[PeterK53]

I have lived my life in the audio world of receivers and speakers. Just purchased a new LCD-2 headphone - arriving today hopefully. All my current music is on CDs so I am going to try first using my Pioneer Elite receiver headphone output and see how that works - being fed by a Denon CD/DVD/SACD player - can't remember the model #. I can't find and specs on the headphone output power of the Elite 49TX to know how that will work. May have to use a headphone amp like the Burson Soloist.
 
Thinking of moving towards the download world but unsure how to proceed. I have an Apple Mini early 2011 version with all the factory upgrades and the Apple CD/DVD matched player. I assume that I would need to feed that to a DAC and then an amp to run these Audeze LCD-2s but not sure. I doubt the Mini can drive the LCD-2 properly but maybe it can. Is the Apple CD/DVD unit a worthwhile player for CDs? Would I be better off with some other type player or trying to hook up the Denon in some fashion? Would be nice if the player was about the same footprint as the Mini but whatever works best.
 
I alternatively could use an Apple Macbook Pro 13" early 2011 version with all the upgrades for processor and HD laptop as the source if that is a better way to go over the Mini with external player. I have both the MAC OS and Windows loaded on both machines as dual boot so whatever OS is easiest for this is available.
 
And as a download source for quality files - what do you all use? HDTracks?
 
Thanks. Pete