Mark Levinson 390S question

Depending on your sound card and software, you may be able to choose what is output digitally from your PC. The 390s can't decode DD or DTS signals so you'd have to output a PCM signal from your PC (your PC would make the conversion internally). One additional thing to keep in mind is that, as pointed out by the 390s review in Stereophile from this past January, the 390s can't decode an incoming digtal signal higher than 48kHz.

It’s true that it doesn’t decode 48kHz signals, but let's keep things in perspective here. 24 bit, 48kHz media is very rare. Below is a quote directly from Atkinson's review about the real world relevance of this:

"Of course, there aren't that many domestic sources around with word lengths greater than 24 bits or sample rates greater than 48kHz—probably a suitable DVD player playing one of the small number of Chesky and Classic DADs is all a typical audiophile will have access to. If you have a DAT recorder or a second CD transport, then this will not be an issue for you..."

I’ve found the 390S to be among the very best at playing CDs. Assuming you can get a clean PCM signal from your source, and you don't plan to use DADs, then the 390S would be a stellar performer.

Hmm that's interesting. I'm not sure what kind of signal my computer outputs from its digital out port. The computer is Apple PowerMac G5. Does anyone know if I can use this machine as a DVD player through ML 390S's DAC?

Thanks