I'm thinking of going that route, a simple mechanical switch. But since I also use the tape outs of the BS9000 to drive the amp for the rest of the house I need some volume control ability. I'd love a simple switch that was remote controlable, from the Beo4 remote. I've seen one from a company called BEOCOMM I think, but not sure how to get one as the web site seems to not be setup for buying, no prices. I've seen their lighting modules for sale on ebay though. I need to dig out their address and email them. It's a three input switch that's controlled via the B&O remotes.

I've been using my table more lately, but still prefer the PC. Over the weekend, I used the Genius mixes to play a lot of tunes, stuff I hadn't heard in a while. Went thru about 3 of the 9 different mixes it generated on its own, and was pretty satisfied. I have all my CDs ripped, and a fair amount of stuff I've bought from iTunes, though I think in the future if I buy music online it'll be from Amazon, DRM free MP3s at high bit rate.

Dominic Macri wrote:

Very nice design, Rick. An elegant extension of modern connections and components to your existing BeoSystem 5000. It got me thinking about something I'd like to do if I could figure it out - can I create a similar setup in 5.1 if I could find a way to integrate a surround processor and an additional 3 amplifier channels as a substitute for your audio switch? The processor would accept the HDMI inputs, drive my projector, route the front left and right channels to the BeoMaster 5000, then send the center and surround channels to a nice three channel amplifier, driving my choice of passive speakers. The trick would be to have the new amp match the sound qualities of the BM 5000, and to work out the level matching when you need to adjust the volume so all channels stay in sync. 

It would be fantastic if someone could design a bespoke three channel amplifier using the stacking system architecture - and maybe even the BM 5000 amplifier circuitry - perhaps using the extra available area on the pack panel for the needed heatsink. The same thing with the surround processor, would be idea to me (like a modified and updated AV7000), but if not, many current models from other companies should work just fine.  I would prefer to have all of the components visually match my BeoSystem.

With an Onkyo or Yamaha amp, or other brand, you can quit the Audio switch and the HDMI switch, run it all into the amp and get 5.1, 7.1 or 9.1 surround sound with BLs or Bvox speakers, these amps also has line outputs for 1 or 2 zone to connect other amps for outside or other location, it will also give the possibility to connect the BM 5000 to in out and source the BG sound to surround.

Finished all the wiring last night.  The B&O amp certainly makes the iTunes sound better.  Now of course the wife has asked it the 1962 Seeburg juke box we have can be played through this setup.  Guess it never ends....

Rick wrote:

Finished all the wiring last night.  The B&O amp certainly makes the iTunes sound better.  Now of course the wife has asked it the 1962 Seeburg juke box we have can be played through this setup.  Guess it never ends....

What would make it sound better yet is to not connect the PC directly to the audio in of the B&O, but run a digital output thru an outboard DAC. There are getting to be quite a few USB DACs that are reasonably priced. I paid about $250 USD for my Little Dot one, and there are a bunch of others. Sounds significantly better than the PC sound card output.

I had the digital out from my computer going to the Sony I had but the cost of a DAC for the B&O stopped me on that.  I upgraded the PC audio to a high quality card and that helped alot though.

Kind of hard to believe the sound card was that much cheaper than a DAC, but the result is probably similar. It helps to get that process as far away from the switching noise in the PC as possible, but some cards have good shielding.

USB DACs have really proliferated as of late, due to the iTunes and MP3 popularity. I see a lot of little T-amps that have USB digital inputs, a built in DAC, and either a headphone amp or a more powerful T amp that can drive speakers. Makes a dandy desktop or headphone setup.

Well I did kind of get the card for a steal, ($60 instead of $190) but it also gave me the ability to add the 5.1 surround sound speakers to my PC.  Is the switching noise you mention from the power supply switching?  I have notices that on another older PC and it changes with HDD activity.  Was wondering what caused that. I thought it might have been a bad AC ground but the PS would make more sense.

Yeah, noise from the power supply, from the motors and a lot from the chips themselves, most radiate quite a bit of RF. The FCC is mainly worried about what gets out of the box, inside it can get pretty nasty. Not surprising you had noise related to HD accessing, those can be noisy, even acoustically. I have to keep my music PC in  cabiner, just the audible noise from the HD is horrible, like loud clicking and ball bearings rattling around. The ghost of Capt. Queeg on speed. 

Good price on the sound card. List was about what a decent DAC costs, but 60 bucks is a lot cheaper, especially as it gave you multichannel output.