I am currently running a server-based music system in my house and it works great. I have about 400 uncompressed music CDs sitting out on my server. Then I just have the digital out from my pc going into my hifi system via a D/A converter. I get instant access to my entire library without sacrificing sound quality or my wallet. Including the $800 for a nice D/A converter and the two PCs, I figure it cost me about $2000 which is WAY less than the Linn equivalent.
iPod Confessional
I've had an iPod (40 GB version) for four days now, and I must confess that it has been a huge kick. Despite my audiophile reservations (how could anything this small hold hundreds of my CDs and still sound good??), I've fallen in love with this thing.
Part of my rationale (and spousal justification process) was that my wife has wanted for a long time to have all-day Christmas music during the holidays. I used to provide this with 10.5" reel to reel tapes, but that's long gone. I'd thought about a mega-changer, but could never get enthusiastic about a big black box in my very inconspicuous living room system (Linn Classik and B&W 303s). But the iPod with the docking station and line out serves this purpose perfectly. The other night, I just selected "Vocal" as a genre, and enjoyed a great selection of music all throughout a long dinner. And needless to say, my commute just got a whole lot more enjoyable (especially with Eyptomic ER-6s to shut out the noise.)
As much as I like the satisfaction of holding a CD in my hand, and popping it in the player, I really think the iPod and other such players will eventually increase demand for server-type audio systems in the home. (I know, Linn makes one, but I'm thinking of something mortals can afford.)
I'm sure the MP3 files (even at the 320 kbps bite rate I'm using) are no match for the original for critical listening, I just don't find nearly as much time for critical listening as I would like. Now I'm getting to spend more time enjoying my music collection, and that's what it's all about, right?
Part of my rationale (and spousal justification process) was that my wife has wanted for a long time to have all-day Christmas music during the holidays. I used to provide this with 10.5" reel to reel tapes, but that's long gone. I'd thought about a mega-changer, but could never get enthusiastic about a big black box in my very inconspicuous living room system (Linn Classik and B&W 303s). But the iPod with the docking station and line out serves this purpose perfectly. The other night, I just selected "Vocal" as a genre, and enjoyed a great selection of music all throughout a long dinner. And needless to say, my commute just got a whole lot more enjoyable (especially with Eyptomic ER-6s to shut out the noise.)
As much as I like the satisfaction of holding a CD in my hand, and popping it in the player, I really think the iPod and other such players will eventually increase demand for server-type audio systems in the home. (I know, Linn makes one, but I'm thinking of something mortals can afford.)
I'm sure the MP3 files (even at the 320 kbps bite rate I'm using) are no match for the original for critical listening, I just don't find nearly as much time for critical listening as I would like. Now I'm getting to spend more time enjoying my music collection, and that's what it's all about, right?