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What's your favorite Apple-based music program?

The J.River Media Center comes highly recommended and was at or near the top of most of TAS's sonic evaluations in their 4-part series about computer-based audio (Dec'11-Mar'12). However, looking over their website and some supporting forums, it appears that it's really a PC-based program. According to what I read on a JRM user forum, JRMC works on a Macintosh if you use Bootstrap to install Windows 7 and run it from there. That runs into a bunch more money and I'm not all that enamored of running the music software in a non-native mode.

OTOH, there's ChannelD's PureMusic. It's $129 vs. JRM's $50, but it's very Mac-friendly.

Any other insights, recommendations, or warnings? I just got an AQ Dragonfly asynchronous USB DAC and want to feed it the best data stream without spending several more hundreds of dollars. I also want to be able to download some 24/96 and 24/88.2 files from HDTracks, so the music-handling s/w has to be comfortable handling FLAC files on a MacBook Pro (OSX Mountain Lion).
johnnyb53
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raytheprinter
1,234 posts
 
Albert, I still have to do more listening,but so far there is some good things going on with the J-River 18 and some not so good, that i have not put my finger on yet.The leading edges seem livelier than that of Audirvana,,more listening tonight!
clio09
3,355 posts
 
I just made the switch from Audirvana to Jriver. There were some bugs to work through but overall both of these programs sound very good to me, better than Pure Music. I prefer the Jriver UI and like the fact I do not have to rely on iTunes any longer. However, in the future I see myself going with a solution like the Sonore Rendu and being Linux based will probably mean switching to another software program.

Just for reference I am currently using an Oyen Digital 1TB HD connected via FW800 to a MacMini with a WyWires USB cable going to an Audiophilleo AP1 with Pure Power and then using a BNC to RCA adapter to connect directly to my Lessloss DAC bypassing the SPDIF digital cable. I did some upgrades to the MacMini as well.
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albertporter
4,949 posts
 
Albert, I still have to do more listening,but so far there is some good things going on with the J-River 18 and some not so good, that i have not put my finger on yet.The leading edges seem livelier than that of Audirvana,

Exactly, the leading edge is killing me. I'm getting more sibilance too compared to Channel D.

I love the JRiver interface and the fact it plays all files without need or permission from iTunes.

I hope release 19 improves things.
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albertporter
4,949 posts
 
Clio09
Just for reference I am currently using an Oyen Digital 1TB HD connected via FW800 to a MacMini with a WyWires USB cable going to an Audiophilleo AP1 with Pure Power and then using a BNC to RCA adapter to connect directly to my Lessloss DAC bypassing the SPDIF digital cable. I did some upgrades to the MacMini as well.

I have MacMini with Audioquest Diamond USB and Purist Ultimate USB and also use Firewire 800. My FireWire is Audioquest Diamond and generic Oyen digital.

I have Oyen Digital twin bay with Oxford chip set and run two Hitachi Desk Star 4TB drives striped as single 8TB on desktop. I have 6.2TB currently including most of the HD Tracks and lots of CD rips.
clio09
3,355 posts
 
Albert, that is quite a bit of space. For me digital has never been my primary media, vinyl and now reel tape are. I know that you have both of those at your disposal as well. I don't think I have come close yet to maxing out my 1TB drive. Probably never will as I am not buying any new CDs. Might download some stuff, but will be judicious about it.

Sorry to hear about the issues with the leading edge. I was listening a bit last night and couldn't hear that in my setup. I am awaiting MC 19 for Mac so we will see how that goes. Will do another round of testing with Audirvana and see if I still prefer MC.
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