[Otto]

Hi Owen,

I'm just use a "normal" server and client PC to play music through my system. I have them stored in FLAC format and usually access my HTPC via "Remote Desktop" on a laptop. The FLAC format is lossless, and I go optical from my PC to my Outlaw 990. I find this setup to be invaluable; I can listen to anything I want with a few mouse clicks. Anyway, that's how I'm doing it, and I know a few guys with similar setups.

I also know a couple guys with Sonos setups, one of which used to have a Squeezebox. He upgraded to the Sonos because of its nicer user interface (i.e., a stronger remote control, really).

Both need external storage, so you'd probably have to use an existing PC. I'm not sure if they can just use NAS (Network Attached Storage) or not, of if that matters to you. I think you know how the rest of it works for the most part.

The Squeezebox has a three- or four-line display that tells you all the information it can. I've never actually used one first hand, so I don't know how easy or difficult it is to use. From what I can tell, you would have to scroll through things to get to what you want, and you could only see three or four things at a time. I'm so used to seeing many, many items at a time that I think that limitation would really bother me. Other than that, I understand that the Squeezebox is a well-liked, and inexpensive, solution to the problem at hand.

On to the Sonos. I have used this device first-hand, and it's pretty slick. The interface is obviously and directly inspired from the iPod, with its wheel and few buttons. The user can see more choices at once, and selections are "drilled down" until you get what you want. Still, if you are somewhat hyper about selecting songs and creating playlists, it's not as fast as my PC (and my friend told me that my laptop remote desktopped to my HTPC was "lagging"! Ha!).

I don't know anything about the Transporter or the Roku Soundbridge (a similar device). The Soundbridge was reviewed in a recent Stereophile, and didn't get the best marks. It's in the $200 or $300 range.

Finally, I would most likely pass on using any of the devices' DACs, and send the signal directly to my pre/pro, assuming that it's a superior converter. I wouldn't bother paying extra for good DACs in any of these devices. If there were an increased price tag for that type of thing, I would probably invest it in a device like a Benchmark DAC-1 or Channel Islands VDA2.

Anyway, those are my experiences with a few different methods at getting digital music to a stereo system.