Noobie 1st Post: Questions on Imac Wiring & Setup (toslink vs. coax)

[thelsuman]

First post here as I'm just attempting my first computer-based audio system using the components I already own. Here's some background & info on my current plan of action:

 

Computer: iMac (early 2006 w/ Intel processor) & 2GB Memory- specs: http://support.apple.com/kb/sp35

OS X Version: 10.5 (Leopard)

Music: I plan to burn my CD library to AIFF using XLD & store it on 2 external HDDs connected via firewire 400. I plan to accumulate some 24/96 material as well.

Player: Itunes (for now). Possible upgrade to Channel D Pure Music in the future

Output: My plan is to output using the mini toslink connection & route to 2 systems via a splitter & 2 fairly long cable runs of between 10' to 30' each. Also, plan to use a toslink signal booster/repeater if needed.

Bedroom System: Audio-gd DAC Compass (DAC/HP Amp capable of 24/96 via spdif, USB limited to 16/48)

Den System: Harman Kardon AVR525 Receiver (supposedly capable of up to 24/192)

 

Open to any suggestions/recommended reading for this noobie. I’m especially interested in thoughts regarding splitting the toslink signal & whether it would be better to convert to coax & instead use long coax cables instead (also: would cheap monoprice digital cables would be OK for these long runs?) Also, curious about internal vs. external clocking & whether any settings should be changed on my iMac in order to ensure bit perfect output to the DAC & receiver.

 

Also, FWIW here’s a link to my related thread posted over at headfi: http://www.head-fi.org/t/568306/best-connection-for-imac-coax-or-optical-for-2x-split-30-runs#post_7708530

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

[mwheelerk]

The run lengths on the Toslink cables are recommended to be no more than 5 meter with a technical maximum of 10 meter. I would assume that would be based on high quality glass cables and also assume plastic may have greater limitation. I think that might get expensive for potentially marginal performance.

 

[tmornini]

Snow Leopard was a major cleanup of Leopard and is a far better OS for any purpose than 10.5 was.

 

I'm not suggesting it will sound better, but I'd not be surprised in the least to hear that it does.

 

I *am* suggesting that it'll have fewer bugs and perform far better than 10.5. :-)

 

On another, possibly more inflammatory, topic I'd recommend Apple Lossless as your file format.

 

I won't say that there's no difference, but I will say that there shouldn't be. If there is a difference now it's QUITE subtle by just about everyone's definition, and any such differences WILL be eliminated over time.

 

Question: Does anyone know if Pure Music and/or BitPerfect decompress ahead of time when using memory play? If not, they SHOULD, because then there will not be any difference whatsoever. :-)

 

[thelsuman]

Interesting. I thought that the length limitation was due to loss of signal strength over longer spans. I had hoped to amend this with a simple signal repeating/amplifying device such as this: http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Optical-Toslink-Signal-Amplifier/dp/B000I94FRM/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1314328251&sr=1-11

 

Also, I spoke to someone at Blue Jeans Cable, who indicated they'd tested their basic toslink cable to 50' with no issues. They also mention this on their web page: http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/digital-audio/ (of course this does not contemplate spitting the signal such as what I plan to do- thus my planned use of a signal amp).

 

 

 

[AudioDoctor]

using a Logitech Squeezebox Touch instead of the long cable runs?

 

It will work wirelessly, and stream up to 24/96, comes with its own DAC, or Digital outputs if you want to use them. Pretty unbeatable for 299 a piece.

 

http://www.logitech.com/speakers-audio/wireless-music-systems/devices/5745

 

[bikemig]

I second going with apple lossless over aiff and using the squeezebox touch with the av receiver. You can connect it either via a digital cable or rca since the Touch has a pretty good dac but if you do, use a straight analog connection so that the av receiver does not do any of the processing. I have mine set up that way with my av receiver and am very pleased with the results.

 

[thelsuman]

I am on a fairly tight budget here, so I'm trying to do this for

[thelsuman]

Anyone try using a toslink signal booster & if so, did it affect the quality of the original signal (good or bad)?

 

[thelsuman]

I'm wondering if this device would fit the bill:

http://www.amazon.com/Midiman-M-Audio-Coaxial-Bi-Directional-Converter/dp/B00006J074/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3CHO27L1A0C71&colid=1IP6V3AY0URPB

 

It would enable me to use a short mini-to-standard toslink cable from my iMac & (since it can simultaneously output to both coax & optical) I could then use a toslink cable for the shorter ~10' run to the bedroom & a coaxial cable for the longer ~35' run to the den. Do you guys think this is a good strategy?

 

[thelsuman]

^^^Thoughts Anyone?