PC vs MAC laptop as music server

mac! i would recommend using an older mac mini with a raid disk subsystem to hold your files with a separate disk for backups. all you need is an older g4 with 2 gb ram. i use a new imac and used an intel mac mini before this. you can go to frys and pick up a 2tb raid 0 or 1 disk subsystem for $199. set it up as a raid 1 and you have a 1tb mirrored setup. also, skip the usb hookups and go with a jitter device along with a good quality dac using coax cable. as for ripping cd's, go with xld. it is one of the best programs to rip cd's and it allows you to use itunes as the repository. using xld, i have increased my bit rate from 1100k to over 1400k with better quality sound.

tok2000 - if you want better error correction for ripping cds on a mac use xld or others. you are biased toward pc's, its obvious. but if you don't now how a mac works or how the GUI performs, then you shouldn't say anything about the mac. Microsoft is so far behind the times its funny. all of your statements mac vs. pc are unfounded. some of the most critical issues of all pc users are: how stable is the OS, how stable is the hardware, how user friendly is the OS, etc... all of these items the mac wins hands down. the mac doesn't have a blue screen of death, etc... when you use a mac, you know it is going to work.

there are many other ripping programs that run on a mac so that is a non issue, and if you wait, there will be a new 1 tomorrow. also, i run vmware so i can run any other operating system if needed.
BTW: i don't want to hook up my computer directly to a dac or use a usb cable, i like isolating the computer. and also, if you were to hook up a computer or network device, i would use a toslink cable to further isolate the 2.

tok20000 - you have xld and max for the mac. they are excellent rippers.
as for toslink, i like using coax when going from a quality cd player in to a dac. as for a music server, i isolate the computer from the audio room (from any room that is served from the server for that matter). i don't want a computer in my audio room. you have raid disks spinning, backup disks spinning, fan noises, etc..
so i use devices that allow me to stream the signal over ecat5 or wireless (audio rooms are wired using gige speed). to further isolate any noise from these devices, i use toslink into a jitter device. then i use coax into the dac. no noise, dead quiet.
even in my den where i use the music server, i don't go directly into the jitter device from the computer. i still route the signal over the net (5ft away).
using toslink in network devices that are hooked up to electricity and to the network, toslink is less susceptible to pick up any em or rf interference like you would with a copper cable. also, you might have to run a longer cable to your dac which toslink would be a better choice for longer runs.

Smoffatt - how do you like your ARC dac7? i heard it at rmaf and it sounded nice. have you compared coax vs usb to see if there is any difference in the quality?