[Double Ugly]

Hello, Ferdi.

I'm not completely sure I understand what you mean.  I've had no sleep since the few hours I got Friday night, so it's entirely possible I'm just too dull to comprehend it.  If so, I apologize.   

I'm streaming my .flac files from the Mac via Slimserver now (I've pointed Slimserver towards the folder they're in).  Are you saying I should be able to open iTunes while that's happening, and iTunes will recognize and accept the .flac files that it has heretofore ignored?  Or are you saying I can allow iTunes to manage my audio library, point Slimserver to iTunes and use them together?  I'm told the latter is true, but I'm not exactly sure how the former would work. 

iTunes sucked-up the .mp3s like it owned them (which I guess it sort of does now), but so far nada with anything sporting a .flac extension.

-Jim

PS - I haven't used it yet, but I downloaded Max 0.6.1 last night, along with Atomic Parsley.  I obviously can't pass judgement yet, but all indications are that Max will be a winner.  I was impressed with the author's proactive nature on the forum.  He genuinely seems to want to offer the best program he's capable of producing. 

[Ferdi]

I'm not really sure what I mean either....

Slimserver has a facility to serve streaming audio. iTunes has the facility to play streaming audio. I understand (from the Slimserver support forums) that streaming audio uses MP3, getting around the FLAC limitation and I think this happens regardless of the original format used for storing the music.

This may not serve your purpose at all and it may not even work. I have not tried to make it work.

Good luck playing with your new Mac. I find these discussions interesting!

Try to get some sleep!

[Double Ugly]

Hi Ferdi,

I think I understand what you mean now, but I'm not sure it applies to my situation. 

Thanks anyway. 

EMM801-
Since you're heavy into using your Mac to manipulate audio files, I'll bet you can turn me on to a great audio card for my Mac.  I'm currently using the digital out built into the computer, and thus far I'm not terribly impressed with it.  I'd like to try the audio-out on my video card (NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500), but thus far I haven't found a Toslink adapter that will allow me to do that.  But even if I *did* like the sound of the video card, it won't allow me to rip the hundreds of albums going currently being ignored.  I'm not quite ready for that undertaking, but if I'm going to buy a card, I want it to support present and future endeavors.  IOW, I'm going to need some sort of analog device.

I've perused the Apple site, but I didn't see anything that fit the bill.  They offer the M-Audio Revolution 7.1, but it has garnered as many bad reviews as good.  Even so, the real deal-breaker is that it requires a "PowerMac" and I have an Intel-based machine. 

It appears that I may need a professional-level soundcard if I'm to realize the full potential of my recordings, especially the albums.  If I'm going to take the time to rip them, I want to get it right the first time.

Soooooooo...any suggestions?  I think a good sound card, Audio Hijack Pro and/or Amadeus II should just about get me to where I want to go.

Thanks in advance...

-Jim

[HumanMedia]

Why exactly dont you like about the digital out?

How does this affect ripping and editing?

Im a long time Mac user and Im not quite clear on why you need another sound card if you have digital out already.

[Double Ugly]

Why exactly dont you like about the digital out?

Exactly?  Ummm...the music doesn't sound as good as it did from the "conventional" audio card in my Windows-based PC.  I don't know if the following is exact, but it sounds thinner, less extended and less detailed.

How does this affect ripping and editing?

As for editing, I have to assume that the better (i.e., more detailed, more extended, etc.) the sound from my computer speakers, the better the odds that any editing I do will have a positive effect.

As for the ripping part, I haven't done it yet, but I assume I need some sort of analog functionality to pass audio information from a vinyl rig to the computer.  Do you know of a way to do that via a computer with only a digital out?

Im a long time Mac user and Im not quite clear on why you need another sound card if you have digital out already.

See above.

Your post seems defensive, HM.  Am I missing something with regards to the functionality of the digital out?  Have I misinterpreted your post?

[Brad]

DU:

Take a look at Jim Hagerman's site for converting vinyl:
The Ripper product looks like it might be a good fit - giving you the sound quality you're looking for
http://www.hagtech.com/ripper.html

I haven't used this product, but I have heard both his SS and tube phono stages

[Double Ugly]

Thanks for the link, Brad.  Definitely something to consider.

$400 ain't cheap, but a high-end audio card would probably cost at least that, and probably closer to twice as much.

Thanks again.

-Jim

[EMM801]

Thanks for the link, Brad.  Definitely something to consider.

$400 ain't cheap, but a high-end audio card would probably cost at least that, and probably closer to twice as much.

Thanks again.

-Jim

Jim- I'm on the 'low-rent' end of things audiowise, and since I have a notebook, haven't been looking into internal sound cards. Have heard good things about the M-Audio 'audiophile' series sound cards (external), might wanna look into those if you don't mind an extra box. but DANGER, WILL ROBINSON: according to the user guide, the firewire version can PERMANENTLY disable your firewire bus if you don't eject the device properly when disconnecting (Think I'd opt for the USB version which also has the advantage of a metal case.)

