External HD Changing the quality of the sound?

Doggiehowser - I am just doing some pre-lim exploration of computer audio...and, in another thread, noted your enthusiasm for a set up that sounds somewhat like mine. Hope you can provide additional insight and guidance here about use of Bitperfect.

If I purchase Bitperfect do I need to install it on my external hard drive where my iTunes music library (and iTunes) resides or will it work properly with iTunes (which is operating from the external hard drive) if BitPerfect is simply downloaded to the MacBook Air hard drive? Hope that is not too ignorant a question.

System is: iTunes & Apple Lossless Files on SeaGate 1TB ext. H/D>>MB Air>> USB out>>M/F V-Link>>M/F DAC>>Pre-amp.

Thanks in advance for your help.

BitPerfect is an app that works alongside iTunes. You use iTunes to manage your library (set which HDD to keep the library in etc, add new songs, add metadata info if needed, create playlists etc).

BitPerfect just takes over the playback engine from iTunes. You install it from the App Store like with most new apps. It will be in the Applications folder.

Thanks DH - I did understand the purpose of BitPerfect, I just wasn't sure about where I had to install it - but it asks about the location of your music library so maybe that was moot. I bought it and think I've got it going now. I have a little BitPerfect icon upper right on the toolbar and it's green. I used it to launch iTunes and am playing the only music files I've got which are on the external drive. Do I need to do anything more to "enable" it? or otherwise optimize what it is doing? Also, am I correct thinking I can A/B with and without BP by clicking "disable BitPerfect"? Thanks for the quick reply.

Adding an external HDD or RAID does one thing for sure: it adds yet another ground-loop to the system. This alone can cause SQ degradation if you are not careful. The power cords should be heavy and use the same outlet as the computer. Adding in power conditioners can help or hurt here depending in their design.

I have a Firewire RAID attached to my Mac Mini and it has no audible effect. Cheap firewire cable.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Thanks for the heads up, Steve. For better or worse, the Seagate external HD is USB powered. I am fumbling my way through these early stages and it's an accomplishment that I can actually copy a cd and play it back from the HD. Haven't yet done any critical listening comparing CDP to computer with or without BitPerfect running. Hope to give that a try this evening.