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
williamdc
50 posts
 
Rob, regarding your comment:

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

I've got a Pace-Car/Squeezebox feeding my DAC. It took me about 15 minutes out of the box until I had music playing. I'm not kidding.

Start-up time is going to be longer if you aren't familiar with the Squeezebox and Slimserver, but it isn't hard at all to set up.

I've got the Media Server PC in another room of the house -- it is my office computer. The system works great and sounds fantastic. The Pace-Car exceeded my high expectations.
shazam
205 posts
 
William, I think Rob's comment was aimed more at the number of components and the associated clutter and cost it creates versus whether it works well or not. While I've sometimes been a "more options and cool toys is good" kind of person, the more 'stuff' I have to deal with the more I lean towards the simplicity principle.

And, if you take true the axiom; "all things being equal, the shortest signal path is best" then limiting components is not just visually appealing, but sonically as well. This is where I was (am?) hoping the PS Audio Perfect Wave would deliver.
rkny OP
47 posts
 
Exactly Shazam. I have no doubt that 8 separate boxes doing their respective thing can sound good together, but a guy can only have so many outlets!

I should probably come clean and admit that since I wrote the original post I have taken the bait and picked up an Apple TV. I sold my previous attempt at simplified digital music (Arcam Solo with Rdock). The ATV with my amp/preamp sounds pretty darn good, with high bitrate files from good recordings.

Now I'm DAC shopping. I'm actually not convinced I need one, but I figure I'll give a cheap one the benefit of the doubt and see what all the buzz is about.

I posted on MacRumors asking about using the ATV with a DAC and one fellow adamantly rose up to flatly denounce the need (the ATV's DAC is "good enough"), and warned me not to listen to you guys! ;)
shazam
205 posts
 
Rkny, your experience with the "good enough" comment is a familiar one to me. Many people gasp when they learn the cost of my system and say things like "you can't hear the difference between CD and 192K mp3." Um, if you are subjecting your ears to crummy computer speakers, probably not - but I care about my hearing and the music. To each their own I guess, but those of us here know that what we do is money well spent.
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