Sorry I didn't see the thread & your question until just now. Hope this helps.

p.s:this thread inspired me to look more into FLAC, and I discovered these apps:

• MacFlac, which didn't do a damn thing;
  
• Max, a handy rip, encode & convert app;
  
  • Switch, strictly for audio file format conversion
    
    
  And they're all freeware.
  Very pleased with results w/ FLAC. Probably no better than Apple Lossless but likely wider compatibility. Using for CD archiving.

[HumanMedia]

Your post seems defensive, HM.  Am I missing something with regards to the functionality of the digital out?  Have I misinterpreted your post?

Ahh, ripping vinyl - analog in.

Yeah my pro audio friends all have external boxes linked by Firewire. (ProTools and others).  Ill find out what they recommend on the more affordable end.

Suprised by the digital out quality.  Variations in digital connections is new to me.  At one time I assumed that all digital connections were the same.  Now that I have compared a few, I cant get two connectors that sound the same - they are all different!?

[Double Ugly]

Hello again, EMM.

Thanks for the advice.  I'd really prefer an internal option, so for now, the search continues.

Max is a nice program.  I've only used it to convert one of my FLAC files (just a "lemme see what this does" kind of thing), but it did it quickly and - as far as I can tell - accurately.


<BREAK>

Hi HM -

Yeah, I'd like something allowing the option of importing my vinyl.  Hagerman's Ripper seems a viable alternative, but if I can find a one-source solution (better sound + vinyl access), I'll probably get it.

I appreciate the offer to check w/ your pro audio friends, and look forward to learning what they had to say.

And finally, yes, I've found the same to be true re: digital.  Strange, isn't it?

-Jim

[EMM801]

Jim-
Yeah, for a desktop, esp one like yours  , an internal solution makes a lot of sense in most ways. I have, however, heard claims that getting the analog sections out of the RF-rich environment inside a cpu tower can benefit the sound. Anybody else have 2¢ on this?

Also, I'd definitely be interested in a flac component for itunes if anybody knows of one. Until then I'll just use VLC.

[Double Ugly]

I have, however, heard claims that getting the analog sections out of the RF-rich environment inside a cpu tower can benefit the sound. Anybody else have 2¢ on this?

Hmmm...interesting point.  If you happen to find out something more definitive, please share.

Also, I'd definitely be interested in a flac component for itunes if anybody knows of one. Until then I'll just use VLC.

FWIW, I'm just using Softsqueeze until such time as I figure out what I want to do with all the FLAC files I have.  I'd love to have iTunes manage my music files for me, but the set-up I'm using is acceptable for now, and maybe forever.  I have access to all my FLAC files while at the computer, and connectivity w/ the Squeezebox downstairs has not been an issue.

Furthermore, since tomorrow is my first day at a new job, and since I'll spend the next month or two in training, I think my Mac learning curve is going to take a significant hit.  Consequently, until I can learn more about what I do and don't want to download/load on my computer, I'm gonna use what I have.  Patience isn't my strong suit, but the last thing I want to do is load a bunch of crap on the new rig in an effort to do something that may not be the best option...and might not even be possible.

[nathanm]

One nice thing is that getting rid of software on the Mac is pretty painless.  The single object bundle\application is fantastic.  Okay, so apps are a little more embedded in OSX than in OS9 (there's some junk in the Library\Preferences folders etc.), but there's nothing like the mad twisted jungle of the Windows registry to worry about.

[Double Ugly]

... there's nothing like the mad twisted jungle of the Windows registry to worry about.

That's good to know.  Between that and the little program I got the other day (AppZapper), I hope I'm able to keep things relatively tidy.

Guess I'm still a little wary after spending the last couple of decades with three and out  By that I mean spending an average of 3 years with a computer, and then having to FFR (FDISK, format, reload) or toss and purchase new.   

[nathanm]

One program you might wanna get (it's freeware\suggested donationware) called Carbon Copy Cloner.  Short of having a big expensive hardware RAID setup this is the next best thing for providing peace of mind.  This little utility will make a perfect clone of your system disk onto another hard drive.  And it does it while you are booted normally, no having to boot from CD or anything.  It clones the active system disk while you're in it!  Sweet.  For me the thought of starting over from scratch, reinistalling stuff and whatnot after a drive failure is very depressing.  With this you just boot off the backup and you're back where you were, no piecemail copying this folder and that folder or anything.  Your Mac shouldn't experience the same "getting old and slow" phenomenon of Windows where you are always thinking subconsciously that one of these days you should really start over from scratch.  My friend does this all the time, it blows my mind.  He reinstalls XP like every 2 weeks because of bizarre issues.  Granted, he probably isn't that tech-savvy and doesn't know a better solution, but still to me that's just ridiculous.  That's not to say that you won't EVER feel like a re-install on the Mac, just that they don't seem to bog down with crap as easily.

[Double Ugly]

Thanks, Nathan.  The reviews are great, and it definitely beats going with a full up RAID.

That said, i think I'll wait for the Universal binary version...or at least a purpose-built Intel Mac version.  I got the impression he's working on it, so I shouldn't have to wait long.

Thanks again.

-Jim