[jbr]

I want to set up my home stereo system to play my growing MP3 collection and am uncertain as to how to proceed. What experiences do people have regarding the use of either their ipods vs. the various audio capture devices? I'm interested in quality, ease of use and cost.

The computer system I'd use is a G4, 400 mHz 576 MB ram, running 10.2.3. The G4 is located in another room from where my stereo system is located.

My thoughts:

1. Move my stereo, use an audio capture device such as the Edirol UA-1D (other good options?) and then reroute my speaker wires (bit of a hassle, need to drill more holes but could be done).

2. Use an audio capture device and then connect to my stereo where it sits now (how far can one run optical or coax before you get signal problems and degradation?).

3. Moving the G4 is not an option at this time.

4. Get an ipod and use that.

iPod option is the easiest but also most costly. Audio capture device use would allow bigger HDs for future expansion but necessitate drilling more holes and stringing more wire both now and in the future if/when I move either set up.

What about music quality?

Thanks for any thoughts.

James

[scottiB]

I had and internally debated your same circumstance a year ago. I wanted to play my music in my office, on my living room stereo, on my basement stereo, and in my garage.

After my internal dialogue, I chose the iPod (a 10 GB). I decided being able to shuttle a good portion of my collection at a given time was more important than CD quality (I encode at 192). I rarely sit and listen to music; it's more environmental as I do chores, work, etc. None of my equipment is ultra hi-fi, just consumer Sony receivers (a bit old) and Ininity speakers, so I rarely can tell a quality difference.

I purchased a few 1/8" mini-plug to stereo RCA cables from Radio Shack and have them plugged into the receivers. In my garage, I bought cheap computer speakers and plug my iPod into those.

If I want different tunes, updating the iPod is very quick--I don't do it often since I have 1000 tunes on at any given time.

My priorities might differ from yours, obviously, but I it works well for me--and I can take my iPod anywhere outside the house, too.

[starkey]

I would check into the wireless options. Some products are starting to pop up. I'm not sure which ones. I know wireless spkrs have been around for a bit. Happy Hunting.

[Damack]

If I'm reading your post right, you're looking to play mp3s from your iPod to your stereo, right? If so, you simply go to your nearest Radio Shack and buy a mini-to-RCA cable. It's a cable that has a headphone jack (male) at one end and the standard RCA connectors (male) at the other end. Plug this cable into a video port on your receiver and voila, you have music. The important thing here is to plug it into a video port, either Video 1, 2, or x, or a VCR or TV port. Don't plug it into the Phono or Tape or AUX because it sounds like crap if you do. Good luck.

[bridero]

I use an iPod because then I can bring it with me in the car, at work, mowing the lawn, etc. etc. etc.

[SomeToast]

I ran cables through the attic between the computer room, the bedroom and the living room stereo. They terminate in those Leviton modular wall plates (love, love, love the modular wall plates) with RCA jacks, so any one point can be the source and the other two can feed off it.

If you go wireless, watch out for other devices on the same frequency. In my house, between Airport, Bluetooth, a cordless phone and an X-10 video broadcaster, the 2.4 GHz band is getting crowded and the devices don't much like each other (I need to hardwire the video)

I don't know what Damack means about the inputs -- sure, you don't want to plug into the phono inputs because of the pre-amp, but the tape and aux inputs are expecting the same signal the audio lines for the video inputs take. Hell, that's what aux is for.

[jbr]

Thanks for all the input. The iPod option certainly is tempting because it'd be the easiest plus give me other options as bridero and scottiB mentioned.

How's the quality when using the iPod? I too am usually doing other things while listening to music - cooking, reading, playing bridge etc. Any issues with volume?

jbr