In article , Derrick Fawsitt
writes
In message , Steve Swift
writes
My preferred approach would be to buy four (or more) large SATA disks
and use them as a software RAID5 array.

I've always been fascinated by RAID arrays - especially their ability
to increase the size of your "disc" without ever going offline.
However, for domestic applications, the noise of four or more discs
could get quite distracting.
I used to run a mainframe disk subsystem that contained 60 PC disks.
You couldn't make yourself heard standing near it.

I am sitting here absorbing all of the posters generous advice with
amazement and gratitude. I won't comment for now except to say thank you
again and give copies of all the posts to the chap who is going to make
up my PC for me so he can "translate" it and use it to help me.


He shouldn't need to do much with the translation Derrick, the PC in use
doesn't have to be a stunning fast performer, its more of a file server
than much else. The idea of RAID is a good one and with disc costs
falling on a daily basis you can now record at very high rates. I don't
bother with MP3's just use linear PCM or as some have suggested FLAC.

The bit that "does" deserve attention is the soundcard and I reckon you
might be better off using the inbuilt, as most PC's are these days,
SPDIF digital out and use a high performance external DAC for that
unless you have a very good soundcard the onboard sound just doesn't cut
it for the quality of your replay system!.

The power supply rails in a PC aren't designed with high quality audio
at least analogue audio in mind, thats were the external unit or high
grade soundcard come in.

I've used a relatively low cost Terratec Phase 22 for some applications
as it comes with balanced in's and outs which go quite some way to
eliminate things like ground loops etc which can cause interface
problems..


--
Tony Sayer