Where should I start for computer audio??


I've always been a late bloomer, late on picking up on the new tech, and just generally late where ever I go (especially work), but I have been reading a lot lately about computers replacing our CD players and have been overwhelmed in how it not only works, but how to do it. I currently have a pretty nice 2 channel audio system: Magnepan 3.6s, Tjoeb CD player w/ upsampler, H2O S-250 amp, modified Mapletree Ultra 4A tube preamp. Nevertheless, I see the writing on the wall; the death of CD players is soon to arrive. I can even see a time coming where there will be streaming audio that will function like "on demand" cable, ie., you won't own CDs, but just choose from a list of all albums available and the music on an album will be playing on your system with the click of a mouse. My problem is that I am a computer dummy. Where do I begin to learn about how to put together a comuter audio playback system? I have an iMac, iMac laptop and an Airport express, but have no idea how these things work or how I could set up a playback system (my wife is the computer geek in my house, but more interested in graphic design than music). I realize my question is way too broad, but is there any reading material out there that would be a good place to start to not only understand this stuff, but how to implement it and make it work? Is there anything like Robert Harley's book on highend audio for computer audio (wonder if Harley's book will be revised to discuss this subject)? Thanks for any guidance you might have.
hartwerger
Wanted to add just a bit more. My last post is more of a general answer. For you specifically given the gear you already have, do the following:

1. Install iTunes if you haven't already, and encode your music.
2. Stream your music from iTunes to your Airport Express (you do this directly from iTunes once the Airport Express is configured).
3. Run the Airport Express into your stereo. You have 2 options for doing so. First option (least good) is to get a mini stereo plug to RCA adapter, and plug it into the line in of an amp or reveiver. Second option (best) is to but a mini-toslink (digital) plug, plug that into the Airport Express (it accepts mini stereo and mini toslink), and then plug the other end into the digital input of a receiver (or DAC). That will give you the best sound.
USB out to USB/SPDIF converter (Hagtech, Empirical Audio) to the DAC of your choice: Benchmark, BelCanto. Or just use a USB DAC such as the Brick or Apogee, directly from your computer. Dedicate one of your Macs to audio, get yourself a big hard drive. Rip to an uncompressed or lossless format. You should be set. USB has some distance limitations, but you can get a repeater if you need it. That's all you need.
Some people are interested in using the CD-Rom drive of a computer for a transport because it has very low jitter due to its internal cache and high speed processing.

Albert at space tech lab has been making cdplayers using computer cd-rom drives for years.
Do you live near a Bestbuy?
They have guys who can help you with it.
If not, you can search the yellow pages for a computer advisor.

You should be able get one going in an hour of advice.

Perhaps your wife can set it up for you.

There is a sight called www.listen.com - you can stream from it.

www.classicalarchives.com is for classical music.

You need about 400 MB per CD if you use Apple lossless. So if you have say 1000 CD's then you require approx 400 GB drive....now to be safe you should have two drives and have them mirrored in case a drive dies...as half life of disk drives seems to be around 3 years....

It can be done...it is not that easy though...unless you go for lossy compression algorithms.

Note that La Cie make 500 GB drives available at Apple store (but make sure you read the reviews....a lot of complaints about early deaths....)

I prefer to use CD changers....but I will switch to hard drives eventually as they get more reliable and have even higher storage.