Buy new cd player or buy a DAC for transport

[Mike Anderson]

I have been looking at the duet as well as a few others. The idea of having an old comp near the sound system is intriguing as well.

I haven't tried using a PS3.

The Duet is a Slim Devices (now owned by Logitech) product. I have one of their other products (Squeezebox) and I swear by it. So do a lot of other customers; they're a bit of a cult following.

Again, you don't need to put a computer near your stereo rig.

Also, it comes with its own software (SqueezeCenter) that creates a database of your music, lets you search and create playlists, connects you to Internet radio, etc. You can download the software for free:

http://www.slimdevices.com/su_downloads.html

[Feanor]

I haven't tried using a PS3.

The Duet is a Slim Devices (now owned by Logitech) product. I have one of their other products (Squeezebox) and I swear by it. So do a lot of other customers; they're a bit of a cult following.

Again, you don't need to put a computer near your stereo rig.

Also, it comes with its own software (SqueezeCenter) that creates a database of your music, lets you search and create playlists, connects you to Internet radio, etc. You can download the software for free:

http://www.slimdevices.com/su_downloads.html

What I don't think I could live with with any of the Slimdevices is the lack of a real interface, by which I mean the likes of iTunes, Foobar2000 which I use, or various other players that give you full library and playlist displays, and even display album artwork.

Perhaps its the fact that I listen mainly to classical but really couldn't manage my listening with only a 2-3 lines of display or even the dozen or however many you get with the Duet.
...

[Mike Anderson]

What I don't think I could live with with any of the Slimdevices is the lack of a real interface, by which I mean the likes of iTunes, Foobar2000 which I use, or various other players that give you full library and playlist displays, and even display album artwork.

You can use iTunes as your interface, as long as your music is in a compatible format.

But as long as you're using a computer, you don't have to settle for 2-3 lines of display no matter what interface you use. The SqueezeCenter interface gives you artwork and all tags.

[Mike Anderson]

The Squeezecenter interface is highly customizable. Here's what the default looks like:

Now Playing window:



Info about songs in the menu:

[Feanor]

The Squeezecenter interface is highly customizable. Here's what the default looks like:

Now Playing window:
...

Thanks, Mike,

That looks like a pretty decent inferface. But isn't that what you see at your computer which, in the context of this discussion, is some distance away your hifi system? What I'm talking about is having your computer right beside your system.

I'll admit that having a remote control would be nice, even with the compter near your system. Some players support hand remote units, as I understand. In my case I have the ultimate remote control: Windows Remote Connection.

It might boggle the minds of some people, but I've actually got two computers in my listening area:

1. The dedicated music/internet radio machine adjacent to my other components, and
2. A general purpose computer at my listening position that I use, for example, to write this response as I listen to CBC Classical internet radio.

Because my music computer has XP Professional, I'm able to set up a remote session on my g/p computer and fully control the former from the position of the latter. This is beauty at least from me. The two machines are to a switch by Cat5, and hence by Cat5 to a router, and hence the Internet.

[Mike Anderson]

Bill, I use two computers too. The music server is a desktop PC that sits far away from the stereo rig. I use a laptop at my listening position to interface with it.

However, I don't have to remote into the PC. Squeezecenter works over a network on a web browser like Firefox or Internet Explorer. You can access it from any computer within range just by typing the web address into your browser.

Or, you can use a remote control. The Squeezebox comes with a pretty basic remote that doesn't have a graphic display, or you can splurge for the iPod-like controller with a wheel and a screen that displays the artwork etc.:

http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_controller.html

Here's what the web interface looks like in Firefox:

[Feanor]

Bill, I use two computers too. The music server is a desktop PC that sits far away from the stereo rig. I use a laptop at my listening position to interface with it.

However, I don't have to remote into the PC. Squeezecenter works over a network on a web browser like Firefox or Internet Explorer. You can access it from any computer within range just by typing the web address into your browser.
...
Here's what the web interface looks like in Firefox: ...

With SqueezeCenter can feed a regular sound card or do you have to use a SlimDevices device??

[Feanor]

Bill, I use two computers too. The music server is a desktop PC that sits far away from the stereo rig. I use a laptop at my listening position to interface with it.

However, I don't have to remote into the PC. Squeezecenter works over a network on a web browser like Firefox or Internet Explorer. You can access it from any computer within range just by typing the web address into your browser.

My my music machine is bit of a pain to maintain as is any computer, plus it's noisier than I would like. My new general purpose machine no doubt has sufficient horsepower to support SqueezeCenter and the external drive with my music files. Looks like I could use just a Squeeze Receiver to replace my music computer total. It's claimed to deliver a bit perfect bit stream and low jitter and could even replace the older DAC I'm using.

This looks like a option I will explore further!

[Brick Top]

Couldn't you just use a wireless mouse and keyboard to control the comp placed by the system?

I feel that using an old comp(I have a few laying around) would work pretty good...but I still would need to invest in a really good sound card like M-audio. Having a unit like a Squeezebox or Duet would still give me the ability to use the digital out for better sound quality.

Weighing all the different options makes my head hurt a bit. I think I need to lie down now.

Cheers,
BT

[Mike Anderson]

Couldn't you just use a wireless mouse and keyboard to control the comp placed by the system?

I suppose, if the monitor was in your line of sight.

But I perpetually have a laptop in my lap anyway; when I'm listening to music I surf the web at the same time. I just keep a browser tab open for my music, and cue up new tunes or internet radio stations whenever the music runs out.

Just get a Squeezebox or Duet. I can practically guarantee you'll be thrilled with it.

Do you have a wireless setup?

[Feanor]

Couldn't you just use a wireless mouse and keyboard to control the comp placed by the system?

I feel that using an old comp(I have a few laying around) would work pretty good...but I still would need to invest in a really good sound card like M-audio. Having a unit like a Squeezebox or Duet would still give me the ability to use the digital out for better sound quality.

Weighing all the different options makes my head hurt a bit. I think I need to lie down now.

Cheers,
BT

Yes, for sure you could use wireless k/b & m. I considered doing that myself but was left with the fact that I still couldn't see the monitor from my listening chair.

In my case, I put an M-Audio Revolution 7.1 sound card into my music machine; it feeds my DAC via S/PDIF. Check out my configuration below.