Is this a reasonable Audiophile Mac-based Server?

S789F,

It's wierd you're experiencing drops. I have same set up as you with different DAC and no drops ever. A couple ideas: are you streaming music to an airport express in some other part of the house? Cordless phone? If so, they may be interfering with each other, which will cause drops in the main system.

The only other possiblity I can think of: did you rip your music using error correction? Also, did you stay off of the computer while it was ripping? BTW, for future rips....MAX is a superior ripper to Itunes. You may want to give that a try...

Also, check out this site for proper Itunes/Mac set up:

usbdacs.com

Good luck.

S789f, no dropouts ever with my Mac Mini. What length USB cable are you using? USB may have problems if longer than 3m or 10ft.

I'm considering a Mac based server w/ outboard DAC, and just read in the current issue of Stereophile; Manufacturer's Comment from Benchmark Media Systems concerning "iTunes 7.5 bug" that sounds suspiciously like S789f's dropout problem....can anybody help with experience on the iTunes 7.5 (Mac updates automatically) so a heads up is worthwhile.

I'm considering a Mac based server w/ outboard DAC, and just read in the current issue of Stereophile; Manufacturer's Comment from Benchmark Media Systems concerning "iTunes 7.5 bug" that sounds suspiciously like S789f's dropout problem....can anybody help with experience on the iTunes 7.5 (Mac updates automatically) so a heads up is worthwhile.

If you follow Benchmark's suggestions for setting the Audio Midi sampling frequency before opening itunes (check Benchmark website), then there should not be a problem. Also, Gordon Rankin of Wavelenth has been checking this by doing detailed measurements and could not verify a serious problem with itunes.

i just went to the benchmark and read that article. it seems mac has already done an update. i'm running itunes 7.6 with leopard which is current.

just ran 2 dedicated circuits from my panel. circuit 1 to the stereo the other to the mac.

STILL THE OCCASIONAL DROP OUT! WTF!