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Apple Macintosh Music System

This post has been along time coming for me. I have been lurking around for years, and have learned a lot from the people here. So here it is....

I really like my Apple Mac and iPhone. I like the quality hardware and simple software. I like that it works. I like than I can automatically backup with Time Machine and Time Capsule. I like the AirPort Express. I like the Remote App. I have ripped all of my music to Apple Lossless. I have a main system that I connect directly to and other systems that I stream using the AirPort Express. I like the way Apple allows me to access my music and share it with other devices, and around the house. I am very, VERY happy with my Apple setup.

I want to squeeze every bit of "musical information" out of my Apple system. Here is what I have found works best, but please feel free to make recommendations. I haven't listened to and tried everything.

1. MacBook Pro with a nice SSD drive. It sounds silly, but the SSD makes a huge difference. Not to mention how quick boot time and app launches are.

2. Van Den Hul polished glass optical cable to DAC. I've tried "coax" and "USB", but the optical output seems to sound a little better and more consistent.

3. Altmann DAC with a Optima Red Top power supply. Geeky, but that DAC sounds wonderful when battery powered.

4. Altmann AMP or 47 Labs Shigaraki amp. Both are sweet and gentle.

5. 47 Labs Lens speaker. Amazing!

6. 47 Labs OTA cable for interconnect and speaker cable.

As you can see, I like a smaller (more intimate) sound. I have owned a lot of Linn and Naim gear in the past, but the Altmann and 47 Labs gear still amazes me with every listen.

I'm open to something new, if I can improve.

What other DACs with optical inputs should I consider?

What about "chip amps" and single driver designs?

Any suggestions?

Thanks for your time....
timbrepitch
buff's avatar
buff
210 posts
 
Apple computers will output 96k data through optical, and even higher res data through firewire.

I use my Bel Canto dac3 (I am a dealer FYI) with toslink coming out of my iMac and get very good results.

IF you had a dac with a firewire input I think it would be possible to play HRx high res discs with the apple.

In my experience the best toslink is the Audioquest optilink 5, with the wireworld supernova 5+ second.

hope that helps.
mb9061
137 posts
 
I've an IMac that I've tried with optical. To be honest, USB sounds much, much better in my setup. That said, toslink versus USB may well depend on the DAC and it's input implementation (the DAC3 for example doesn't handle USB very well, as I owned one for a time).
jax2
3,031 posts
 
I use Mac as well. A few suggestions, and you may not like one: I've done quite a bit of experimenting and listening comparisons. I am only suggesting this because you stated you want to squeeze out every bit of musical pleasure for those zeros and ones. You may want to try ripping a few files to AIFF using the latest version of iTunes and see if it makes any difference to your ears and on your system. Yes, I know AL is lossless. I was particularly struck in differences between the sound of a file ripped in AL compared to the same file ripped using EAC (a PC-only software). You can find various debate and discussion on this topic on this and other sites. The only reasonable explanation I've heard for it is that the algorithms used to compress and decompress AL may account for differences in the files sound. Reportedly the latest version of iTunes addresses this to some extent, but this is hearsay and I've not actually compared rips on the newer version to those from the previous version. It may be worth trying yourself if you want to determine what works for you. Results will largely be dependent upon how revealing your system is, as well as your personal discrimination. Additionally, I've always preferred coax to optical, but the best optical I've tried has been a Wireworld Supernova (I think it is only a version 3). Perhaps I'll have to revisit that. Again, whatever works best for you. The best digital I've heard via computer files is far and away via the Modwright Transporter, which is a wireless server as well as a DAC (disclaimer: Modwright is a client - I do their photography and graphic design). I recently did comparisons with a friend to Empirical's Pace Car and Empirical modded Northstar DAC, as well as an Electrocompaniet EMC1-UP player and MHDT Havana DAC. The MW TP bested all in numerous blind tests we each did, unanimously and without hesitation. This was in a very revealing system using a wide variety of music. There are of course many other options to compare it to, but that's what I'd recommend given my experience. The other one I'd be curious to audition is the Berkley Alpha DAC. I have not heard it though.
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