My First Time: Setting Up A Music Server

[HotHead]

Hey guys, great forum. I'm new here but been reading some of the very informative threads and decided to join. I really want to take the leap into digital music and with the gear I already have, I'm taking the next steps in setting up my computer as a music source. I'm trying to stay under $1k. Here's what I have so far:

1.) PC with Q6600, 4 GB Ram, Windows 7 RTM (64bit)

2.) Oritek OMZ DAC 4.2 (just purchased from Audiogon, currently in transit).

3.) 1.) M-Audio Audiophile 2496 soundcard.

4.) Parasound Zamp v.3 Zone Amplifier.

5.) Parasound Zpre2 Zone Preamplifier.

6.) Vintage Polk Audio Monitor 7B floor-standing speakers

Everything above was purchased used except the computer. The stereo components listed above sounds really good hooked up to my CD player and tuner. I just bought the DAC (item #2) so that I can connect my stereo system to my computer (item #1).

So I'd like to know what should I do next? I mean I know I need to start ripping CDs and I plan to start downloading FLAC files, but then... Well, that's where I'm starting to get a little lost. I'm going to need a digital RCA cable and the fellow who sold me the DAC on Audiogon suggested I upgrade the power-cord. I also seen the thread on the Musiland Monitor 01 USD. Not sure I need one of those just yet though (or maybe I do ?).

I'm really new to this and have pretty much jumped in head first by buying a DAC to hook up to my computer. The DAC should be here in a week and so I'd like to know what y'all would suggest I do to get things ready. Any tips, comments on my gear, or suggestion y'all can offer would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully this thread not only helps me but can benefit others who are new to computer audio, too.

 

[gilency]

It took me months to rip all my CD's into Apple Losseles and I am still working on the album art.
I have an old apple laptop with an external 1 gig hard drive connected via USB to my Dac, then to preamp to amplifier then to headphones or speakers.
It is wonderful never to have to flip trhough CD's again.
What I am surprised at is that I don't have many friends who have done this even if they themselves are music lovers or play instruments.
It will take you time to rip all your CD;s but it is well worth it.
Word of advice: make sure to have a back up drive, or even better, keep it at a different location in case your regular drive crashes or something.
I have never enjoyed music as much as now, with a dedicated music server.
It is the best thing since hot bread was invented!

 

[HotHead]

Well I don't really have a ton of CD's but I am going to start learning how to rip. I have a PC though so Apple Lossless files may not work for me?

I know I have already found some pretty cool websites to download FLAC files and so I'm thinking most my music library will be in the FLAC format. But if I don't got that right or I'm mistaken about Apple please feel free to correct me.

Funny thing is I bough this OMZ DAC and I don't even know for sure if its an up-sampling machine or NOS.

To be totally honest I really don't know if I'm going to like this computer music source format but how can i tell unless I try, right?

 

[Qonmus]

Apple lossless will work if you use iTunes, which you need to do if you have or plan on getting an iPod / iPhone / iwhatever. FLAC is playable through Foobar, and probably some others that I can't think of at the moment. They probably sound exactly the same, so its really up to you. If you want to use iTunes then go with Apple Lossless, and if you don't want to use iTunes then go with FLAC!

 

[dan1son]

I'll try to recommend something that has really helped me manage my large music collection.

musicbrainz picard tagger (Picard Tagger - MusicBrainz) with the album art plugin

The reason for it's existence is to keep the tags and album art on your files consistent and clean. Once you rip them, you use this to tag the albums and download the album art to put in the tags or as a separate file in the folder. It can also organize your file structure to something clean and nice.

The reason for doing that is so music player applications like Songbird, Foobar, iTunes, etc. can read the tags in the files, grab the album art, and organize your music in many ways. You don't end up with three names for bands, missing tags for songs, no track numbers, etc. like you can relying on CDDB or hand tagging.

I can't stress it enough how nice it is to have properly tagged and organized music. I store my music on a server and play it back across the network on a huge number of devices and with this setup, everything just works.

 

[Roseval]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotHead /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm going to need a digital RCA cable and the fellow who sold me the DAC on Audiogon suggested I upgrade the power-cord. I also seen the thread on the Musiland Monitor 01 USD. Not sure I need one of those just yet though (or maybe I do ?).

