OldManDave

I left Little Rock, AR in 1994...and with good reasons. In the intervening almost 20 years, much has changed - urban renewal, much safer environ - but much has not. It is still in competition for the moniker of "The Belt Buckle of the Bible Belt" - I am agnostic...it is ultra-conservative...and I am a liberal-leaning Libertarian. However, I have many life-long, sincere friends there that I have missed since the day I left.

Have I lost my bloomin mind choosing to return "home"? I keep thinking, "I left for many good reasons, many of which have not changed"...but my wife & I have aging parents who need our help...and this will only increase.

I am seeking to build a music server from a PC. I have a very nice DAC, integrated amp & speakers ready to go. The piece of the system I have to acquire is the software to manage my recordings. The library will be a mixture of high-resolution files, burned copies of CDs, redbook CD downloads and MP3s - broad spectrum of quality & resolution. Does anyone have suggestions on high-resolution capable (minimum 24/96) media management programs?

Up front, I am not a gamer and therefore I am not seeking a gamer-style soundcard. I am an audiophile and seeking suggestions for a selection of audiophile-grade soundcards for my windows-based PC. I would prefer a stereo (2-channel) card, but would consider surround sound cards too. I run the 64-bit version of Vista. My slots are all PCI-express. I have three 1x slots and one 16x slot available.

I know that HT Omega is currently developing a PCIe card & that ASUS recently released their Xonar STX. I am concerned about the ASUS as their are allegedly compatability issues with 32-bit Vista...although I have not heard anything about 64-bit Vista issues.

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

HDMI are the newest entry into the arena of high-end A/V equipment. They look like USB-interfaces on your computers & allow for simultaneouos transmission of both audio & video signals between your A/V hardware. However, doesn't this increase the potential for cross-channel interference? How does the audio & video fidelity compare against component video + separate audio interconnection vs. composite video + separate audio interconnection?

I swear I am not an internet Neaderthal; however, I have recently rec'd several solicitations to join "Grouply.com" that appears to have some sort of at least superficial connection with the multiple Yahoo Groups that I operate. I have tried to surreptitiously investigate without following the provided link(s), but generally come up against a log in prompt - no hard information.

Please advise &/or share your experiences. It would be appreciated.

For me, I would be a middle linebacker in the NFL, preferably for the Pittsburgh Steelers.