[Eric]

I just purchased a MAC iBook Pro. If I wanted to migrate to a server type playback system, what are the steps? I would like to place all my current CD's and SACD's on the server as well as be able to download high res stuff

[ted_b]

This is likely to get way more hits and experienced stories over on the Apple Core Circle.  Also, SACD's cannot be ripped for hard drive use unless you have sophisticated DSD-to_PCM capabilities or a specifically modded SACD player that takes the downrez'd PCM and outputs to modded digital outs.  So, net/net, the only SACD you'll get is the redbook layer.  DVD-Audio, on the other hand, is easy.  My HiRez Circle has tutorials.

Get a good disc transport for ripping. 

[Eric]

Thanks, bro

[audioengr]

I just purchased a MAC iBook Pro. If I wanted to migrate to a server type playback system, what are the steps? I would like to place all my current CD's and SACD's on the server as well as be able to download high res stuff

Ripping is critical.  The best ripper I have found is DBpoweramp on a PC.  I rip using a Teac USB drive and then transport the .wave files to the Mac.  You lose tagging, but the quality is the best.

If you are willing to sacrifice a bit of quality, then rip to AIFF using iTunes.  This will maintain the tags.

Once everything is ripped, you will need a good D/A and some type of converter, USB, WiFi or Firewire.  Sometimes these are built-into the DAC, but this generally sacrifices some quality.

Playback should be iTunes combined with Amarra or Pure Vinyl playback software.

If cost is no object, then I recommend the Pace-Car USB with Ultraclocks driving a Overdrive DAC using I2S interface cable and then XLR cables driving your amps directly.  Several customers have told me that this beats their megabuck vinyl setups.

Steve N.

[Newk Yuler]

Ripping is critical.  The best ripper I have found is DBpoweramp on a PC.  I rip using a Teac USB drive and then transport the .wave files to the Mac.  You lose tagging, but the quality is the best.

Folks interested in dBpoweramp and the Teac drive Steve's talking about should look at this thread:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=68223.0

[skunark]

For a mac you can use Max to rip the CDs:
http://sbooth.org/Max/

It does the checksum thing that the others EAC and DBpoweramp will do.  You can point the output to "Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/Automatically Add to iTunes" folder if all you end up doing is CDs.  For hi-rez playback you can use http://cogx.org/ it will do Flac, WAV, Apple Lossless etc, but it doesn't seem to select the correct settings yet for the audio output.   There are other solutions to, which the you can discover in the apple circle.

I typically keep the software light though and stick with open source products, perhaps when more hi-rez tunes become available and when a truly major record label decides on a file format I might pick a better solution. 

[audioengr]

For a mac you can use Max to rip the CDs:
http://sbooth.org/Max/

It does the checksum thing that the others EAC and DBpoweramp will do.  You can point the output to "Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/Automatically Add to iTunes" folder if all you end up doing is CDs.  For hi-rez playback you can use http://cogx.org/ it will do Flac, WAV, Apple Lossless etc, but it doesn't seem to select the correct settings yet for the audio output.   There are other solutions to, which the you can discover in the apple circle.

I typically keep the software light though and stick with open source products, perhaps when more hi-rez tunes become available and when a truly major record label decides on a file format I might pick a better solution.

does Max use Accurate-Rip?

Steve N.

[ted_b]

does Max use Accurate-Rip?

Steve N.

I don't think so.  I use same reasoning as Steve:
* use best ripper you can find (DBpoweramp or EAC, both Windows-based)
* move files to MAC (I also use WAV as I find it sonically more musical, then go through the Geoff's (Silverlight) documented steps to preserve metadata on MAC iTunes with PM or Amarra)

Edit:  Supposedly XLD is a MAC-based ripper with Accuraterip capabilities.
http://tmkk.hp.infoseek.co.jp/xld/index_e.html

[fu_man]

Playback should be iTunes combined with Amarra or Pure Vinyl playback software.

* move files to MAC (I also use WAV as I find it sonically more musical, then go through the Geoff's (Silverlight) documented steps to preserve metadata on MAC iTunes with PM or Amarra)

Does  PM = Pure Music , a cheaper  'version' of  pure vinyl?. Is  it  just a s  good as a player if we are not concerned  with ripping vinyl?

[ted_b]

Does  PM = Pure Music , a cheaper  'version' of  pure vinyl?. Is  it  just a s  good as a player if we are not concerned  with ripping vinyl?

Yes, same engine.