High End User Interface for PC Audio

I am currently researching options myself and I am being lured into investing in a Bluetooth-enabled and WiFi enabled Apple Mac Mini and Sailing Software's Clicker software to use a Palm or other Bluetooth-enabled PDA device to control the Mac Mini. I would use the Mac Mini as a dedicated music server, so I wouldn't need a display, keyboard or mouse for normal use. I am actually waiting with bated breath for the new Intel-powered Mac Minis that may came out at Macworld next month.

For a DAC, I am looking into Wavelength Audio's Brick USB DAC. It has received great reviews from Art Dudley of "Stereophile" and the Webzine "Enjoy the Music." Gordon Rankin of Wavelength Audio presents a strong case for using the USB bus as a digital transport for virtually eliminating jitter and other digital transport errors. Coupled with the fact that a PC (Mac or Wintel machine) is capable of delivering an error-free digital audio signal (memory buffers, hard drive error correction, etc.), a USB DAC makes good sense. Check out Wavelength Audio's Web site (http://www.wavelengthaudio.com/usbdac.html) and read about this emerging, and possibly disruptive, audio technology. I've also contacted Ack! Industries (http://www.ack-industries.com/dAck!.html) and they are developing a USB-enabled DAC as well. Another great argument for PC-based audio systems comes from Steve Nugent of Empirical Audio (http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue22/nugent.htm). Mr. Nugent is a former Intel engineer.

Because the Airport Express relies on an optical digital signal transmission, you may lose some quality of the digital signal from the optical-electrical signal conversion that could result in digital jitter. I'd stick with a hard wired S/PDIF, or better yet USB, connection.

If you choose the PC route, check out the offerings from Hush Technologies, a German Wintel PC manufacturer that uses fanless PC cooling. They employ heat pipes, heat sink fins and other acoustical and mechanical damping technolgies for creating a media-friendly PC. They offer remote options as well as a WiFi-to-Pocket PC connection option for remote control.

Hmm... Something in a form factor that looks like a piece of audio gear, not a computer. Try A-Tech Fabrication, for example. Heat pipe, fanless technology to limit sound. Quiet, isolated HDDs, or RAM drives for added quiet. Real audio outputs with better reclocking. Better indexing and CD lookup capabilities--song by song, for example. Something that will bring back cover art, lyrics, song, title, artist, genre, tempo, etc.

I'm actually in the process of redoing my computer interface. I've got an old Viewsonic 10" touchpanel that is wireless--it uses 802.11 on a wireless network to serve as a "remote desktop" for WinXP. I picked up a Serener fanless ITX mini-PC with a quiet 120 GB Samsung spinpoint drive, 800 MHz processor, and 0.5 GB of RAM, with WinXP. I was going to run both Cinemar's Mainlobby software and (probably) Foobar 2000 on it, as well as using it as the Slimserver for my Squeezebox 3s. The Mainlobby software, with girder and a USB to RS232 hub, will talk to my dCS stack, my Pio plasma, and HDMI switch. I'll have to use a USB-UIRT to talk to my PS Audio Power Director, pre-amp, and CATV box, but in the end, I should have a 10" wireless touchscreen that serves as a universal system remote and interface to audio. I'll just use the existing waveterminal U24 I have to run audio out of the ITX box to my gear.

This is all great and thank you.

I still think we are giant steps away, however, from the look, feel, build quality and high performance luxury of super high end audio components.

Re: "Great wine in a cheap glass" to me, perhaps I should have said that this PC audio stuff feels more like eating foie gras, or rack of lamb, on a paper plate with a plastic fork.

But there is no debate regarding the convenience and the dramatically improved quality of audio that is possible from this format.

Apple is a step in the right direction, but still doesnt really compare to a Rowland or Levinson or Jadis device.

Everything from the PC case itself - whether a "tower" or "home theatre" configuration...to the monitor, to the input devices should go well with our super high end, hand made heavy weight gear.

So please give us more ideas.

Ultimately, I would love to have hundreds of CDs, conveniently archived for "surfing", ripping for the car, or transfer to iPod, all CDs put in storage, then listen only to analogue and SACD when I really feel the need to have a geeked out listening session.

This is the future. High end, although smaller, is not going away, and I am not trading my SCD-1 for a Dell notebook.

Cheers

cwlondon

put the PC in a nice case or hide it right behind your preamp! Then use VNC, windows remote, etc to remote control the screen like you were there off of a tablet pc which will make it like a big touch screen remote you can use anywhere in the house, oh yea you can surf the web as well or pull up information if you are in the kitchen. I am going this root.

If you want to pursue software upsampling and other DSPs, go with a USB to SPDIF converter or a DAC with built-in USB input.

Otherwise, you can save yourself a lot of trouble to go with Squeezebox or Soundbridge (avoid M1001) and use their digital output to the DAC of your choice.

See http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1205/slimdevices_squeezebox.htm