Audiophile output on Mac OSX

[rallye666]

Hi all, my current setup is 2014 iMac - 10m toslink - Bushmaster mk2 DAC.

But I'm wondering if I'd get better results with a USB - S/PDIF coaxial converter?

General consensus seems to be that digital coaxial is more natural sounding, but I'm worried about signal degradation and interference over a 10m length.

On a budget of £100, would you buy a half decent coax cable and converter? Or the best quality toslink cable I can find?! (Although glass cables don't seem to exist at that length)

Cheers, James

[Stratmangler]

Hi all, my current setup is 2014 iMac - 10m toslink - Bushmaster mk2 DAC.

But I'm wondering if I'd get better results with a USB - S/PDIF coaxial converter?

General consensus seems to be that digital coaxial is more natural sounding, but I'm worried about signal degradation and interference over a 10m length.

On a budget of £100, would you buy a half decent coax cable and converter? Or the best quality toslink cable I can find?! (Although glass cables don't seem to exist at that length)

Cheers, James

Methinks you're thinking too much about things.
Keep what you have and spend the money on CDs or "mood enhancer"

[rallye666]

Methinks you're thinking too much about things.
Keep what you have and spend the money on CDs or "mood enhancer"

Ha, I think your definitely right!

My system is a work in progress so Im probably better off saving for my Leema Pulse than worrying about another cable for now!

[r100]

If the DAC is 10 meters from the MAC then why not get a second hand Airport Express or even a Raspberry Pi running Volumio which can either output to USB or carry its own DAC ?

cheers


PS. Thank's to you, I have just realised that my 2014 MBP has an optical audio out !! Just tried it and it is also limited to 44.1kHz which is the same as the Airport Express. To better that you would probably have to use the USB out of your MAC, into a Coax/SPDIF converter (TeraDak ?) and into the Beresford if it doesn't have a direct USB input.

PS2 the above is my exact setup in my office. I have a Beresford hooked up to a newer square Airport Express. Quality is great but I do hear some clicks now and then. The older Airport Express (the one that has the plug on it) I have in my main system doesn't click with the Beresford.

[rallye666]

If the DAC is 10 meters from the MAC then why not get a second hand Airport Express or even a Raspberry Pi running Volumio which can either output to USB or carry its own DAC ?

cheers


PS. Thank's to you, I have just realised that my 2014 MBP has an optical audio out !! Just tried it and it is also limited to 44.1kHz which is the same as the Airport Express. To better that you would probably have to use the USB out of your MAC, into a Coax/SPDIF converter (TeraDak ?) and into the Beresford if it doesn't have a direct USB input.

PS2 the above is my exact setup in my office. I have a Beresford hooked up to a newer square Airport Express. Quality is great but I do hear some clicks now and then. The older Airport Express (the one that has the plug on it) I have in my main system doesn't click with the Beresford.

I already have an apple TV connected to the 2nd optical input of my Bushmaster, I think I'm correct in saying this is limited to 48KHZ, If I'm using Tidal on the iPad from my sofa then this is what I use.

However my optical output on my iMac outputs at 96khz. My growing collection from HDtracks sound great played from there

My arcam rPac that I use as a headphone amp when working at the iMac is connected via USB and goes up to 192khz!

So if you want the 'on paper' highest quality, USB is the way to go.

[r100]

.... However my optical output on my iMac outputs at 96khz ...

Hmm, that's strange. My DAC tells me the stream is 41kHz from the MBP1024 maybe I'm doing something wrong ??

I couldn't tell the difference between 41, 46 or 96 as long as the data sent was at least 256kbs btw.

[Stratmangler]

My arcam rPac that I use as a headphone amp when working at the iMac is connected via USB and goes up to 192khz!

That's not what it says in the manual!
If it's playing 24/192 then there's some downsampling going on

[rallye666]

That's not what it says in the manual!
If it's playing 24/192 then there's some downsampling going on

I think its been discovered that holding down the 2 volume controls whilst plugging in the rPac puts into class 2 usb mode and unlocks 192khz potential

[Thebiglebowski]

Hmm, that's strange. My DAC tells me the stream is 41kHz from the MBP1024 maybe I'm doing something wrong ??

I couldn't tell the difference between 41, 46 or 96 as long as the data sent was at least 256kbs btw.

You can change the default output in applications\utility\audio midi but I though the default setting after install was 48k for Apple.

[r100]

A lot of information here on the specifications of the latest Apple Express device... and a mod here. Sorry, if this has already been posted.

Greets