mrtoes

Hi Chris, Thanks for the additional links. Any idea if these products get around the restriction when using PlugPlayer that the controlling device must be powered on in order to automatically play the next track when the current track finishes? Edit: I just read the user manual. BitRemote is software that you install on the same machine that is running J River Media Center, so presumably it's operating as a proxy layer between JRMC and the iPod Touch/web client to allow functionality that isn't permitted by J River's limited interface. The interface from the iPod Touch is via Safari which is a shame, it would be nice if they had a proprietary app or provided a DACP interface to allow control via Apple Remote like Foobar does with foo_touchremote - though that puts them at the mercy of Apple changing their protocols underneath them, which is what has just happened with foo_touchremote. There's a free download which you can try, I might try it this weekend if I have any time after I've done a Linux install on my streamer. Matthew.

I've looked at all manner of control software for controlling J River and none are up to scratch. I've tried PlugPlayer on the iPod Touch and the main problem is that J River is incapable of holding a playlist and each song needs to be initiated from the controlling device, not something that works well with a remote control that is designed to power down. That means that if you play an album and allow your iPod Touch to go into standby, then the second song won't play. The "solution" according to the author is to jailbreak your iPod Touch and install software to stop it from powering down. Not an acceptable solution. As I understand it, this is not a problem with PlugPlayer per se, rather a limitation of J River due to it's strict interpretation of the DLNA/uPnP spec. If this has changed and there is a way to adequately control J River from a device that is not "always on" then I would love to hear about it Cheers, Matthew.

I'm sure it will do the business!

Get the Intel 40Gb which has more space and better random read/write speed. The Vertex 30Gb should also be fine. Stay clear of the 30Gb Kingston. I'm using the Intel 40Gb in my CAPS machine and it works very well. Matthew.

Thanks for the suggestions! I find a combination of virtual desktop via the laptop and remote app on the iPod Touch works great for me. I find that the Apple Remote app with Foobar works really well, providing all the basic functionality I require for audio playback: - Library browsing by metadata - Adding of songs to playlist - FF/RW/skip/pause/play/stop - Volume control That's all I need for ordinary music listening. Then I use normal remote desktop (Windows 7 Ultimate) from my Dell XPS 1330 for Windows and advanced application configuration. But once I have everything working well, I anticipate rarely having to use this. The important thing is that all the normal functionality that is required to listen to music is provided easily and effectively with the iPod Touch. I really do not want to have to grab my laptop every time I want to skip track, put on music, or change volume. Again, just a personal preference. If I had an IPad - well that would be interesting, I wonder how well remote desktop works on there. Matthew.

Hi there, I haven't tried any, I just don't want a remote desktop client, I want a proprietary application like Apple Remote, I don't want to be fiddling around with Windows controls that are not designed to be used by my finger on a 4" screen. Just a personal preference you understand, I'm sure for many people VNC apps do everything they want. Matthew.

Had problems with PlugPlayer. Besides it being quite slow and a bit glitchy, I am having the problem where it won't skip to the next song if the iPod Touch is powered down, even with the latest build of J River Media Center 15 which is supposed to fix it. Is there something in the J River settings that needs changing to enable this? foo_touchremote on the other hand works great, just like using the Apple remote app with iTunes. Foobar is of course rather clunky, looking at some skins now. What J River really needs is a server proxy like foo_touchremote that would enable you to control it with the iTunes application. I might settle for Plug Player if I could get it to move to the next song correctly! Matthew.

Wow - Thanks everyone! Some great suggestions, my Google-fu was totally failing me Chris - Plug Player sounds like it could do what I'm after, reading through the threads it's got a few loose ends but well worth checking out. I note that this thread seems to have some good information on setting it up: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Struggling-JRiver-Media-Center-Plugplayer Chasw98 - I'm thinking of getting something like this but I wouldn't be able to use it for my primary controller, as I'm running without a screen. I may well get one anyway just for convenient ff/rw/volume functions, but it wouldn't do for library browsing. Dan - xpTunes and WebRemote are browser based which isn't ideal (I found Alloysoft a bit slow and clunky and it works in a similar way) but hell if they're free then I'll give it a go! Eloise - MonkeyTunes and foo_touchremote look great - will definitely check those! Thanks again, I'll report back when I've tried these. Matthew.