To get the audio out of the PC to the DAC, you need a connection supported by both.
The DAC probably expect SPDIF in (don't know the specs) and your 2496 is capable of SPDIF out.
If both have SPDIF over coax cable using RCA plugs, then a true 75 Ohm digital cable with RCA conectors is all you need

 

[joe_cool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotHead /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just bought the DAC (item #2) so that I can connect my stereo system to my computer (item #1).

How far (cable-wise) from the PC to the pre-amp?

I don't recommend iTunes for use on a PC. FLAC works with just about every PC music player. The FLAC encoder/decoder is free. I recommend EAC (Exact Audio Copy) for ripping CDs.

 

[HotHead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan1son /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll try recommend something that helped me manage my large music collection. musicbrainz picard tagger (Picard Tagger - MusicBrainz) with the album art plugin The reason for it's existence is to.... I can't stress it enough how nice it is to have properly tagged and organized music. I store my music on a server and play it back across the network on a huge number of devices and with this setup, everything just works.

Well thank you for this tip. I'm a neat freak and this will certainly help. I do like things neat and organized and was kinda wondering how to accomplish this.

Oh, an by the way, the guy who assembled my computer suggested a file server. I kinda know what it is and how it works and basically it just stores everything and instead of keeping files on my hard drive, they reside on the server and I access them from there, right? He said when I'm ready let him know and he'll recommend the parts. He suggested windows home server software.

 

[HotHead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roseval /img/forum/go_quote.gif If both have SPDIF over coax cable using RCA plugs, then a true 75 Ohm digital cable with RCA connectors is all you need

Yep, both have S/PDIF coax RCA. So perhaps I shouldn't concern myself with the the Musiland Monitor 01 USD right now?

My sound card even has standard (R/L) analog out RCA jacks. And when you say a "true" 75 Ohm digital cable, are you implying there are "false" 75 ohm cables? Any certain cables I should avoid?

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe_cool /img/forum/go_quote.gif How far (cable-wise) from the PC to the pre-amp? I don't recommend iTunes for use on a PC. FLAC works with just about every PC music player. The FLAC encoder/decoder is free. I recommend EAC (Exact Audio Copy) for ripping CDs.

About 2 to 3 feet (cable-wise) from the PC to the pre-amp. Same thing with DAC to preamp and PC to DAC. I have everything on this little three shelf stand and so all the components and PC are in close proximity to each other.

Yeah, I think FLAC is what I'm going to go with. By the way, thanks for the EAC recommendation, too. Would you have any suggestions for cables? Is there a reason why you asked how far (cable-wise) my components are from each other?

 

[joe_cool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotHead /img/forum/go_quote.gif And when you say a "true" 75 Ohm digital cable, are you implying there are "false" 75 ohm cables?

No just use a video cable not an audio cable. Some are labeled "digital audio" but they are basically 75-ohm video cables with RCA connectors.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotHead /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is there a reason why you asked how far (cable-wise) my components are from each other?

If only three feet you can use a pair of regular audio cables to connect analog to analog from sound card to preamp. M-Audio 2496 analog output is not great, but will work OK until you get a DAC.

 

[HotHead]

I was told the RCA output on the 2496 card would not be hi-fi sound. So I'm waiting until I get my DAC. I hope the Oritek OMZ DAC 4.2 will sound good. I bought it for $425 off Audiogon and did so pretty much on the reviews I read. Specs-wise, I can't really find any info on it. I don't even know if its NOS or what. The Oritek Audio website is no longer online, which sort of concerns me.

I'd appreciate it if I could get some suggestions on a decent S/PDIF 75 Ohm Coax cable that won't break me. Like whacha guys think of This Cable?

 

[Roseval]

A well manufactured coax cable at a decent price.

 

[joe_cool]

BJC digital coax is what I use. There are other good units but if you get them retail they cost too much.
Monster 400
Monster Datalink 100
Belkin Master
Monster 600

 

[HotHead]

mmm OK, lol, u said "good units".

 

[Roseval]

Read this before you buy a monster: Monster Cable Playing with Fire [audiojunkies]