My head hurts....

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Musicfile... the USB DAC is an UltraFi iRoc, the wireless computer a MacMini, the USB cable a Ridge Street Audio. I have two of these... one into a ss setup, the other into a tube setup... and both are just amazing. The RSA USB cable is just stunning once it is fully broken in (maybe 60+ hours) but not at all intolerable before. I've also found a stunning thing... each of the USB ports on the MacMini (four of them) sound a little different... one or two are much, much better than the others... go figure. Larry Moore of Ultra Fi tipped me to that nugget.

Hope this helps,

:) listening,

Ed

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Istanbulu Thanks !

I'm very happy with my Playback Designs player (see my review thread),
but I was also really happy with my EMM 2-box setup before.
Now that the EMM 1-box CDSA is selling used in the $5K range, I would go with that. These players leave my older
Accuphase 75V and Meridian 508.24 in the dust.
I hope the Ridgestreet Sasons are doing well, too.

MAC or PC?

Well, what's on hand right now? Really? then try that first.

As has been posted there are many levels, and flavors along the way in ANY realm of audio.

Begin with what you have now. it might suprise you what can be done with it. It sure did me. Just picking out a different media player made the sound better! I'd never have believed that to be the case. But then, I'm eternally skeptical.

This ain't rocket science. We just think we're NASA engineers... no offense to those who really are of course. Much of what can or should be done with pc audio or digital audio is at this stage, simple plug and play. usually. now and then there's the needed download too.

I keep seeing rhetoric about noisey personal confusers so one should use an outboard sound card, or DAC. that aforementioned noise can be amelierated with little trouble. Just open up the case, for staters! A nice PCI card might be the way to go right off.

Just try something and see if that floats your boat. If not, then try something else. For under $150.00, you can get a M Audio Audiophile 24/192 PCI card that has several inputs and outputs for recording OR playing back music. For free you can get J River Jukebox. J River, BTW is well regarded as a favored media player by several of the top USB DAC makers.

Just getting in where ya fit in is always a good place to begin. Then.... think about what or where to go from there, and most importantly, how you want to utilize this new playback system. Whole house? Wireless? Remotely? USB?

Good luck... don't let it overwhelm you. it's not that much trouble... and remember, "best or better" is up to you to decide anyways.

"Begin with what you have now. it might surprise you what can be done with it."

Absolutely. try what you have before convincing yourself it ain't any good. You might be surprised.

You can and with the rate at which this technology is evolving, probably will always upgrade later.