2. pc-audio
  3. 1205110498

It's 2008. Why aren't there better options ?

Apple TV: Great interface, lousy DAC, requires TV to be on.

Transporter: Tiny interface, decent DAC, no TV option.

Airport Express: No interface, requires computer to be on/in same room.

Squeezebox Duet: Nice remote, requires computer.

Sonos: Again with the always-on computer? Nice remote though.

Olive: I can get my own music off my CDs, thanks. Hey I Just saved $3000!

PC/Mac/NAS rigged with wires/routers/DACs/Pace Cars. Seriously?

So where is it? The all in one 2008 wonder machine? In the era of tech convergence, why is it still so tricky to get high quality digital music piped through your speakers?

I don't want to leave my computer and router on. I don't want to turn my TV on every time I want to hear a song...sometimes maybe, but not always. Shouldn't I be able to choose? I don't need a CD player built in. I don't want a big ugly NAS with 6 drive bays.

What I do want is a quality built in DAC with reclocking, a swappable hard drive bay or 2, an on-board monochrome display AND a nice color LCD remote AND the option to navigate via TV. I also want wifi, for PC streaming if needed, internet radio/podcasts, and the ability to buy lossless music some day. Video would be nice too.

All in all, the ulitmate machine will have the iTunes integration and hard drive of Apple TV, the build quality (or better) and wifi of the Transporter, the remote of the Sonos or Duet, in a unit that looks and sounds good, and doesn't rely solely on a TV, a router, or a computer, but can interface with all of them at will.

It can be done, and it can be done for $1000 or less. Whoever does it first will own the market.

Discuss!

Rob
rkny
rdc2000
27 posts
 
Shazam- great post. One of the best distillations of the state of PC Audio I've seen.

Network storage and file access are easy and flexible, as you said.

For me, I much prefer Apples interface to Sonos for a variety of reasons.

If the transport had the network capability of Sonos, could use itunes as the interface, and could have a simple, jitterless digital connection to whatever Dac was best for your system, that would be all I would need.

A souped up Airport Express /Sonos ZP80 really. Or did I just describe a Mac Mini?
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Even if theese manufacturers developed a networked DAC, the DAC design would still be the issue. Good DAC design does not come easy. There are literally no stock DAC's on the market that I would have in my system, at any price.

Also, the jitter problem still has to be solved, even with Async USB or networked solutions. There is no silver bullet, just good design.

If you want a souped-up Sonos, Squeezebox, Olive or AirPort Express, it already exists. It's called a Pace-Car.
shazam
205 posts
 
it will be interesting to see if the PS Audio Perfect Wave has any impact in this arena. I haven't been able to get on the discussion boards to learn the details about it, but some of the press sounds promising
computeraudiophile
18 posts
 
Don't count on the PS Audio device anytime soon and don't count on many of the options they've been "advertising."
kbuzz
214 posts
 
Computer audiophile. Can you provide any details regarding your opinion of the Perfect wave. Ive been waiting for it as an option over a SB because it supposedly will play audio off a HD. However, if it cant, and or if it requires an hdmi dac as opposed to a coax then ill pass.

More importantly, if it will not read data "ala a memory player" as advertised then all the other features are meaningless
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