Right, getting my mp3 files from iTunes to my hifi. Help please!

[admin_exported]

Firstly, Im a relative novice with pcs. I use an iPod to listen to music on my commute. Ive recently got a new desktop pc with a huge external hard drive and am about to embark on the long and tedious task of importing all my cds into itunes using Apples 'lossless' format.

Bearing in mind that i have a Cyrus DAC-X with both a spare optical and coaxial input available, what is the best way of playing my itunes-based mp3s though my hifi?

Ive heard of squeezebox, sonos etc etc but when i read up on them, it's all a bit confusing! Do I use a lead straight from my PC? Do I need to turn my pc on to use it and manually select songs from itunes?

Any help/advice would be much appreciated!

 

[John Duncan]

First thing's first - do you have a wireless network?

 

[fatboyslimfast]

and, I suppose, is the PC going to be (very) near the HiFi?

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for replies.

Dont currently have a wireless network but dont mind setting this up. I dont really want the pc close to the hifi tbh

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="thfcwestlower"]I dont really want the pc close to the hifi tbh [/quote]

Agreed.

Right - without the PC close at hand, you need a network, whether wired or wireless. The simplest solution is something like Apple Airport Express, which plugs into an electricity point near your hifi and can stream (via wireless or CAT5 wired ethernet) your iTunes content via a 3.5mm jack to your amp. Has the advantage of being pretty cheap and working with protected content purchased from iTunes Store (if that's important to you) and the disadvantage of having to be controlled from iTunes on the PC (though the Apple remote might work, I forget).

Next up is something like the Squeezebox or Roku Soundbridge - again connecting wired or wireless. Still relatively inexpensive (starting sub-£100 if I remember), these offer both control over your content with a remote (ie you can browse and select music from the unit itself) and a digital out which you can feed into that fabulous Cyrus DAC. Check though that they do offer an optical out, if that's the only digital input you have left.

Next up are things like the Sonos which are a bit more sophisticated, offering multi room, amped setups, fabulous remotes, that sort of thing, or the SlimDevices Transporter (Squeezebox's big brother) which claims to be an audiophile version - probably a bit OTT when you already have such a good DAC. And ugly as sin as well (IMO).

Lastly, have a look at Apple TV, which is like an iPod that you can't carry, but will stream video to your telly as well as music to your hifi. Might be a versatile alternative.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Or you could get a Linksys media centre extender which is a small box which would sit with your other components. This can be connected to your amp, DAC, AV receiver etc., It will stream information (music, films, pictures) from your pc to the extender and then to your amps, cdps. They are £195 but would be worth every penny imo. I'm getting one soon.
http://www.linksys.co.uk/acatalog/Digital_Media_Players.html

 

[John Duncan]

Looks like an Apple TV without the hard drive, and still needs a TV connected to see what you;re doing. Does the remote have a built-in display?

i forgot to answer one part of the question, which was does the PC need to be on. Yes it does, unless you have a Network Area Storage solution, which is basically your big hard drive with networking built in (as opposed to USB). You can then run a lightweight media server on it like SqueezeServer (I think that's what it's called) to handle the music. Alternatively, the Apple TV thingie can mirror your music onto its hard drive so it can play autonomously.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="thfcwestlower"]
Firstly, Im a relative novice with pcs. I use an iPod to listen to music on my commute. Ive recently got a new desktop pc with a huge external hard drive and am about to embark on the long and tedious task of importing all my cds into itunes using Apples 'lossless' format.

Bearing in mind that i have a Cyrus DAC-X with both a spare optical and coaxial input available, what is the best way of playing my itunes-based mp3s though my hifi?

Ive heard of squeezebox, sonos etc etc but when i read up on them, it's all a bit confusing! Do I use a lead straight from my PC? Do I need to turn my pc on to use it and manually select songs from itunes?

Any help/advice would be much appreciated!
[/quote]

I looked into all this a while ago and for me the best solution was plugging my Creative Zen to my Sony AV amp via the headphone socket (on the Zen). I can upconvert Zen videos via the Sony and the sound is perfectly adequate for get togethers etc. I first tried the Zen through my Hi Fi and the sound was far too hollow - so I'm assuming the sub through the AV made the difference somewhat. Total cost.... £9 for the cable. The only problem is the lack of a remote. I assume you could try something the same with your iPod if you wanted to.