card? Software? I have a G5.

Thanks.

Bob R.
tobias
1,534 posts
 
Rmrobinson1957, your Mac with iTunes will output 24/96 over USB and Firewire but if your DAC won't convert it you're out of luck. Just make sure you get an appropriate external DAC.

I use an M-Audio Audiophile USB and an Apogee Mini-DAC. The M-Audio is OK for the money and converts both ways (I use it to rip cassettes) while the DAC-only Apogee is a top contender at its price point. Both will do 24/96. I have no personal experience with such hi-res files, though.

You configure the computer's output with the Audio MIDI Setup application in the Utilities folder of your Mac.

Mjcmt, I like a laptop for use in the listening room but a noisy hard drive would bother me. The internal drive in my Mac PowerBook is quiet enough but it is too small for a large collection of music, even using Apple Lossless compression. YMMV of course. I myself would look for a couple of whisper-quiet externals (main and backup) with large capacity and a FireWire interface.
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