Building a music server - newbie

Use one of the several USB DACs out there and avoid using the sound card altogether. This gets the critical circuitry out of the RF hell inside the computer case. I've thought about putting together a hybrid solution where the USB DAC sits on your equipment rack connected to the preamp. If your music is on a laptop, you just plug in the USB on the laptop when you want to listen to music. You have the laptop to use for normal computer tasks AND you have your music collection with you when you're away from your main system.

Dick

good resource is computeraudio.com

I'm with Dick, use a USB DAC, or one of those USB/Optical converters to a DAC, and then to your preamp. It's much simpler than going for a soundcard, and probably cheaper too. Studio soundcards have many features unnecessary for audio; matrixing your channels might be fun to do if you have multiple systems and switch speakers around often, but it's mainly for studio use in mixing.

Here's another tip. I recommend you go with a network attached storage, so you can move your hard drive -- the noisiest component -- away from your system. You should also consider a RAID backup, because it's only a matter of time before hard drives will fail.

As for software, use anythings; it's a graphical, and ergonomic preference thing. The only thing that matters is that the software allows for correct drivers, which is pretty much damn near all of them. Windows Vista and above the default drivers are perfect, so it's not a complicated process at all. I recommend foobar2000 for it's customizable interface -- and it's free. Monkey Media costs money I think, and offers no real advantages over foobar2000. J Rivers is a bit on the simplistic side for me, it's nothing much to look at, and feels "clunky" to use.

I have been running Rakuennow method for over a year, laptop to USB DAC with all files on Buffalo NAS running RAID 1. will add a 2nd Buffalo when I run out of space, running RAID 1 does cut the storage space by half but I have more than music in that server.

Microsoft also has network storage solution running Intel Atom, that can be another option and much more flexible than Buffalo NAS but cost is also higher.

Wow, Sounds like a bunch of options. OK, I give up on the sound card and will try to DAC. Have never used or bought one. What about an external hard drive? Looks like I can get one for $100.00. I only have 1,000 cds , so, from what I understand, I could store them all on it in the original file format. And buy a second one for backup. What's the advantage of a NAS? I only have one room where my stereo is and will just run the audio through the one system.

Thank each of you for taking the time to share your thoughts.