The Computer Audiophile Suggested Hardware list has been overhauled. Version 2.0 of the C.A.S.H. List contains expanded hardware and software recommendations geared even more toward the computer audiophile. There is no specific checklist or criteria a product must meet to be on the C.A.S.H. List. Great specs don't equal great sound or performance. However, it's clearly in everyone's best interest that these products are 100% worthy of recommendation. Like all articles here on Computer Audiophile the comments section is wide open to every reader in the world to leave an opinion. The list is continuously updated with additions and deletions to make it a great resource for CA readers to research products. The C.A.S.H. List a single data point from one of many sources of information about these and many more products.

 

 

Last Update 3/07/2010

 

 

 

 

Digital to Analog Converters

• Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC $5,000
  Review (12/10/2008) | Site

• Weiss Engineering Minerva $5,000 (Replaced by DAC202 early 2010)
  Review (06/23/2008) | Site

• Bryston BDA-1 External DAC $1,995
  Review (10/26/2008) | Site

• Benchmark Media Systems DAC1 HDR $1,895
  Review (05/28/2009) | Site

• Wavelength Audio Proton $900
  Review (06/22/2009) | Site

• Ayre Acoustics QB-9 DAC $2,500
  Review (10/11/2009) | Site

• dCS Paganini DAC, Paganini Upsampler, Puccini U-Clock $17,999, $10,499, $4,999
  Review (12/08/2009) | Site

 

 

Integrated

• Peachtree Audio Nova $1,199
  Review (01/18/2010)
  Part I | Part II | Site

 

 

Computers

• Apple Mac Pro desktop $2499 +
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Apple G5 desktop $400 + (used)
  No longer in production (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Apple MacBook Pro $1199 +
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Zalman's TNN 300 (Case Only) $690
  Review (11/28/2008) | Site

• Origen's M10 (Case Only) $320
  Article (02/08/2010) | Site

• Computer Audiophile Pocket Server - C.A.P.S ~$1,500
  Article (02/08/2010)

 

 

Audio Cards

• Lynx Studio Technology AES16 (PCI) & AES16e (PCIe) $625, $699
  Site (AES16) (Listed 3/07/2010) | Site (AES16e) (Listed 3/07/2010)

• RME Hammerfall DSP 9632 (PCI) $499
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• ASUS Xonar Essence STX (PCIe) & ST (PCI) $200
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3 Slim (PCI) $150
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

 

 

Disk Storage

• Thecus 5200B Pro NAS 5-Bay $699 (diskless) (Replaced by N5500 early 2010)
  Review (04/20/2008) | Site

• Thecus N7700 Pro NAS 7-Bay $1070 (diskless)
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Data Robotics, Inc. Drobo 4,5,8-Bay $399 (diskless)
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Onnto DataTale 4-Bay $300 (diskless)
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Onnto DataTale 3.5" External Enclosure $90 (diskless)
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

 

Hard Disk Drives (HDD)

• Seagate Barracuda ES.2 1 TB $160
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Seagate Constellation ES 2 TB $340
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Hitachi Deskstar E7K1000 1 TB $150
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

 

Solid State Drives (SSD)

• OCZ Vertex Turbo Series (MLC) $140 +
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• MemoRight GT eSSD Series (SLC) $349 +
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

 

 

Networking

• Apple Airport Extreme (Simultaneous Dual Band) $179
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Apple Airport Express $99
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Netgear GS108 PROSAFE® 8-PORT GIGABIT $80
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

 

 

Remote Control

• Apple iPod Touch $199
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

 

Apps:

• PlugPlayer $5
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• MPod $0
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Remote $0
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• MonkeyTunes $0
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Real VNC $0 - $50
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Remote Desktop $0
  Sites Windows (Listed 3/07/2010) | Mac (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Screen Sharing $0
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

 

 

Operating Systems

• Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 32/64-bit $105 +
  Article (02/24/2010) | Site

• Apple OS X Snow Leopard $29
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Apple OS X Tiger ~$125
  No longer in production (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Voyage Linux $0
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

 

 

Music Playback & Management

• Apple iTunes & Amarra $295 - $995
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• J River Media Center 14 $50
  Article (02/24/2010) | Site

• XXHighEnd $98 (€72)
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• Max $0
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• dBpoweramp Reference R13 $36
  Article (10/29/2009) | Site

 

Recommended Windows Audio Output Modes

• WASAPI

• ASIO

• Kernel Streaming

 

 

Music

• Reference Recordings HRx (24/176.2) $45 per disc
  Review (06/15/2008) | Site

• Kent Poon's Audiophile Jazz Prologue III $43
  Review (01/23/2009) | Site

• Linn Records
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• HDtracks
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• B&W Society of Sound
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• iTrax
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• High Definition Tape Transfers
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)

• The Tape Project (Analog Only)
  Site (Listed 3/07/2010)