I'm a newby and haven't purchased a Squeezebox yet, I need some pre-purchase advice from folks that have been there before me.
I'm just getting into computer-based audio. I have good audio equipment (Cary CDP, Unison Research Amp, VPI TT, Magneplanar Speakers, etc). I bought a Mac Mini that hasn't arrived yet and I'm doing my research right now. I will probably want to move to a dedicated DAC of some sort in the near future, but I'm trying to decide how to best start getting sound off of the Mini's HD. I'm basically torn between using an Airport Express (AEX) and a Squeezebox (SQ). Both have an analog out that I could begin with, and both have S/PDIF ports that I could grow with. The AEX is $99 and the SQ is $249 on sale right now. I'm not worried about the $150 difference at this point. I like the SQ concept, but with the Mac Mini I get a remote control and iTunes and built in WiFi so I'm pretty set. With the AEX I could be up and running off of iTunes in an hour or less using the AEX's internal DAC. With SQ I could be up and running with the Slimserver and pluged into the integrated right away using the internal SQ DAC as well. Then, when I move to a dedicated DAC in the near future, I could use the TosLink SPDIF from the AEX to connect to the DAC (though I'm not crazy about TosLink or the mini adaptor). Or I could use the more comfortable RCA SPDIF from the SQ in a wider range of separate DACS in the future. So, with all the knowledge that you guys have about these choices, which way would you go? Would you say the SQ is really a good way to go at this time -- or is it more of an even draw with the AEX knowing that I'm using a Mac Mini???? I appreciate your responses and will carfully consider all advice given. Thanks -- creativepart ------------------------------------------------------------------------ creativepart's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10822 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33836 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
