SOTM USB card vs PPAstudio USB Card v2

[Alexis777]

Hi to all, I like this section... :-)

As technical newbie I am still wondering if the PP V2 card is working or not with the Mac OS.

I wrote him asking this and he wrote me back:

 

"Hi,

V2 card need no driver for Linux,Mac OS,Win8.

Thanks!

Regards

Pang.Kai-Yu"

What is he meaning..? The same question about the new usb card from J CAT... no technical information on the HP.

 

Mi set up is mac mini latest model, with two keces 116, one for MB, one for internal SSD and HD music storage, and no fan. Dac is Msb Analog+ Power Base.

 

Thank you

Alex

[Alexis777]

I Tranz thank you for your answer.

I really enjoyed your tread about mac mini caps.. :-)

I followed your instructions quite step by step, and confirm that the result is very very good.

Really interesting!!

Now I have a partially diassembled mac mini, upside down, with Keces 12v for mains and another Keces for the 5v line for internal osd, now external.

No fans, no wifi, bluetooth infrared etc.

I am considering Streacom also.

 

Remains for me now to do the last step, the sound card ...

and here there are two ways:

sound card usb interface through sonnet thundernolt

or Rme HDSPe, but it is sol spdif / XLR 16 channel ......

 

I wonder if there is another way ..

 

I would also be willing to change motherboard .. But I do not like windows ..

 

Can you give me advice on how to proceed?

 

Best regard's

Alex

 

(I am running A+, have G tech 4TB external TB drive, and MsB Dac)

[Alexis777]

Hi Tranz

thank you for your detailled answer !!

 

Yesterday I asked about MAC OS Maverick/ J Cat usb card.. compatibility.

 

They answered to me:

 

"Hi Alex,

 

I'm not sure to be honest if this works. It depends if xhci driver is available on the Mac OS version you use. "

 

I'am not a computer freak... someone can help or explain better..?

[Alexis777]

Hi do ypu mean also a Sonnet thunderbolt / Pciei nterface will degrade the sound..?

someone tried it..?

 

I read following suggestions from core audio page:

 

"Remember the Thunderbolt Expansion chassis? This opens up several possibilities that can take the Mac Mini to new heights.

 

Sound Cards: Adding a PCIe sound card can bring your sound to new heights and totally eliminate the hardware-born noise that spawns within the Mac Mini. I don't recommend a USB Card mainly because many those USB outputs get converted to SPDIF down the chain anyway. So skip the conversion and grab a high-quality SPDIF or AES sound card with clock input. My experience with the RME HDSPe AES and AIO has been very promising. I highly recommend using an external clock with these cards as their internal clocks are mediocre at best.

Further benefits of this sound card application are numerous. For one, the card is powered separately from the Mac Mini. So better power supply and total isolation of this card pays dividends in terms of sound quality."

[Alexis777]

elberoth,

let us know about the bakoon.

I was not particulary happy, with this device.

imho a good 5V LPS has more dynamics and openess.