emigration options for taking my music with me

[mikeinbrum]

I'm accepting a 2 year posting away from the UK in Qatar....seems like a pretty good time to take a break from Europe with the current doom mongering and economic gnashing of teeth. I want to, inasfar as is practically possible, take my music collection with me!

So I've invested in a 'mybook' NAS which I am loading up with my CD / MP3 collection etc. That takes care of the music library. I am also going to pack a few of my SONOS boxes to take advantage of the wireless ability & controller / interface & Napster access.

My speakers and remaining system are too big to take with me being a pair of Epos M16 floorstanders & ARCAM FMJ seperates so what are the options for replacement...

I am very interested in the AVI ADM9.1 solution, and was wondering whether WHF have had a pair to test yet (I ploughed my way through the locked thread on the subject- has there been progress since?)

What are the alternatives? I don't want to take lots of boxes with me If I can avoid it which is why the AVI solution seems to be so elegant.

 

[John Duncan]

The AVI solution is elegant, but if you're taking your Sonos with you presumably you don't need either the DAC or the amps?

 

[Anonymous]

It depends.

If he has the ZP80 or 90 then the performance will be lifted by the DAC within the speakers.

Your idea of putting all of the music on the external drive is a sound one. Maybe make an exact duplicate to a second drive too in case the first one breaks and you're left abroad without music.

Basically any laptop with any active speaker is going to be the neatest solution.

I have even seen somebody somewhere on the internet with a flight case for when he takes those AVIs abroad!

 

[mikeinbrum]

I only have the non-amplified boxes, so would need to purchase a Sonos amplifier if that proved to be the most sensible option.

 

[John Duncan]

Ah ok, so active speakers are an option. I like the look of the Dynaudio MC15. Cheaper than the AVIs, though smaller and DACless.

 

[Anonymous]

JohnDuncan:Ah ok, so active speakers are an option. I like the look of the Dynaudio MC15. Cheaper than the AVIs, though smaller and DACless.

...nor a remote-controlled pre-amp...

If you're in Brum Five-Ways HiFi is into computer audio. I know he does a mix of pro audio but domestic too. Brands like Edirol etc

 

[John Duncan]

But the Sonos has volume control, presumably?

 

[Anonymous]

JohnDuncan:But the Sonos has volume control, presumably?

Indeed, but surely it would be better to obtain a fixed output and use the volume control of a HiFi source?

If the Sonos has a digital volume control, for example, my understanding is that it will only be bit perfect at max volume! Any reduction in volume is removal of bits.

I cannot be certain that though, so somebody technical at the mag may feel it better to explain and remove the above if it is incorrect.