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Good point. Combined with a remote desktop app, an Airport, and my old single-core Mac Mini (vga>tv), the iPad could be one powerful audio (& video) solution

TBH, a DIY build would save huge amounts in cost, and you're kind of making a bigger thing of it that it has to be. Think, $300 system, and one of these for $200.

Mimo Monitors - iMo Pivot Touch

Just make sure you get Win7, and it works perfectly. Detaches from the stand for a low profile. No need for a monitor, no need for a keyboard. Everything is done. I can even build this system if you want. With a mini SPDIF out:

http://ncix.com/products/index.php?s...acture=Shuttle $200 CAD
+
http://ncix.com/products/index.php?s...cture=Kingston $25 CAD
+
http://ncix.com/products/index.php?s...20Digital%20WD $90 CAD

The iPad is to Pad.. Phad.. phat.. fat for the wadia itransport nor the onkyo ND-S1...

One with
■USB host connector for accessing music and photos via USB drive or USB key
■SD card slot for music and photos
■Supports sampling rates up to 24 bit / 96 kHz
■Stereo analog (RCA), headphone jack, digital optical, and digital coax output?

hey, somebody invented the Squeezebox Touch

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I bought one of these that will hopefully solve the problem. It works, at least, on my iPhone 3G & 3Gs. SendStation - Products - Dock Extender

I don't have a Wadia transport yet. I'm waiting on the new 171i. The release of the iPad after the Wadia CES announcement will probably delay the 171i even more though.

It won't be too fat for the 171i as they changed the mount to a cable.

I asked Wadia if the delay of the 171i was due to an effort of getting the iPad to interface with the transport.

Their response,...

"The delays have not been because of the iPad unfortunately. The delays were in finalizing some of the remote functions and the power supply. We have not been granted access to the iPad in order to test it with our iTransports. We are planning on getting an iPad this weekend and testing it ourselves."

If Wadia can get it to work, the iPad would make a great server imo. The 64gb is limited, but that is still 200 albums in apple lossless.

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As long as you LOVE throwing money away on inefficient systems, you're damn right it's a great server. OR, you could just get the smallest memory iPad and a simple home unit, and get way better quality, and not be a moron.

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What are you talking about?! What do you mean, inefficient, or "way better quality". If Wadia manages to get bit-perfect out of the iPad, why would, say this arrangement,

iPad->Wadia 171i->CordaSymphony->Senn600HD

... be "inefficient" or lack quality? The system you mention above is $700 total, about the same price of a Wadia 171i. The iPad/Wadia makes for a nice quality instant-on solution away from a computer or CD's. Anyone who would consider it in the first place obviously already owns a computer, so if cost was the only factor that would prevent them from being "morons", they would just use their existing computer, right?

I'm interested in what you mean but keep the insults to yourself; are you like 10 years old?

I'm glad that this gadget hasnt dominated Head-Fi the way it has so many other forums. No question that its cool, or desirable etc, but grokit has nailed it for mine - as a general-purpose media centre, it falls well short of what I would want. A beautiful screen and slick interface dont make up for its shortcomings, IMO, although my only experience of it has been the YouTube vids I've seen thus far.

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I can build a better sounding HTPC for $300 or less, I just said 'get the smallest memory iPad' as a concession due to some of the people in this thread being Mac-obsessed zombies, unwilling to see the fallacies of the iPad. The TOTAL cost of a system like yours is much larger. WHY would you want to get away from a computer? Better space capabilities, easier to interact with (iPad on dock? lulz. You can buy a remote for both. Best thing is, the PC one will probably let you do more.), doesn't require such expensive gear to sound good...

$300 HTPC, that can also stream HD content to a TV via HDMI.
$100 M2Tech Hiface
$250 Little Dot DAC_I
$300 Amp of your choice

$950 total. Better system than:

$700 64gig iPad ($500 16gig iPad)
$400+ Wadia 171i
$300 Amp of your choice.

$1500 total. ($1300).

WHICH WOULD SOUND BETTER? Probably the first one.

Using the iPad as a dedicated music SERVER, not player, is what we were originally talking about. Using it as a server is just super dumb. Using it as a player is significantly less stupid. But, a well configured computer would still beat it.

Alsolol@giantiphone. It's a useless gadget, not even a tablet with a proper OS.

In your system, you left out the need of a OS which would be another $170, and further you left out the need of a HD TV, which would be $$$ more.

