mac mini

Here is what I did.

- Get a Benchmark DAC-1 USB.
- Connect Mac Mini to DAC-1 using USB cable.
- Connect DAC-1 to master system.
- Run Audio Midi Setup on the Mac, select DAC-1 as Default Output, change Format to 96,000Hz and 2ch-24bit, set both volume sliders to maximum.
- Start iTunes, import Apple Lossless tracks, set iTunes volume at maximum, turn off iTunes equalizer, and play.
- Volume should be controlled from preamp or DAC-1. Do not use volume controls on the Mac.

Sidssp, it could be different under different versions of OS X and iTunes, but wouldn't what you've recommended activate the iTunes sample rate converter?

Why spend on the Benchmark when the Cayin iDAC-1 Vacuum Tube line amplifier will do the same thing, even better, at half the cost. No, I am not a Cayin dealer or distributor, just someone who likes the tube sound.

sounds good....i'll probably check out the scott nixon usb dac beings i already have the tube dac for my aloia transport, but never the less, thanks for the responses....

I am doing almost the same as Sidssp, but I run an iMac into a non-USB Benchmark. This means using the optical out from the Mac. This is a mini-optical, you can either use a converter or buy a cable that has mini-optical in one end and regular Toslink in the other (I bought a Monster for about 50 bucks, I though that it would be best to avoid an extra glass surface transfer). You are in business if your DAC has an unused Toslink input!

The comments about being careful about the transfer rates to avoid any conversion that reduces the sampling frequency still apply (most people says that it is OK for iTunes to upsample to 96k).

I'm doing the same thing with a mini PC (aopen) of the same form factor running Vista and media center... Just purchased a Bel Canto Dac3 (TTVJ) and a Van Den Hul Opto Link II mini to toslink (from Eugene Audio in Eugene OR - these are hard to find..hence the shameless plug). The Dac3 has a balanced output to drive a nice 2 channel rig (mine's a Krell 400xi). I run applelossless (ALAC) and wavs into this gear. Sounds pretty good so far. I'm still tweaking though.

i have a mac mini that is used as a whole house audio system. in remote rooms, i use airport express units. in my family room, i use the mini to rca cable that plugs into a receiver. in my other rooms, i go out of the airport express or the mini itself into a jitter reduction device using the mini to toslink cable. huge improvement. from the jitter device (i use a monarchy DIP in my dedicated audio room and an audio alchemy DTI in my den), i go to an external dac (manley in my audio room, adcom gda-700 in my den) using coax cables. then i go from the dacs to the preamps. A good external dac is a must and the improvement using the jitter devices made just as big a difference as the dacs. from anywhere in the house, i control itunes using my ipod touch using remote buddy software.