So I've built a C.A.P.S. style Atom server and running an Asus Xonar Essence ST sound card (write-up in due course!) However I'm scratching my head when it comes to finding an acceptable remote control. I previously had a Sonos box and used the excellent Sonos iPod Touch application, and wanted to find something similar to use with the PC. I am flexible with the playback software that runs on the PC but I cannot find an iPod Touch application that allows browsing by genre, artist and album and is slick to use. I have so far tried: Alloysoft - server software on PC, controls Winamp, iTunes or WMP. Out because the interface is web only via Safari, and is slow and clunky. RiverMote - iPod Touch app for JRiver. No library browsing so out. iAmpRemote - controls Winamp remote. No library browsing so out. iMonkey - controls MediaMonkey. No library browsing! Remote desktop type programs like VNC are not good enough, I want something that is slick and easy to use yet provides the required functionality. Laptop control is fine but it is essential that I have some sort of remote control that doesn't involve using a computer. Any ideas? All I can think of at the moment is iTunes, which I don't really want to use and in any case my entire collection is ripped to FLAC. Thanks, Matthew.

I've demoed both and now use the Benchmark. My opinion is the Benchmark and a modest streamer such as Sonos or Squeezebox will slap the Majik DS about.

Don't forget (if you are in the UK) you are protected by the Distance Selling Regulations which gives you 7 working days to return the product if it doesn't meet your requirements. Obviously you'd rather make the right choice first off but there you go. One thing to note about the Beresford 7520 is that it is a modular design which can be modded to give a different "flavour", something which is rather more difficult with the DACMagic. A further piece of advice is check what chip the DACs use - the Linn Majik DS I demoed used the same chip as the DACMagic (Wolfson WM8740) and they sounded identical under blind testing. The circuitry surrounding the chip should greatly effect the sound, but I was unable to tell the difference. I believe that low cost DACs like the DACMagic/V-DAC/Beresford give you 95% of what is possible under 16-bit audio, and differences are down to "flavour". I think you should definitely be able to find a low cost DAC that meets your requirements. Good luck! Matthew.

No probs! I don't have this problem with the DACMagic, but I have an amp/speaker combination that tends towards the laid back and warm so perhaps the DACMagic suits them quite well. I have heard good things about the Musical Fidelity V-DAC, which is significantly cheaper than the DACMagic and apparently has a warmer presentation. Also the Beresford 7520 gets a good reception. It would interesting to hear you compare whatever DAC you go for with the DACMagic! If you found the DACMagic a bit unforgiving in the treble, I'd stay away from the Benchmark DAC-1. Matthew.

No harshness with the treble here. I found the treble a little brittle with the USB, definitely check out coax/optical if your laptop can handle it. As mentioned there is a significant increase in jitter using the USB input http://stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/cambridge_audio_azur_dacmagic_da_converter/index3.html Matthew.

Hi Tonto I haven't tried the Mac mini but personally I can't tell any difference have compared my Sonos against a Sony CD player and a Linn Majik DS going into a DACMagic. Sonos sometimes gets flak as a source, I suspect it's not all that bad. It depends not only on the source but also on the DAC and it's jitter control. I notice you have AVIs - I believe the maker is somewhat strongly of the opinion that it does not matter what source/cables you use with his equipment. Matthew

<br /> Thanks for the review! I was wondering, given you have reviewed the Stello DA100 Signature recently, if you could give your impression of how the DACMagic matches up to it? The DACMagic sounds like a great buy but I'd consider spending a bit more on the Stello if it's a significant step up.<br /> <br /> Cheers,<br /> <br /> Matthew.<br />