Amplifer Advice for Mac music server

[mattpitts74]

I have recently repurposed an old Apple Mac G4 as a media server using itunes, and I have a 10 year old yamaha RX-V396RDS av receiver that I was going to connect it to. I would be grateful of some advice about the best options for connections?

I am wondering whether I need to buy an external DAC?

The reciever has an optical input so I assume this would be the best way to connect the mac to the receiver, so I also assume the receiver has a DAC build into it.

I'm also wondering about upgrading the avr to one of the newer models which seem to have a lot more bells and whistles or would I be better off with a stereo amp?

I would in interested to hear what people are using and how they are connected their Macs to amps and receivers? I will be mainly playing music, so was thinking I might be better off with a dedicated stereo amp, rather than an aging avr. My budget is £500 max, thanks in advance.

 

[MajorFubar]

Does the G4 have an optical output?

As for how my Mac is connected to my amp, if you'd asked me a week ago I'd have told you 'via my £300 HRT II+ DAC'. But it isn't now: I just use the Mac's line-output. In fact I'm selling the HRT to release some cash. The harsh reality is, after I'd fallen for all the hype and spiel attached to DACs like the HRT II+, attached to my Mac I can barely tell the difference between it and the Mac's built-in sound card. Any money I release from selling it will get put towards buying something which makes more difference to the sound of my system. Such as speakers to replace the pair I'm borrowing. But YMMV because I do accept that not all DACs sound the same. For example the one in my Toshiba P300 laptop is horrid.