I have rebuilt my home theater system over the past couple of months and will be setting in up in a new home in a few weeks. The last project that I'm wrestling with the the best way to get high quality music to the system.
Let me first say that I am a Mac guy - have been for 20 years. So I am most comfortable there. But I built a PC-based HTPC several years ago for getting movies scaled to my projector. Since Blu-ray came along, no longer need it for that, but thought it would make a decent music server.
I have an Integra DHC-40.1 pre/pro and have no interest in purchasing external DAC. Would use it to receive output from the server. I plan to re-rip all of my CD's in whatever format would give the highest sound quality.
I see several options on the server side:
1. Use the PC-based HTPC and stream to the pre/pro using ethernet.
2. Use the PC-based HTPC and connect to the pre/pro using Toslink (from Revo card).
3. Use the PC-based HTPC and stream to Airport Express connected to pre/pro using optical.
4. Buy a new Mac mini and connect stream to pre/pro using ethernet.
5. Buy a new Mac mini and stream to Airport Express connected to pre/pro using optical.
The HTPC has iTunes and WMP, 3.2GHZ single processor, 2GB ram, M-Audio Revolution 7.1 sound card, 250GB SATA hard drive.
I would prefer to stick with iTunes because I could use the Remote App on my iPhones to control the playback.
I have no clue what configuration would be the best for sound quality and I have no idea what format to rip the CD's to the server.
Help?
