[rickles]

Hello friends!  I am new to computer audio and would like to do the following:
 
I have the following:
 
1- Headphones
2- Amplifier
3- DAC (coaxial inputs)
4- Many computers.  Macs and Linux ones mostly
5- Ton of music in FLAC and on CD
 
I would like to accomplish the follow:
 
1- Have computer remotely connected with DAC through lossless means- I think this means USB soundcard with coaxial output.
2- Use ipad to play music without big compromise
 
I know this would work a bit with itunes, but I would like to use all my flac, and not convert all to itunes lossless.  Is there a way?  Maybe I am looking for a program that does this.
 
Thank you!

 

[gunting]

I would look into 2 products: JRiver and JRemote. JRiver will play just about any format of music. You could use JRemote to either serve as the player for the music downstairs (your server), or as a remote for a laptop upstairs that is working as a server for your music downstairs, and is connected to your stereo system upstairs. With regard to the iPad as music player model you could then use HRT iStreamer as a DAC for your iPad and feed that signal into your head amp.