Music from hard drive better than CD?


Hi folks, I'm considering to buy a MacIntosh G5 for using it as a source in a high quality audio system. Will the Mac outperform the best CD-transport/DAC combo's simply by getting rid of jitter? It surely will be a far less costlier investment than a top transport/DAC combo from let's say Wadia or DCS, hehe. What is your opinion?
dazzdax
How about "the ultimate one box system".

1. CD/DVD/SACD transport.
2. Hard disc to store the music, with playback immediately (no jitter), or later.
3. Video screen for index of library, and control.
4. Digital Power amp.
and maybe AM/FM/XM radio tuner.

Add speakers of your choice.
Look for Bose to do it.
Doesn't Revox and/or Goldmund make something like that already. Linn also comes close.
Here is something I found --

From 6 Moons' review of a Hard Drive based system ---

One of the great advantages of playing music from a hard drive is that the playback is all byte-by-byte. You are not hearing music through a device that is trying to read a spinning disc in real time. The major source of jitter and distortion is simply eliminated in this hard drive-based process. As I heard it, the net effect is a terrific sense of natural musical flow.

http://6moons.com/audioreviews/vrs/vrs_3.html

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I don't know if it will outperform all CD transport/DAC combos, but a hard disk computer system is capable of very high quality. The Apple G5 is an excellent starting platform. In combination with iTunes and an iPod (optional) you'll have unparalleled access to your music collection.

As an example, the other night I was listening to Lucinda Williams' "2 Cool To Be 4-Gotten" and the first verse is about Robert Johnson. I mention this to my girlfriend and she asks, "Do you have any Robert Johnson?" Two or three mouse clicks later we're listening to RJ singing "Stop Breakin' Down" which we then followed with the Rolling Stones version of the same. This led to a comparison of their versions of "Love In Vain", followed by the Clash doing "Train In Vain" and finally Dwight Yoakam's cover of the Clash tune. Instant access to your music collection will transform how you listen.
Rsbeck...Until I heard what people say on this site I just assumed that the data from reading the disc went into a buffer register, and was gated out one (16 bit) word at a time. Coming from my experience with military digital equipment it's obvious that this is how it should be done. This implementation would be a trivial cost. The hard disc transfer would accomplish the same jitter reduction (and some other features) but at significant cost.