[birdwizard]

Hi Guys,
 I've tried to read my way through this forum before posting, I really have. But for some reason I can't grasp what the best fit is for me to get high quality sound from my computer to my stereo. Heres the simple...

 I have a Cary Cinema 6 which I'm delighted with to use for a DAC/preamp, so I don't need a DAC.
 I want a hand held remote that I can browse my computer files with and play music.
 My computer lives 50 cable feet from my stereo!
 I would like to have high (CD) quality sound.

 Please suggest the best fit for me. I really did try to read through all this I just cant grasp the big picture...
 

[woodsyi]

You have to decide if you want a streaming device like Squeezebox or Sonos which have DA in them although you can get digital out.  You can also run straight out of your PC via USB in which case you will need a USB to SPDIF converter like Off Ramp or Hag USB.  You can also utilize the PC soundcard to run SPDIF into your Cary.  That's assuming you have PC.  IF you have a Mac, you can use Airport Express.  There are also really expensive media servers too if you are leaning that way. 

[BradJudy]

I don't think you need a Mac to use an Airport Express, just iTunes installed on your computer. 

[birdwizard]

Thanks Guys,
   I have a PC. All things being equal it seems that a streaming device would be in my best interest, as the distance of running 50 ft of USB/Coax seems less fun. Does streaming have a drawback?

   And if we're outputting digital, and not using the devices DACs, it seems that the sound result would be the same going into the Cary? If so then the real decider would be the remote/GUI of the device?

   

[Wayne1]

The SqueezeBox or Sonos route seems like the way to go for your situation.

The Sonos gets the nod for it's GUI and ease of use.

I do prefer the SB for the open source and ability to improve the sound through mods. (I am biased because that is what I do to make money) The DUET seems to fit the bill for you. The sound of the two devices would be different. Power supplies do sound different. I believe both are now sold at Best Buy. You can purchase both and try them out in your own house to see which one works best for you. That way, you can also find out if you can hear any differences between them in your system.

If you are planning to go wireless, make sure you have a very good router. Don't use 2.4gHz phones and keep the system away from your microwave. You might want to change the channel your router works on to either one on the low end or high end. Neighbor's systems CAN interfere with your transmissions.

Also try to use a dedicated machine for your music server. Remove any Norton or McAfee anti-virus protection. There are alternatives that do not use so many resources from the computer.

Always back up your music files. Hard drives DO break. While you may have the physical discs on hand, it is a PITA to re-rip your collection. I have 4) hard drives in my music server and 6) external drives I use for redundant back up, stored elsewhere.

I do prefer to use dbPowerAmp to rip music in .flac files. It is quick and the files can always be changed to mp3 if you want to use them in a portable player.