Advice for using ARC for both 2 channel and home theater
 

My current setup is a Marantz Receiver, B&W 600 series speakers, a HSU sub, and an old DVD player and a Pioneer Elite TV. I also have a Control 4.

When I get my new ACR REF 10, REF 250s and REF 2SE to go with Vandersteen 7s and Basis 2200, setting up the 2 channel audio should be easy and sound great, especially since I get help from the local shop where I purchased the equipment and was able to hear the exact same system. However, now I have to decide what to do with my home theater setup.

My goal is to play digital music in addition to vinyl. Do not need streaming. I like the idea of a server containing my music and a DAC with output to my REF 10. I like the idea of a Mac Mini with iPad control where I can pick songs and adjust the volume using an iPad, but am open to alternative ideas. One suggestion was a Bricasti M1 connected to the MacMini, something Dan D'Agnostino mentioned to me a couple of weeks ago. However, I have been given other suggestions. Any thoughts?

On the home theater, I suppose I could keep the Marantz, get a new Vandersteen Center Channel and surround speakers along with a new Oppo 105 and use the Marantz to power the center and surrounds, or get new equipment. I know McIntosh makes products for this purpose, but was wondering if any of you have some advice. With such nice ARC equipment for my 2 channel, I also want good sound when listening to BluRay 5.1 surround discs like Eagles Hell Freezes over.

Thanks!!

I haven't heard the Bricasti BUT can without a doubt tell you not to go the route of a Mac. I have tried them all and I have a similar system to yours and never got the best of digital until I converted to JRiver and my CAPS. JRemote is a better app than Apple's remote so you loss nothing in functionality and get much better sound.

People including manufacturers will tell you different but they are wrong.

As to DACS I would not go the ARC route. Bricasti is supposed to be excellent. So is the Meitner EMM2x I am currently selling. Check out the new MSB analogue in the price range you are looking at. I loved it. Bought its big brother.

Did you listen to the top DCS's? For reasons connected with distribution in my country I never managed to listen to them associated with Audio Research. The best digital sound I have listened in my system was the Metronome Kalista-C2A, but it was also out of my reach.

Priaptor said: "People including manufacturers will tell you different but they are wrong."
Really? Pretty black and white for something that is anything but, don't you think? JoelG, I suggest you do some reading on line such as at Computer Audiophile (which discusses JRiver, CAPS, and alternatives) and make up your own mind based on less biased information.

It is pretty black and white in my opinion. In fact I wasted close to a year in MAC players until one day I saw the light and read between the lines of Chris Conniker's review of the Aurender where he basically made the observation that CAPS(windows)>Aurender>Mac.

So I gave it a shot on bootcamp and was amazed at how much better JRiver was.

CAPS2 and 3 improved on that

I still have Amarra, PM, Audirvana and a bunch of others on my Mac and every time an upgrade is released and the praises flow I give it another shot just to go back to Windows.

Yup black and white as you said.

I did not. I am sure the Vivaldi is excellent but out of my $$ range by the time time you are finished with some of the stack that would make it competitive to the MSB.

JoelG


Actually I recommend something different than Chris or what I am recommending.

Since you are spending some serious bucks don't commit to any source and give them all a shot. If you don't have a Mac borrow one and similar for Windows. If you have an (as it sounds like you do) Apple setup Bootcamp before investing

You can get trial versions of all the players. See which sounds better to you.

If you find JRiver sounds better than buy a Windows source such as the Carbon which is CAPS V3 found at Small Green Computer. If not invest in the player you find best. If JRiver then JRemote is a better remote than Apple Remote is on any of the Apple players.

I am a Mac user, and would like to avoid a Windows based setup (including Bootcamp) if at all possible. Anything but Windows!!! LOL

Good luck.

JRiver is actually easier and remote access to it as well as JRemote much easier

If you are spending the kind of bucks you are if you are considering things like Bricasti you really should try both and then make up your mind based on sonics.

Try it you may like it. I too was closed to Windows until my ears made up my mind for me

Joel:
Might I suggest something else. I have a Ref 40/Ref 250s/Ref 2SE with 20.7s in a 2 channel system. For Digital, I use a Logitech Transporter (now discontinued, but readily available), connected to an NAS server.

For my theater, I use another Transporter to play music.

I am really happy with the Transporters, and you can use an app called Ipeng to control the Transporters on your Ipad.

Greg