Eric5676
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Posts posted by Eric5676
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perhaps a Zotac ZBOX / MAG?
Hadn't paid close attention to those. Compelling.
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You mean take the innards from a laptop, package them in a small form factor case, and charge a premium for them, then yes
^^ I chuckled.
If you mean a small form factor computer that just works, then you are wrong because the Dell does not fit that description.Zino definitely has a mixed track record. I wouldn't get it myself.
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Nice!
And now I have to ask this: I've looked around a bit and shy of DIY options, this Mac Mini seems like a fairly unique product in the market. The only other thing I've seen like it off the top of my head was the Dell Zino, which gets a lot of mixed feedback. Am I seeing that right?
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Sounds good.
I'll probably get laughed at for this but here goes: Does Apple ever do any promos, sales, coupons, things of that nature? Maybe I see something around Black Friday that turns my head? Etc. ?
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Any compared the W4S with high end dac like Naim, dCS, Esoteric ?
I have a friendly acquaintance of mine on another board who has run through a lot more high end gear then I'll ever see in my lifetime and someone who has shown me that they know what they're talking about tell me things like this:
I know I should have posted something of a review already, but I've been busy and I wanted to compare it to a few more players. That said, I'm very happy with the unit and don't see myself parting with it anytime soon. I recently compared it to a Cambridge 550C(no contest), Ayon CD2 and Ayon CD5. The DAC-2 had the tightest bass out of all 3 units. Imaging from all 3 units was similar, the tube units had a little more bloom(?) to the images, but the DAC-2 had the best definition. The rest comes down to person preference. The CD2 was a little forward up top, CD5 was warm or slightly rolled off, and the DAC2 was neutral in comparison. The DAC-2 also had better attack and decay than the rest. All these comparisons were done with singled ended cables. In my rig at home, the DAC-2 excels with balanced cables. The soundstage, imaging, and dynamics all improved.
and
I compared it to a friend's Ayon CD2($5,000) and CD5($10,000), IMO the DAC-2 was superior in almost every way to both machines. The only other DAC I would like to compare it to is the Esoteric D-07. But at 3 times the cost, I'll stick with the DAC-2.
and
And so forth.FYI, the DAC-2 direct into my ST-500 via balanced I/C's is simply wonderful. Best setup under $10K that I've heard so far. They just do everything right together.It's a steal at $1500 is the message.
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^ we've had this conversation before
Apple's Steve Jobs calls Blu-ray "a bag of hurt" -- Engadget
'stretch commented on it , I seem to recall
EDIT: Here you go http://www.head-case.org/forums/goredwings19s-computer-help-hotline/6452-ye-macce-threade-21.html#post299794
Or this http://www.techi.com/2010/07/big-steve-j-says-no-to-blu-ray/
Right. I wasn't sure if I could cheat some way around it. Again, that's bonus since I already have a good BD player.
I know it essentially uses laptop parts, but can't recall all the details. That's readily available on the net.I think most people use it as an AV server. I have a friend who uses it as his main music source using Apple Lossless with an Ayre DAC and loves it. He uses a Touch as a remote. He says it's a great system, and it was easy to set up. Haven't seen or heard the system myself, but he knows his stuff, I trust him.
If I do it this is what I'd be doing it for myself. An Ipod touch I take it? All Apple?
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Though I still have couple of them, I'd avoid pre-made externals (or at least ones you can't easily take apart) if you can help it. I've had non-HDD part break on my pre-made externals (drives themselves were fine) and I've basically hard to destroy the casing to get the drives out. Some pre-made externals even have drives directly soldered/connected to a PCB.
I personally like the cases from Performance Upgrades; FireWire USB SATA Storage; Memory, more at OWC but they're bit pricey, comparatively.
I typically am pretty leery of external drives myself although I would have figured something nice from WD or Seagate would be fairly reliable.
And now the bonus: If I really wanted to get frisky, what if I wanted to add Blu-Ray capability to this bad boy and put it over the top?
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I have the previous gen mac mini and it works great. I use it only as a music server, with the occasional surfing.
This is exactly what I would get it for if I do it. I'd appreciate any tips you have for me. Do you use an Itouch or Squeezebox or anything like that for interface?
I would upgrade the RAM to 4 GB and not worry about the internal drive. Just pick up a 1 or 2 TB external drive and you are good to go.I see that it uses DDR3. That's pretty good!
External: Desktop for Mac Overview Something like these?
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Not sure about other upgrades, I added RAM. I've read opening it up won't void the warranty, but any damage you do while in there won't be covered. Didn't look into other upgrades, but I remember seeing links about various DIY upgrades including hard drive, so it's probably doable.
