Music server quality.

Not sure if that is directed at me, Ckorody, but if it is, you completely miss my point. Its just a plastic box. It does this one thing very well and rather inexpensively. My original question is, why would you spend more, what do you get by spending more? I made this choice at the advice of Gordon Rankin at Wavelength (I'm just using a different DAC). It has absolutely nothing to do with the Mac/Microsoft nonsense.

I cannot really judge on quality of sound on squeeze box vs a mac (given I have tried neither)as u said but I wonder whether it may have to do more with wire vs wireless...but in any case u make valid pts which I was not aware of such as having remote for mac....never knew. However in terms of user interface....not sure how the mac remotes works etc...but I do have Sonus and its the best remote I have ever used on any consumer elec product bar none: the flexibility, visibility, funtionality, everything is absolutely genius: Squeeze box falters by a huge margin on this. Sound quality of Sonus feeding into my external DAC vs playing CDs...well my digital CD front end is top tier to say the least so benchmark is very high: the Sonus enjoyable but can't match my Meitner set up: but I bet its just as good as a average (?) CD player set up.

The MSB Tech IPOD solution also sounds interesting as the IPOD becomes a defacto remote: and MSB at least in the past via its DACs and CD players has done very well with digital auido so I find it very interesting: will be checking it out soon. Will check out the mac solutions you have pted as well.

I almost decided to invest the money for a stand-alone music server then I realized that the stand-alone music servers are dead ends, because if I am to 'enter' all my hundreds and hundreds of CDs into the proprietary server without back-up capability, I definitely will need to do backups - these servers do not have backup ability.

"these servers do not have backup ability"

This isn't true, most of the music servers I've seen have
USB or wireless connections which allow for backup to an external HD or PC.

Here's info on the Cambridge Audio unit:

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/assets/documents/sManualImportantInformationSheet.pdf

Actually sw23 my comment was not directed at you so much as it was intended to ratify your position - that the Mac doesn't crash etc...

To cut to the chase - I have a Bolder modified SB2 with all the trimming including the Bybees but not the uber power supply. I have a Wavelength Brick in my workroom/reference system. IMHO it is better then the SB2 -In my work room I also prefer the Brick because I can use all the conveniences of the Mac to control it rather then having to use the excellent but not quite native SB interface.

The only possible next step is to get a Cosecant... that IMHO is the only way up from here.

BUT when I go into my HT room or the bedroom or the guestroom and fire up my various modded SBs I am not hating life - In fact I am very pleased with all the work that Wayne at Bolder has done for me. The two "good" SBs with modded power supplies, the platinum Sonic Caps etc all function as analog outs (no DAC required) and the sound is excellent - much better then I ever expected to own for my budget. My installation is simpler and more space efficient. I no longer need a power conditioner - I need one pair of good ICS etc All of them share one iTunes library with the Brick - and all this is very powerful stuff for me.

Now, just for the record, I had a TriVista fully modded by Parts Connexion. $3,400 MSRP. I supported it with another grand in cables and isolation. It was better then the SBs. I never compared it head to head with the Brick because I sold the TriVista to get the Brick. The TriVista probably was better - for 2x-3x the investment it should be. But I do not miss it. You might

YMMV