Now, you say, "well most people already have a TV, so I didn't add that cost". Yes, you're right, and in fact that was my point to YOU,... "Anyone who would consider [a iPad as music source] in the first place obviously already owns a computer", and yet is still considering it, so there must be circumstances where it would be more convenient and appropriate than a computer, i.e., as an instant on stand alone headphone system, or interfaced into an existing sound system, etc. Your question; "WHY would you want to get away from a computer?", is not relevant to the discussion, as it's based on the presumption that there could be no such possible reason, which is absurd.

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Even using just 32GB, you can still get 100+ of the most listened-to albums in ALAC. Of course you can change albums easily.

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False. The Wadia 171i uses a CABLE, not a dock.The iPad is ALL ABOUT user interface, that's the entire point of it.

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The iPad as source will not prevent me from using my existing computer.

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True, there is the added cost of a Wadia to get a digital signal to a external DAC/AMP.

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Yes, it would beat it on cost, but clearly that is not exclusively what motivates most on this Head-Fi forum. In terms of SQ, you still haven't explained HOW your clunky home theater system would "sound better" than a iPad->Wadia 171i->external DAC/AMP setup.

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Linux, free. Or find a copy of Windows/OSX from an old computer. And what about an HD TV? o.O I just said that it can send an HDMI signal, which the iPad can't. It could use ANY TV as a monitor. Or any PC monitor. Or you can ask a friend to use theirs, set it up once, and just use a remote.

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...wat. You make very little sense. I'm saying that there aren't circumstances, as a computer is instant on, and can easily provide better sound, capacity, and reliability.

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Even if you were able to dedicate all 30gbs of available space to music, it wouldn't hold a varied collection. Also 'changing albums easily' means plugging it into a computer, using the slow and tired iTunes interface, hoping it actually works out how you want it to, and then unplugging it, and plugging it back into your Wadia. Doesn't sound as easy as browsing to another folder on a computer.

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I have no idea the exact details of the 171i, so excuse me. I went by the looks of the 170i, and the pricing of it plus $20, which is a very conservative guess. Also, the 'iPad' is all about milking more money from iPod fanboys.

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Didn't say it would...?

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Large added cost, small capacity, interface requiring direct interaction...

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What should/does motivate the Head-Fi forum is best for your dollar. What does and SHOULDN'T motivate the Head-Fi forum (and apparently yourself) is the product fanboyism. Think past the iPod/Mac.

I don't think anyone has done a direct comparison, but, I'd bet almost anything that the Hiface would outperform the Wadia as a digital transport, especially the BNC version, to the LD-DAC-I's BNC receiver. Competition makes better products, and I don't think the Wadia has much competition in this area.

Also, the HTPC system isn't very clunky at all. If it's plugged into a TV, just use a wireless mouse to access your entire library from your comfy chair.

How is the super-portable multi-touch internet experience on that htpc @ Starbuck's?

Does it sound good plugged into your car stereo, and can it give you directions to the nearest one?

Disclaimer: I don't surf the internet at Starbucks, or use turn-by-turn directions.

But if I did...

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$279 netbook > iPad for surfing. I can't even imagine surfing effectively with a 'soft keyboard'. Plus, my phone does that, and sounds decent on my car stereo, AND gives me turn-by-turn. And it's a 'free' Palm Pre, which I bought because it's open source, and not SUPERDAMNRESTRICTING like the iPhone. Hell, in a few weeks, I can run a full Linux distro. On my phone.

PLUS, we aren't talking about other things, we're talking about the optimal sound output. If you wanted those features on the go, you'd also have to pay the 3G premium, because Apple decided to milk more money from you rather than offering a USB port, so you can't use a 3G stick (that are often free to $40).

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I own both a netbook (toshiba nb205/311) and an ipad. The ipad is vastly superior at surfing the net.


As to the original question, the appletv is a spectacular solution, when combined with an ipad or iphone/ipod touch. You do need to have a computer running itunes to deliver the media, but with the 160gb of local storage, it doesn't really have to be available all that often for most libraries.

I've gone to a mac as media server, with appletv at each tv as my primary audio and video solution for my house. I've been ripping my dvds using handbrake, ripping my cds with max, and doing "needledrops" of my LPs, and basically every bit of audio and video is available anywhere in the house. Throw in a few airport express boxes and spdif is available wherever you need it as well.

My 4 yr old is able to watch her shows without having to touch dvds, we have instant access to 2 tb of music and video on demand, and when we go on vacation, we can take a giant selection of movies and music with us in minimal space.