What do you think my limit is in terms of the kind of hard drives I could put in there? Don't go past 5400 RPMs for example? Size?
I'll have to check to see what kind of motherboard it has and what kind of RAM you can get away with putting in it. Details like that.
If I'm sending audio out via digital or USB, then you don't need a "soundcard", is that right?
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I have the previous gen one, and like it quite a bit. It runs well, and is tiny, tiny, tiny - such a nice thing in my not so spacious office space. The current gen is cooler in a few ways, but I need the security lock since it's in my office waiting room. Kind of a pain opening it up to do upgrades, though. I use it as my main office desktop and it's been fine. I'm sure I don't use half the features it has, but it's the cheapest in the lineup and it still is more than I needed.
It's my first Mac, have had it for a few months, and have been happy. No glitches to speak of, just the usual learning curve of a new OS, and even then, it's been pretty painless. The biggest complement I can give it is that I don't think about it much, it just works. I was in the Office Depot yesterday looking around, and I was thinking if I should get this or that new Microsoft utility to make it run faster/more stable, and I just didn't have the need to think about that for the Apple.
If you want to do upgrades, what can you do and not do? I know it won't take much to void Apple's warranty but let's say I decide that I need more hard drive space? Go external?
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There are few apps out there that are Windows only. Also, at my work, we regularly use spreadsheets that contain Visual Basic components, which don't work on Office for OSX.
Ah.
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Let me ask you all a question and I hope this isn't taken the wrong way: I know Apple has a great reputation and one of their biggest draws is to get away from the "glitchy" MS Windows and all the rest of it.
I think Boot Camp and Parallels are brilliant to have but I'm wondering: Unless you're a PC gamer like I am...what would you really need to ever fire up Windows for anyways?
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Any Mac Mini owners here? If so, give me the skinny. Good, bad, ugly, pros, cons, etc.
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Is there a particular reason why you're not using the coax or toslink inputs on the dac-2 instead of usb?
Nah. They're all equally awesome. I just figured I'd use the asynchronous USB since it's there.
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Damn. I was in this spot back in late 2003. Condolences, thoughts, and prayers to Todd and his family.
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Aha, now we have your requirements ...
Low cost, noiseless easy to use way of driving USB Dac ... (which one by the way ?)
The Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2. You'll see where I posted a bit in the thread for it in the Home Components forum.
http://www.head-case.org/forums/home-source-components/7493-wyred-4-sound-ess-sabre-dac-6.html#post390118 Starting from there on through.
It's awesome.
This may be a way to go. But its early days yet
Instructions for connecting USB DAC to Touch - Squeezebox : Community : Forums
No doubt someone may be able to bundle this capability as script / app some point to make it easier to use.
Player is separate from server (but player does have touch screen I/R remote) . Server can be remote, and wake-on-lan to reduce energy cost further. Or you could just use a CD Player
Interesting.
Mine DOES require a custom driver for either Windows or Mac so I suspect this particular concept wouldn't work for me.
I still am mostly disc based and always will be. I have a LOT of discs.
I'm just looking for potentially something that makes the computer side more convenient and such. Trying to get better educated if nothing else since I think I'm done spending money for a while.
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All I would really need is something with Windows OS or MAC OS so my DAC's USB drivers work. I need it to be energy efficient and quiet where if I left it on 24/7 (I wouldn't) it just wouldn't matter.
Something that I can use with convenience and not have my somewhat noisy, powerhogging gaming PC on all the time to run it. Wireless is even a bonus since everything is in one room. Basically I want it to be as convenient as using a player.
Obviously this is all bonus: My music runs and sounds great off my gaming PC. It's just kind of wasteful energy wise and not the quietest setup in the world. I certainly can live with it.
So I'm just seeing what my potential options are.
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I'm honestly pretty lost with all this NAS stuff and such.
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We don't know the quality of the 24/192 DAC in the Olive, but doesn't seem more expensive to me than whatever system you'd have a $400-500 ripper/NAS drive in. Add $300-$1K for the missing DAC and you approach/go over the new Olives price, no?
Basically yes. In my case I already have the DAC so this vortexbox concept is one option.
If I want to control the vortexbox, like any other NAS, and I want to keep my power hogging, noisy gaming PC turned off, then that means I have to consider buying an Ipod Touch, or a Squeezebox Touch, or some such to control it and access the music, if I understand it all right.
I have to think this through. The Mac Mini is another option.
