Are Disc Players Dead?

Macdactexas,

I have had an iPod and have been using iTunes since the day Apple came out with a Windows - capable iPod. I use a Classic with a Wadia i170 into my W4S DAC2. I am highly computer literate and easily could go the route you suggest. But my experience with Toslink has been poor and I have not read much that was good about AppleTV or equivalent for truly high end sound. I have not heard of for a computer audio route to compare to my RAM modded CEC TL-1X transport, via a Stealth Sextet digicable, to W4S DAC2: 2 components and a cable, top of the line sound, works every time. No kernel streaming, ASIO, WASAPI, crashes, dropouts, ripping, burning, downloading, backup, viruses, incomprehensible or nonexistent instructions, firmware, infirmware, et al. When computer audio routinely gets rid of those impediments, sign me up.

I may yet try a Mac Mini just to prove myself wrong, which I would love to do and I will be the first to admit it, but I doubt that will happen.

Neal

Are Disc Players Dead?

No, they just smell funny...

Slipknot1, that was just a classic response, and oh so correct.

I agree with Macdactexas 100%. I did the server thing about a year ago and got a bryston dace kimber cable USB and ripped lossless. The sound was not near what my cd player, now I have a s7i and I think on my system a server would be hard pressed to play better than that. I am a computer guy by trade so I really wished the pc worked out I am tired of scratched disks and switching etc. But the detail was just not there.

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Programmergeek, I see the s7i sells for about $6k. Did you put that much money towards a killer DAC? You may not be making a fair comparison. I'm sure that with $6k some of the guys here that know what they're doing could put together a DAC and digital player combo that could equal the s7i.
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