PC Audio Choice: Mac+USB, Transporter, or Squeezbx

Your listening preferences and the type of DAC you are attracted to are the real deciding factor here. It would be wise to try a few things if you can; you can do a 30 day trial with the Transporter and your local dealer should offer at least a week-end courtesy with other products. Listen to a few options and make comments here about what you did or did not like and ask for feedback. We all have our preferences and tastes, it helps to know a little more about yours.

I did a side by side comparison with a stock Transporter against my Sonos network and PC Audio running FLAC files. I ran the Sonos through the Transporter to get a feel for it's DAC ('Miracle DAC') and then all three through my PS Audio DAC 3 for side by side comparison. The PS Audio DAC was much 'livelier' muscular at the bottom end but also had more 'digititis' at the high end. A good part of that may have been jitter, but I'm just reporting what I heard. The Transporter had the least 'offensive' sound here, but seemed to lack depth and dynamic when leaving the comfort of it's own DAC.

I ended up returning the Transporter since I didn't have a spare computer to put on the network (required for running SqueezeServer). I also have since moded both the Sonos box and the PS Audio DAC through Cullen Circuits. The mod really opened up the DAC's dynamics and staging and the Sonos is a lot cleaner and less 'glaring' now, but it's still a very 'aggressive' sound compared to the Transporter. The PC sound through the moded DAC is fairly comparable in range to the Sonos though not as good with staging and nowhere near as convenient.

All things considered, I will likely transition to the Transporter when I can pick up a computer or a software compliant NAS (very expensive). The stock Transporter provided the more analog and 'easy on the ears' sound I am looking for - and the possibility of the ModWright version could take it that much higher.

Hope that helps you understand some of the components you are looking at a little better. Listen to a few things and make some comments. It will help to if you mention the types of music you listen to, what you like about it, and what other components you will be using with your (eventual) chosen solution.

The 581 is ok but the 581SE is awesome. One of the very best players money can buy. I did not compare the DAC's to each other. I have since sold my 581ise and my Ayre C-5xe for the Modwright version of the transporter.

Keep your Apple iBook G3, buy a 2TB external FireWire/USB drive with RAID. This will be cheaper than a standalone NAS solution, more reliable, more flexible and more powerful and will leverage what you already have. If you want to turn the external drive into a network drive later, you can -- just turn on the Mac's disk sharing on the network and you're done.

It's neither convenient or economical to buy multiple laptops, so I'd stick with one as your music server and either the Duet or the Airport Express. Buy a Monarchy DIP Classic reclocker for each end point to reduce the jitter from either the AE or Duet. Also buy external DACs for everyone and you're set.

Now you just have to choose, Duet or AE?

Fortunately, both systems play well together. You can configure the SlimServer software to point to your iTunes library, and you can use iTunes to play music to an Airport Express. I'd wait until July 11 to see what Apple is releasing for the iPod Touch/iPhone 2.0. Rumour has it there's a new
remote iTunes control software that will rival the Duet Controller.

After thinking about the Airport Express option more, I'd avoid it. iTunes won't be able to provide multiple streams to different AE targets.

So I like the Duet with Duet controller.

If you have a large house and you're worried about coverage, get an Airport Extreme base station and a couple of Airport Express units configured as WDS repeaters and you'll have good 802.11 coverage everywhere.