That's the stock config at $699. Meh, it's ok not great. That 5400rpm 320 gig hard drive isn't going to cut it.- 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
- 2GB memory
- 320GB hard drive1
- 8x double-layer SuperDrive
- NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics
- Mac OS X Snow Leopard
- 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
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Does seem expensive when you compare to vortexbox.org
Especially the pre-built ones. Small Green Computer
This is commodity stuff, why pay more (and its only likely to get cheaper)
The CD thing is a bonus. More likely I suspect I'm talking about either going the Mac Mini route or the NAS route at some point.
Those links you put up...I didn't know about those. Pretty neat.
In fact, I'd have to say I'm sorely tempted. Wouldn't mind more background information on the company (s).
The 2TB would be perfect for me. If I get something like that, I don't have install an OS or anything, if I read that right? Plug it via ethernet to router, USB from it to DAC, fire it up and go?
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I'd like to know more about these myself. I wouldn't halfway mind something where, loading the CDs would be handy and convenient (my lazy side loves this) but if you connect via ethernet cable...do you also have a setup where you can use the music on your PC without having to have the PC turned on? My PC is a gaming machine that makes a little bit of noise and is an energy hog. In a perfect world, I'd like to have use the music on it without necessarily having to keep the PC on.
Are these products a viable option or do I need to look at something else?
EDIT: Apparently at least the 4 does: http://www.olive.us/contact/support/faqs.html
Yes, the Olive 4 has an import folder that is visible on your home network. Simply drag & drop audio files into this folder and you'll be able to access and play them on your Olive 4. The files must be supported formats and DRM free.Which formats does it support?
So this is all for the 4. The 4 is really expensive IMO. I wonder if all of this also applies to the 2 and the 3 or if there are "comparable" types of products I could look at that would basically do all of this.WAV, FLAC, AAC or MP3. We suggest that you store your music in the lossless FLAC format, as it maintains the full sound quality of the original recording but requires approximately half the storage space of the original CD WAV file. -
W4S DAC-2 (DAC2) - DAC's - DAC 2 Digital, High Definition Amplifiers, Stereo Pre Amp Audio Equip
No way I could be more thrilled.
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Comparing Singlepower to W4S isn't totally fair, since Mikhail's biggest issue was taking on so much goddamn impossible custom work. If he had stuck to off the shelf models and only taken on a small amount of custom work, ceteris paribus, he could still be the amp king today. In fact, limiting who he does custom work for could have just skyrocketed demand for his stuff. But anywho this topic is covered in greater depth elsewhere.
Eric I see you have an Oppo. is it the SE?
Standard Oppo 83. Connected via Toslink to the W4S. I was one of those first batch preorder guys back when it first came out. Still running like a champ. Great player! Great value!
My Onkyo DVSP1000 is my main music transport connected via SPIDIF and analogs to the GS-X. I use the analogs for SACD and everything else is via SPIDIF through the W4S. Sensational.
The PC is connected via USB for the dedicated music out of foobar and also via coax for my gaming.
I'm letting this thing kind of run and burn in while I use it and it's just an awesome unit. Got into the service menu, which is easy to do, and fine tuned a couple of settings very easily. I already love this thing.
No, the comparison to Singlepower always carries the baggage of the lies and fraud that he perpetrated upon his customers whether that is your intent or not.Which is sad and unfortunate but I'm pretty sure no one intended that here.
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Looks great Eric. Looking forward to hearing your impressions as time passes.
I've kind of decided to move on from the DAC3 and have just begun to get a feel for what's out there.
Enjoy
Oh I am.
I daresay: My 800s will rarely be leaving my head today. I'll have to be careful. The good news here is: Yes, you have to be careful and swim through a lot of haze and mediocrity and FOTM, but there is a lot of really good gear out there at very fair prices.
Someone mentioned Krell earlier. Awesome brand, but guess what? If this were a Krell DAC with the same exact hardware and everything it would be 3 grand or more. Same goes with any number of other "big marquee huge name" brands. And as everyone here certainly knows: When you can sell direct you really can save the customer a lot of money.
I certainly understand people being spooked after Singlepower but I'd balance that out with: You have to live and move on. If you do your homework, do your research, and certainly word of mouth is big in the long run...9/10 times at least you're going to land well.
The Singlepower thing was ugly but thankfully...*knocks on wood*...a fairly complicated and rare implosion and mess.
As best I can tell, Wyred has done everything "right" from the ground up. We have other awesome brands out there like Neko and some others that have done everything right and make great quality products at fair prices.
Wyred 4 Sound (ESS Sabre) DAC
in Home Source Components
Posted
That definitely could be worded better.
It actually looks better in person than you might think.
6moons audio reviews: Wyred4Sound DAC2
The 6 Moons review has plenty of pics of both interior and exterior even just on the first page.