New iMac 27

[SundayDuffer]

Hello,

 

First post. I am a noob when it comes to Computer Audiophile.

 

Anyhow, i just picked up an iMac 27. I would like to add an audio rig to it.

 

Need help guiding me to a decent setup.

 

I have a very nice audio stereo/vinyl/sacd/cd setup already..this is where i enjoy my music mostly.

 

 

 

The iMac will be in a different room, where i am planning to move my headphones rig to.

 

 

 

Budget: $1000, the less the better...hihi.

 

 

 

What i've owned already:

 

iMac 27

 

Yamamoto HA-2

 

6 different cans (Darth Beyer V3, ATH W1000, ATH W5000, Denon D7000, AKG K701, Sony SA5000)

 

Couple of unused CD sources: Sony SCD-777es, Opera Consonance Droplet 5.0

 

4 B&W monitors..for listening (cant remember the models, somewhere up in my attic..lol)

 

 

 

I would like to use the yammy as my headphone amp, use the B&Ws as speakers, and add a cd source (optional).

 

 

 

Can this be achieved to the iMac?

 

What would i need to pickup?

 

 

 

Thanks guys,

 

Happy Listening.

 

[bikemig]

To start, rip all your CDs in a lossless format. For a $1k, I'd get a Squeezebox Touch to stream that music to your stereo rig (it's in another room, right?) and then get a good headphone amp/dac combo for your computer room so you can enjoy your cans. The Touch runs $300; that leaves $700 for your headphone amp/dac combo. I like the audio gd fun, http://www.pacificvalve.us/AudiogdFUN.html. Plus it's a good preamp if you later decide to add some powered speakers. That leaves you well under budget so you can buy some great new music to enjoy with your new set-up.

 

Edit: I missed the Yamamoto HA-2 on my first read through. You have a headphone amp so just get a dac to run from your computer to the amp. You could do worse than the HRT music streamer II at $150; the SQ is very good. I'm sure others will chime in with different dacs that they like. But the SB Touch for your main stereo rig and the HRT musicstreamer for your computer will set you back around $450, leaving plenty of money left over for new music . . .

 

[SundayDuffer]

Bikemig, wow..you made it sounds so simple. Thankyou.

 

Obviously, i need a DAC that equipped with either USB, Firewire or toslink, correct?

 

I am clueless about the squeeze box that you had mentioned, but i will read up on it.

 

[bikemig]

You don't really need a dac that has all three inputs (although you could get one). The HRT musicstreamer is a usb dac; just connect the rca outputs to your headphone amp and enjoy the music. Your main stereo rig is in a different room than your computer so you need to be able to stream your music; the SB Touch does that very well and it sounds really good using the RCA outputs. There are all sorts of tweaks you can add later but this will get you started and you'll be happy with both the Touch and the musicstreamer.

 

Edit: and buy an external hard disc to back up all those music files. You really don't want to rip all your music more than once . . . .

 

[SundayDuffer]

Awesome. Thankyou. Will start researching on usb dac and the squeeze box.

 

[James1776]

You will need a good music program for the computer, like Pure Music. You will need at least 4GB of memory. There are a host of good DAC/headphone amps out there.

 

Look at the Furtech GT40...Under $500. The Music Hall Dac 25.3 is $595 and uses tubes and has a decent volume control.

 

That leaves a cable between the DAC and the iMac

 

Total cost around $800