Laptop or Desktop - with optical out

[SteveR750]

Since my Viao had decided to commit suicide, I'm thinking of replacing it if the repair costs are prohibitive, so just doing some research up front.

What would be a good choice for streaming music, I'd need min 6G of RAM, and an optical out. I don't want a MAC so thanks in advance for the suggestion - since I've learned from MajorFubar that iTunes isn't quite as pure and direct as I'd thought, plus I don't have (and probably never will) an iPhone, or any other Apple products.

I guess the alternative is to buy a dedicated streamer.

 

[AnotherJoe]

If the PC has an optical or HDMI out then any will do for music with either windows or linux.

But a streamer is a more convieniant solution.

If you're dead set on a pc I'd take a look at pcpro's alist - http://www.pcpro.co.uk/alist

 

[SteveR750]

If the PC has an optical or HDMI out then any will do for music with either windows or linux.

But a streamer is a more convieniant solution.

If you're dead set on a pc I'd take a look at pcpro's alist - http://www.pcpro.co.uk/alist

Thanks for that, really useful.

The ASus N56 does all that my Sony does (did) for nearly half the price.

 

[CnoEvil]

I guess the alternative is to buy a dedicated streamer.

You've answered your own question.

NAS -> Streamer is the best way to go......Now find the one you like the sound of; even if it's attached to a Chord Dac.

 

[Craig M.]

Nas + Squeezebox Touch. No need to ****** about with media players, or worry about bit-perfectness. And you still get to be a tart and stick a dac on it, not that it needs one. You can still use Spotify, too. It's the route I should've gone really.

 

[CnoEvil]

Nas + Squeezebox Touch. No need to ****** about with media players, or worry about bit-perfectness. And you still get to be a tart and stick a dac on it, not that it needs one. You can still use Spotify, too. It's the route I should've gone really.

Craig, which media players have you EDITED about with?

 

[Craig M.]

Only the mac ones Cno, pure music and amarra. Without wanting to cause a debate, couldn't hear any difference from iTunes. I don't care about 24/96 et al and would just resample it to 16/44.1 if I really, really preferred the remaster, so it was an easy decision to stick with iTunes. I'm not an audiophile though...

 

[CnoEvil]

Only the mac ones Cno, pure music and amarra. Without wanting to cause a debate, couldn't hear any difference from iTunes. I don't care about 24/96 et al and would just resample it to 16/44.1 if I really, really preferred the remaster, so it was an easy decision to stick with iTunes. I'm not an audiophile though...

Thx Craig - fair enough.....being an Audiophile is overrated!

 

[SteveR750]

I guess the alternative is to buy a dedicated streamer.

You've answered your own question.

NAS -> Streamer is the best way to go......Now find the one you like the sound of; even if it's attached to a Chord Dac.

Have you got a shortlist (apart from the Sneaky obviously)

How do I get my music files from the HDD to a NAS? Come to think of it, how do I get them from CD to NAS?

 

[CnoEvil]

Have you got a shortlist (apart from the Sneaky obviously)

Naim and Cyrus should be tried. Your other alternative is something like a SBT with a DAC (QUTE?)

How do I get my music files from the HDD to a NAS? Come to think of it, how do I get them from CD to NAS?

I got a RipNas to avoid the problem. Without something like this, you need a Laptop to rip your CDs to a NAS.....and you should be able copy your stuff from the HDD onto the NAS (which is only storage that goes on a network).

Others who know what they are talking about, should be able to give more detail.

 

[SteveR750]

Have you got a shortlist (apart from the Sneaky obviously)

Naim and Cyrus should be tried. Your other alternative is something like a SBT with a DAC (QUTE?)

How do I get my music files from the HDD to a NAS? Come to think of it, how do I get them from CD to NAS?

I got a RipNas to avoid the problem. Without something like this, you need a Laptop to rip your CDs to a NAS.....and you should be able copy your stuff from the HDD onto the NAS (which is only storage that goes on a network).

Others who know what they are talking about, should be able to give more detail.

OK. BTW I didn't keep the Qute, and I'm underwhelmed by the M-DAC, hence the DM+ is back in service.

So, if I get this correctly, I probably need a PC in order to set up / operate / maintain a NAS + Streamer. In which case, I might as well save some money and not buy the streamer, since a PC does the job just as well.

 

[CnoEvil]

OK. BTW I didn't keep the Qute, and I'm underwhelmed by the M-DAC, hence the DM+ is back in service.

So, if I get this correctly, I probably need a PC in order to set up / operate / maintain a NAS + Streamer. In which case, I might as well save some money and not buy the streamer, since a PC does the job just as well.

The way I see it, is most people have a PC anyway, and don't want to tie it up with this.....you only use it to rip the occasional CD, and after that the system can run using any UPnP device (I think)....the Linn certainly can.

Just get one out, and either it will be for you, or it won't.....once you've experienced how handy it is, I'd be surprised if you aren't converted. I'm not aware of anyone going away from a streamer and back to a laptop.