HOME THEATER GEEKS PODCAST

Chris Connaker, founder of ComputerAudiophile.com, talks about the basics of high-resolution computer-audio files, including file formats and compression, adaptive and asynchronous USB DACs, ripping physical discs, online sources for high-res music files, the Simple Design Sonore Linux-based music-server appliance, cloud-based systems, using a preamp/processor with high-res music servers, local-area network streaming, answers to chat-room questions, and more.

Run Time: 57:01

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Chris Connaker has been an audiophile for as long as he can remember. In 1982 after talking his second-grade teacher into allowing students to bring their favorite music to class, Chris brought the vinyl version of Pink Floyd's The Wall. The low-fidelity elementary-school turntable didn't reproduce the album very well, but the class enjoyed the rebellious lyrics of "Another Brick in the Wall" nonetheless. Chris' computer experience began that same year with his family's purchase of a Commodore 64.

In early 2007, Chris discovered that audiophiles everywhere were struggling to find information about music servers and the corresponding technology. Thus, Chris started Computer Audiophile in November 2007 to fill this large knowledge gap in the audiophile community and to demonstrate to hesitant audiophiles that music servers can equal or better the current state of the art in any playback medium. Within three years, Computer Audiophile had grown to over 160,000 absolute unique visitors per month from nearly every country on Earth.

Over the years, Chris has built many music servers, from low-power absolutely silent Windows computers to high-power Macintosh-based machines. Some of these servers have been used by the audio industry's leading manufacturers. Chris custom built the silent music server used in the TAD/Pioneer Electronics suite at the Venetian for the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show. The sound quality from the TAD suite was mentioned by many audio magazines including one of the "Best of Show" selections in The Absolute Sound's March 2009 issue.

In addition to writing articles, reviewing audio components, speaking at seminars, and hosting events such as the inaugural Computer Audiophile Symposium, Chris is a computer audio consultant to manufacturers, dealers, distributors, record labels, and consumers all over the world.

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