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which external hard disc for music storage?

i want to store my music uncompressed on an external hard disc and play it via a dedicated ibook (or similar) and external dac through a high-end audio system. can anyone suggest what might be the best external hard disc? looks, price and size apart i guess quietness is key. are there other factors to consider? i have about 400Gb of music to store. are there any relative performance issues in filling a 500Gb disc 80% versus to half fill a 750Gb disc? i am currently considering a fanless LaCie.
garbo
cwlondon
1,210 posts
 
Can I use this device?

http://atechfabrication.com/products/mass_storage.htm

As an audiophile, I like to spend as much as possible, with a substantial percentage of funds allocated to the chassis alone.

What kind of drives should I put in this? Stackable?

Please advise.
shazam
205 posts
 
Cwlondon; the short answer is "yes," you can use it IF you have the right computer setup for it. But I would say it is extreme overkill and not the best implementation for audio this purpose. The box looks like it's made more for use with non-linear editing hardware where a local, fast connection to a HD array is necessary. Much cheaper and more flexible options are available.
shazam
205 posts
 
KennyT, you are looking for a file format converter utility. There are dozens out there for the PC (I use Poikosoft myself), but since you are on a Mac I suggest you look through the apple download store.

I found this, but it doesn't say it supports apple lossless (which is odd for an apple application):

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/audio/switchfileformatconverterformac.html

Good luck.
cwlondon
1,210 posts
 
Shazam

Thanks - but it just looks so COOL. I really want it!

Otherwise still trying to figure out this puzzle....would prefer a Windows based, "thin" device, and then to store music movies files etc on remote hard drives.
garbo OP
27 posts
 
hi, i posted the original question. thanks for all the advice. for information, i opted for 2 x 500gB LaCie hard drives (one as archive), as these were on offer at a good price! they run warm but are quiet. music quality is to my ears indistiguishable from cd, so i am happy right now.
if technology improves and/or my music collection grows i can always buy a different 1gB hard disc.
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