Questions on using a Mac Book wirelessly with hard drives...

sbrtoy · « **on:** 21 Mar 2008, 08:31 pm »

I am looking at replacing my Mac Mini with a Mac Book and have a few questions about the implementation I have in mind. I currently have an AEBS that my Mini accesses wirelessly in my basement listening room and I have all my music on an external NewerTech ministack. Works well but it is not completely silent, and I also am stuck with only a few placement options to keep it close enough to my DAC and within range of the remote (use front row), but far enough away so I don't hear it.

If I set up a Tim Capsule in the closet next to my listening room and ran the USB from it to my DAC, I would then be able to control playback from the Mac Book correct? Has anyone had issues with the connectivity of the Time Capsule used in this manner? I was originally looking at using a second AEBS and connecting a couple of drives to it but it sounds like people have been having issues with USB and AEBS so I was curious if the Time Capsule fixes this. Basically I don't want to have to run any wires to the Mac Book and keep my storage drive out of the room.

Any feedback would be appreciated...

The Computer Audiophile · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 Mar 2008, 09:03 pm »

You want to connect your DAC directly to your external hard drives?

sbrtoy · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 Mar 2008, 09:20 pm »

Basically yes, this being just to avoid cabling to the laptop. I may be barking up the wrong tree here, but could this be done?

Is anyone else using something more creative to interface their laptop and DAC? I am not interested in the Airport express etc. as the fidelity is lacking in my prior experience.

Crimson · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 Mar 2008, 09:25 pm »

Quote from: sbrtoy on 21 Mar 2008, 09:20 pm

Basically yes, this being just to avoid cabling to the laptop. I may be barking up the wrong tree here, but could this be done?

Unfortunately, no. The USB ports on the TC and AE only support HDD's and printers, with the AEx's port only supporting printers.

sbrtoy · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 Mar 2008, 09:34 pm »

So basically even using a laptop I am stuck with plugging the USB cable into it from the DAC? Is there any other workaround for this?

Crimson · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 Mar 2008, 09:41 pm »

If you're looking for an HDD connected to the DAC, the AppleTV fits the bill. Unfortunately, it's internal HDD is currently limited to 160 GB with no provision for hooking up an external drive. I'm assuming when you tried the AEx you hooked it up to a dac? And still felt it lacked fidelity? FWIW, Apple just released the new and improved AEx that supports 802.11n (not that the added bandwidth would get you anything as 802.11g can more than handle uncompressed files).

sbrtoy · « **Reply #6 on:** 21 Mar 2008, 11:30 pm »

Anything that converts the signal to SPDIF really hinders the sound IMHO, and I have never been a fan of toslink either...

I suppose the best solution is to have the hard drive hidden and just plug the USB into the laptop and stream the files from the drive. Anyone have experience with the "slaved" AEBS and its performance? Any issues with dropouts?

Crimson · « **Reply #7 on:** 21 Mar 2008, 11:44 pm »

Quote from: sbrtoy on 21 Mar 2008, 11:30 pm

Anything that converts the signal to SPDIF really hinders the sound IMHO, and I have never been a fan of toslink either...

I agree.

Quote

I suppose the best solution is to have the hard drive hidden and just plug the USB into the laptop and stream the files from the drive. Anyone have experience with the "slaved" AEBS and its performance? Any issues with dropouts?

When you say slaved, do you mean using multiple AEBS's? If so, no problems. If anything, it makes your wifi much more robust. I had two AEBS's, one extending the network of the primary. Now I have a TC with an AEBS extending it's reach.