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I swear I have read these CAPS threads for hours but sadly most comments are a bit over my head. Would someone mind a few basic questions that I can't figure out? I currently use a mac-mini both music and general computing. Music is on a Drobo and I use Audirvana but have tried Jriver and like it. If I switch to a CAPS for music only: 1. Do I need to buy a monitor, keyboard and mouse to set it up? 2. Do I need a monitor, keyboard and mouse to change things beyond what a remote on my phone will do? Thanks!

Mostly the CP-10 is acting as a crossover so the mains do not operate full range plus a few tweaks to flatten things out higher up. The high pass on the sub is at about 60Htz so room correction under that is done with the sub's built in DSP. I have a XTZ Room Analyzer II Pro so I am not totally in the dark, it is just a little dim. Maybe a photo would help...

KRCL in Salt Lake is really good imho. Each DJ seem to handle their own programming so listen at different times. http://streamctl.krcl.org/krcl-high-ogg.m3u

Thanks Pete, worth more than 5 cents! The room is tough and that my be my Achilles heal. All glass back wall, tons of volume and it is the living room... I use the DSP that is built into the Sub which helps with the most important room stuff (below 50hz) and the main think I use on the CP-10 is the low cut filter on the mains. I use the high cut built into the sub so get a smooth transition. It is tougher running the mains full-range. I have a few other tweaks on the EQ but nothing extreme. I don't need the boost from the CP-10. There are a couple reasons I want to do something besides use a long AES/EBU cable from my office. 1) I'd like to use the power conditioner that I have for all the gear (except maybe the sub) 2) Berkeley recommends plugging the Dac and USB into the same outlet. 3) Vibration reduction from a good rack Am I correct about the miniscule differences in the servers? The radio station I listen to most seems to only work with iTunes, is there another non-mac/non-iTunes way (like JRiver) to access the ogg.m3u stream? If I go with a Zuma (which sounds like it may be the "best" of the options), it sounds like I need to: a) keep a cable running to the office (router) to access the Drobo b) add in a wifi card (does this harm the performance?) to access the files and internet wirelessly c) move the modem and router from my office to the living room and connect to computer via Ethernet cable.

I recently moved and have my system cobbled together in my new house, which lacks the dedicated room my last place had. Here is what I have: In my office, I have a Mac Mini, dual core I7, 8gb ram, 256GB SSD connected via Ethernet to a Drobo 5N with about 1 gb of music on it. I also listen to a lot of internet radio streamed to iTunes. This computer is my main work unit so nothing is optimized for music. I do have A+ on it. The Mac Mini is connected via 1.5 meter generic USB to a Berkeley USB. The Berkeley USB is connected to an Alpha Dac series one by a 20’ Canare DA206 110ohm digital cable and that cable crosses a doorway on the way to the living room (not ideal in length or routing). The balanced outputs of the Alpha Dac are connected to a Meyer Sound CP-10 and in turn to a pair of Meyer Sound HD-2 monitors. The RCA outputs go to a JL112 sub. The system sounds pretty good but not as good as I would like. The room has tons of volume and isn’t treated in any way but the EQ has helped on that front. Here are the changes I am looking at: --Buying a new rack to organize everything and help with vibration control. --I have a BPT 3.5 Signature Plus that I want to add in to clean up the AC. --Buying a new server, I have spent hours and hours reading here on this one and can’t figure out if I should get a new mini, a 2009 mini, a macbook pro, a Zuma, SOtM sMS-1000, or other server. I’d love to avoid the cable to the office. I’m coming to the conclusion that the differences are really minor but my system is VERY resolving so I should hear more than most if there are differences. I don’t really want to buy more than one to try so I’ll have to go on options. I am not married to the Apple system or Itunes but I’m no computer IT guy either. I posted here as this is the toughest issue. --Should I access the music wirelessly? Lastly, FWIW, I listen to jazz, rock and a lot of very dynamic live recordings; this system is built around the latter. I’ve had better systems for solo vocalists or simple ensembles but nothing that handles a live Grateful Dead recording like this one. Any and all opinions and suggestions would be great.

Wow, thanks for the detailed report on your experience. I have one thing to share. I too have been using an Apple TV lately since the iMac is my office computer (in another room). The Berkeley was originally in an office system. The other day I unplugged the iMac and swapped it with the Apple TV just to see how much I was giving up and I was blown away by the improvement. I had to move the iMac back in the morning but haven't' even plugged the ATV back in. I figured it was time to get a mini and started researching and here I am.

I'm looking to buy a new source for my Berkeley Alpha Dac. I currently use an iMac and iTunes via optical toslink connection. I was thinking I would go with a Mac Mini and Berkeley Alpha USB. Then I started researching configuration options. That took me to the Mach2 and eventually to the Bryston BDP-1. The Mac/Mach2 option with the USB would cost a bit more than the BDP-1 (I am assuming I could skip the USB with this route since I could use the BDP-1's AES/EBU output directly into the BADA). Anyone have any experience that might help lead me to a solution? Thanks.

I must be missing something pretty obvious here...

I am probably missing something in the multiple posts/threads I have read but I'm not clear enough yet. I appologize in advance if that is the case. Here is my story: I'm ready to make the plunge and rip all of my 200 or so CD's. I'm thinking I will do a few per day at work. I also occasionally download music. I just installed a 1TB time capsule at work and I use an iMac connected to an external DAC there. I have an old 500mg G-Drive on hand if that helps. Once finished I want to make a complete copy to use at home with my new 160gb Apple TV connected via HDMI to a Meridian HD621. Do I just set up iTunes Media folder location to be the time capsule or should I connect the Gdrive to the iMac and store the files there? Or should I buy some other piece of hardware? Thanks!

I just click (left click) on the link to the right of each song and a download window appears.

How?

Stephano, Why are you selling your DAC-2? How much do you want for it?

I would compare: Alpha with Lynx card Alpha with Weiss AFI1 Minerva with Fireire Minerva with AES/EBU from Lynx

I think it may interest folk here. I have an Alpha and love it but have not heard a Weiss product. "I have both, BADA Alpha DAC and Weiss Minerva. I compared them both using AES/EBU out of Silent music server (that could be found on endpcnoise) using Lynx AES 16 into Spectral DMC30SS/DMA 250 with proprietary MIT350/770ULII cables. IC's between DAC'S and preamp are K-S Elation, all power cords are K-S Emotions. Speakers ar e Marten Design Miles III. I've found that Alpha DAC is much better using everything thorough 16/44,1 to 24/176 HDCD where Alpha excells. With HRX I think that there is little competititon to Alpha at near 3 times the price (using same transport)." Teddy_bear

It may seem weird but I am constantly amazed at how good the Acoustic Energy Aego speakers sound. For around $200 it is really amazing. http://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk/Product_range/Aego_series/Aego_M.asp They don't take up much real estate on the desk either. The only real negative I had was bass extension (only goes to 60Hz or so) but they image really well. Use a decent DAC and RCA interconnects and I don't think you'll be disappointed.