Someone please 'splain me

Shazaam! You've cracked through my thick skull, and now I understand. Hopefully, by the end of next week, I'll have all of the pieces and be up and running.
Thank you all again for the input. My wife also thanks you!
Howard

Thanks again to all of you for the help. Ckorody, you've been indispensable in so generously responding to my questions both here and privately.

I put iTunes on the computer in our upstairs bedroom so I could avoid having the unwanted computer noise in the listening room. I put a 300GB hard drive on the same system, and the Squeezebox sits in the listening room. The wireless arrangement between the two works perfectly. We have about 400+ CD's loaded onto the hard drive, and even with the SB DAC the sound is decent. Tomorrow, however, we will be picking up our CDP, which is having a digital input installed, and we'll run a digital cable between the SB and our DAC, which sounds dramatically better than that of the SB...as it should, considering the price difference.

Nothing like having the convenience of the hard drive. We end up listening to CD's that might not otherwise find themselves into the rotation. This is a lot of fun, and my wife is thrilled at the ease of using this setup.

Thank you all again.
Howard
P.S.--It should be noted that if you are using the SB with a PC, you can rip to an external hard drive VIA iTunes, using the iTunes editing software, etc., but as far as I understand, you can NOT 'drive' from iTunes. In other words, you must use the SB remote OR Slim Server in order to control the playback, not iTunes. If anyone knows differently, please say so.

Hi Boa2,

I was hoping that you could provide what your experiences were after using your CD player's DAC with the SqueezeBox? I have a Cary 303/200 that accepts digital in for use with its built in DAC and was thinking of doing something more or less like you did.

Also, do you regret using iTunes?

Portugal11,
Thus far, it is difficult to say as to whether I prefer the SB -> DAC, or the player by itself. They definitely sound different, but both are superb. The bottom line for me is the convenience, and the enthusiasm I have for the Random Mix. The surprise of that next song makes listening a lot of fun, and we have the music running all day.

The SB reads the free download software from Slim Devices, known as Slim Server. It's their version of iTunes, if you will. So, I do use iTunes to import from hard disc into my music library--on an external hard drive--but to affect any changes in the playback, I have to 'drive' with the Slim Server, the layout of which I happen to prefer to iTunes. In addition, I can dial up songs or re-program the playback by using either the SB remote, or at the computer where the external hard drive is connected.

Let me know if I've answered (or not answered) your questions.
Howard

Hi Boa2,

That is interesting that you find it difficult to say which you prefer... I would have thought that playing the SB through your modified player's DAC would have been the clear cut choice. Show hows little I know...

Also, does anyone one have any idea about what this KMixer issue is? If I use iTunes to convert all my CD's it's now my understanding Windows XP will automatically upsample and then downsample the recordings. This apparently has a negative effect on the music's sound quality from what I understand???

Thanks!