Dusty Chalk Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 So...I've been thinking. I need to stop dragging all my CD's around with me everywhere. Especially to meets, and to friends' places, when I need a very specific subset of my CD's -- the ones with which I'm most familiar and like. My "test" CD's. So what's the best recourse? I'm thinking: laptop->DAC, perhaps external hard drive->laptop->dac. I was thinking about something like a hard-drive-based digital media player (basically, an external hard drive with a play button): ...or perhaps even: (Obviously, there are more entry-level-priced equivalents.) But I haven't heard anything really about the hard-drive based ones, anyone heard any of these that they could recommend? Or do you think laptop + DAC + external hard drive would be the way to go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jinp6301 Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Yea, the McIntosh digital stuff is good, but not good for the money. (at least the ones Ive heard) But it looks cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_maher Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Macbook + Duet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hungrych Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 If you have a laptop and you only want a specific subset of cds you probably won't need an external HD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aardvark baguette Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Depends on what you want to send the drive to to 'play'. I dont personally have any drives with all the one-touch type stuff installed, and if I do, I dont use them. I just move folders manually. Its the only way I've ever really liked doing. So nothing like the mac 'time machine' etc. Also, I think alot of the one-touch stuff is geared towards folks who need their C Drive, or OS drive backed up. Frankly, alot of those people have nothing on their computer more important than the latest rounds of email jokes and computer games. For people needing significant backups of audio and whatnot (i.e. anyone reading this thread) I dont personally think the one-touch stuff is necessary. Just my opinion though. A few things to consider; price, noise and physical storage space. Physical space meaning how much room on your desk for external drives. The economical way to go would be smaller drives, and add more as you need them. The downside would be noise (multiple drives = more noise) and less desk room. The pricey way to go would be larger drives, which yeilds less noise (typically) and more desk room, since you would need fewer HD cases. My personal pref. is the largest drives possible in the smallest enclosures possible, price be damned. All I know is I have no intention of ever stopping musical purchases, and will always be adding material to my drives (save for occasions of saving $ for speakers ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aardvark baguette Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 The mcintosh looks awesome, but I have to honestly wonder how much of it is just a pretty face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Chalk Posted February 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Yeah, the McIntosh was just an example, I have no intention of getting it. But basically, any of the higher-end self-ripping standalone media players. Perhaps an Olive Opus or Symphony would've been a better example -- basically, a player I could bring that already had some subset of my library. And that's a good point about meets -- nowadays, I could easily fit 48 or however many CD's onto the hard-drive space. So the externals would stay at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 So...I've been thinking. I need to stop dragging all my CD's around with me everywhere. Especially to meets, and to friends' places, when I need a very specific subset of my CD's -- the ones with which I'm most familiar and like. My "test" CD's. So what's the best recourse? I'm thinking: laptop->DAC, perhaps external hard drive->laptop->dac. I was thinking about something like a hard-drive-based digital media player (basically, an external hard drive with a play button): ...or perhaps even: (Obviously, there are more entry-level-priced equivalents.) But I haven't heard anything really about the hard-drive based ones, anyone heard any of these that they could recommend? Or do you think laptop + DAC + external hard drive would be the way to go? mac mini + either internal drive upgrade (500gb will be possible soon) or external drives + dac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smeggy Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 mac mini + either internal drive upgrade (500gb will be possible soon) or external drives + dac That would also mean lugging a monitor around. I'd have to go with laptops plus external drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Chalk Posted February 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 That would also mean lugging a monitor around. Dang, hadn't thought of that. Most people have monitors, though, don't they? As well as keyboards and mice. Although, I could become a gargoyle: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 That would also mean lugging a monitor around. I'd have to go with laptops plus external drive. I just use remote desktop to manage the mini. It's not like I do't have a laptop, I just don't want it attached to my dac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smeggy Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Technogoggles FTW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Chalk Posted February 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Or I could just randomly click and type things and move my mouse around until I got music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 There are lots of little dvd players with video in, too. Just get a composite video dongle if you need one. Lots of alternatives. I also use signal to control it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Chalk Posted February 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 I'm thinking that that might be a better idea than randomly clicking. It also might not take as long. Yeah, there are lots of options. Lugging around a small (cheap, in case it gets busted) LCD wouldn't be so bad, neither. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 I'm thinking that that might be a better idea than randomly clicking. It also might not take as long. Yeah, there are lots of options. Lugging around a small (cheap, in case it gets busted) LCD wouldn't be so bad, neither. The nokia 770 or ipod touch or iphone + signal works well. Portable dvd player w/ ipod dock and video in is a good alternative, and relatively cheap, too I like the signal option best because I also have a vnc client on it when I need to control the system, but otherwise, it works just like a great little remote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krrm Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 If you are likly to carry around a laptop (or Mactop) anyway, I would recommend that since it is a flexible solution. At work I use an 2,5" external drive and a Pico for amp/dac and I am very satisifed with that. Some headphones might need a "stronger" amp than the Pico, I somehow feel that the Pico handle my DT770 better than DT880, even if I think DT880 is by far a better phone. You also can use a Squezebox/Transporter as (wireless) dac. After getting both the Pico and a Stello DA100 at the end of last year I regret I didn't pay up for a Transporter (I my defence the Transporter is quite a lot more expensive, and I can use the DA100 as a DAC, but a one box solution would be much prefered). I don't think the Squeezebox can match the Pico or the DA100. 2,5" external drives normally won't need external power so I strongly would recommend them instead of a 3,5" drive (which in it self is *much* larger, (its more than an inch)). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiug31 Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 For mobility and low cost an iRiver H120, H140 or modified H180 with rockbox is the simplest hard-drive based source I know of: toslink -> Dac. "external hard drive->pc->dac" will give greatest flexibility as long as your happy lugging it around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_maher Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Peter, In my morning deluge of crap emails I saw this. http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=205714260&adid=17654&dcaid=17654 Seems like a pretty decent deal for 500GB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aardvark baguette Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 I just moved into my new 'space' in the office, and have been looking into what to getting for audio. Its ever-evolving, but here is the current idea I have: The HD is 2TB. I have used one previously, and it is whisper quiet and cool. The one I used didnt have the black stripe, but that is probably just a recent cosmetic change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_maher Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 That'll definitely one of the most absurd office amps ever. But if you're going with the mini it might make more sense to use a Duet for DAC duty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrion Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 That'll definitely one of the most absurd office amps ever. But if you're going with the mini it might make more sense to use a Duet for DAC duty. I agree with Nate. I love the Pico and use it as the dac for my office rig which is speaker based. However, at home I use a mac mini and duet. It is the best choice, imo if going with a stationary rig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 I'd use VNC to manage it, and get an ipod touch + signal to control itunes, instead of getting a monitor...wait, not only would I, it's what I did . Unless you plan on using it for more than just media duty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ojnihs Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 I'd use VNC to manage it, and get an ipod touch + signal to control itunes, instead of getting a monitor...wait, not only would I, it's what I did . Unless you plan on using it for more than just media duty. damn, i didn't know you had a ipod touch grawk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 I use a nokia 770 instead of the touch, and modified signal to work better with it, but that's not an option for most people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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