Peachtree nova setup help

[nyc4785]

Hi Everyone,

 

My first post. I recently got a Peachtree Nova and am using it with a Macbook and Totem Rainmaker speakers. The Nova is connected to the Macbook via USB cable. My question is regarding the connection from the Macbook to the Nova. Is USB the best way to go? When I went to setup the audio output on the Mac it didn't look like I could do any better than 16bit/44. Is that due to the USB? I also tried mini Toslink/Toslink and still couldn't get past 16/44? If I'm only using ripped CD's, does moving past 16/44 even matter with the Nova? I guess it would matter if I purchased some higher resolution material? Lastly, I'm thinking about connecting the Nova to an Airport Express. Would that degrade the audio quality?

 

It seem that this topic has been discussed in some detail here, but to be honest I'm quite a novice at this and got a little lost in the details... apologies in advance for any redundancy.

 

many thanks!

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi nyc4785 - Welcome to Computer Audiophile. The Peachtree Nova is a really nice product. I had a chance to spend some time listening to Peachtree products at Rocky Mountain Audiofest and I really enjoyed the sound.

 

 

Is USB the best way to go?

 

There is no one best way to go on the Nova. Give each input a listen and go with what you like best in terms of sound and convenience.

 

When I went to setup the audio output on the Mac it didn't look like I could do any better than 16bit/44. Is that due to the USB?

 

This is dependent on the USB input on the Nova. It likely doesn't accept higher resolutions. My guess is it would go to 48k, but I could be incorrect.

 

I also tried mini Toslink/Toslink and still couldn't get past 16/44?

 

Depending on the vintage of your Mac you should be able to get up to 24/96 using the built-in optical output. I'm 99% sure the Nova accepts 96k via its optical input.

 

If I'm only using ripped CD's, does moving past 16/44 even matter with the Nova?

 

In my opinion, no it does not. I recommend playing your material at its native same sample rate. Others may disagree and that's totally cool with me.

 

I guess it would matter if I purchased some higher resolution material?

 

Yes.

 

Lastly, I'm thinking about connecting the Nova to an Airport Express. Would that degrade the audio quality?

 

It depends on the quality you have now or your reference sound. The AE may be an improvement. Again, give it a shot and the chances are good you'll be really happy with the sound.

 

 

 

 

[nyc4785]

awesome. thanks for the fast reply. i'll try it again with the toslink/mini toslink cable to the optical input on the nova and will give the AE a shot.

 

[nyc4785]

So tonight I tried the mini tos link/tos link cable from my MacBook to the optical input on the Nova. It played. However, when I went into apple's audio midi setup to try and set things to 24/96 it said device not supported.... Any ideas? The strangest thing is that 24/96 is an option on the computer speaker output setup.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[nyc4785]

Does anybody have high resolution working on the peachtree nova with a macbook as the source? if so, how'd you do it?

 

[ronfint]

I have a Peachtree Nova that I use in my home theater. It works nicely, and I've connected an Airport Express to stream music (16/44.1). Before buying the Nova I was assured by David Solomon (via email) that it would do 24/96, and I was planning to buy a Squeezebox Touch, when it appears, to be able to stream 24/96.

 

However, I just tried in order to answer your question, and -- Audio Midi Setup lets me choose 24/96 with toslink, but it won't play through the Nova --- just silence. I'm using a new Macbook Pro with Snow Leopard. When I switch back to 16/ 44.1, everything is fine.

 

This is extremely disappointing. I think that Peachtree Audio needs to look at this.

 

Ron

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Ron - I will talk to David about this for you. One question though. Are you using an adapter to connect an optical cable to you Mac, or are you using a mini-toslink to toslink cable without an adapter?

 

Many people here have reported the same playback difficulties using an adapter v. using a cable made to go between the Mac and a toslink input.

 

[ronfint]

I connected with an adapter and a glass cable. I also have a Monoprice toslink to mini toslink cable, but it's plastic. I'll try that this weekend.

 

I sent a copy of my post to David Solomon, and he got back to me immediately. He said that his engineers would look into the problem.

 

I have to say, he is very responsive. I had a message back within 5 minutes.

 

Ron

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Very cool. I have a feeling your plastic cable is going to at least give you audio even if you don't like the sound of that cable v. the glass one.

 

[nyc4785]

Ron, thanks very much for trying. What's a glass cable? I don't have Snow Leopard installed yet (currently running Leopard), but am going to try that soon. Curious to here your results with the plastic cable and what David Solomon comes back with.

 

thanks again.

 

 

 

[solidsqual]

Hey,

 

I have a working Peachtree Nova with 24/96 running beautifully from my Apple. I use a quality mini-toslink to Toslink cable. Type Midi Setup under HELP at the main screen. Click on the first hit from the search and then find OPEN MIDI SETUP. Click on the Nova Icon. Select OUTPUT. There should be an option at this point to change the bit rate and sampling.

 

Mike

 

[Audio_ELF]

nyc4785 wrote... "So tonight I tried the mini tos link/tos link cable from my MacBook to the optical input on the Nova. It played. However, when I went into apple's audio midi setup to try and set things to 24/96 it said device not supported.... Any ideas? The strangest thing is that 24/96 is an option on the computer speaker output setup."

 

It sounds like something is wrong (misconfigured) at the computer end if there is no option for 24/96 via the Mini TOSLink output. The sample rates available for the optical out have nothing to do with the DAC you are connecting to - there is no way for the MacBook to know what rates the DAC supports as there is no communication back to the MacBook from the Peachtree Nova.

 

What age of MacBook are you using? Are you sure you're trying to set the correct device?

 

Eloise

 

[Wavelength]

Gang,

 

I agree with the Elfmeister... no computer is going to know what the dac can accept. It will not display in the Audio Midi or anywhere else the Nova unit.

 

Applications->Utilities->Audio Midi Setup

 

On the MINI and most other MACs the digital output will only put out 44.1, 48 and 96. Why not 88.2 I do not know. I plugged in my superMini to the Prism dScope III with a Monster Toslink cable made for the AE. The results were not as good as I remembered...

 

44.1 3100ps jitter 24 bit accuracy

48 2200ps jitter 24 bit accuracy

96 2600ps jitter 24 bit accuracy

 

Typically the 9600 should be better than the 48k so there must be some frequency synthesizer used instead of raw crystals oscillators.

 

Anyways... the Nova uses the PCM2706 which is the same controller on the older AE which does limit the output to 44.1/16 on the AE and USB to 16 bit 32, 44.1 and 48 on the Nova direct.

 

Thanks

Gordon

 

[nyc4785]

thanks, all. I installed Snow Leopard last night and interestingly now the MIDI setup gives for the option for 24/96 in teh mini tos link/tos link connection. (The USB connection is still limited to a max of 16/44.) Gordon/Eloise, perhaps your saying this doesn't matter with the nova? Is my best bet to leave the MIDI setup at 16/44, especially since the vast majority of my material (at least for now) is 16/44 CD's? Lastly, do you guys have any recommendation for a high quality mini Toslink/Toslink cable?

 

Jim

 

 

 

[Audio_ELF]

If the majority of your music is 14/44.1 (CD resolution) then the best plan is to leave the Audio Midi settings at this, but when you are going to listen critically to an album or multiple tracks at 24/96k then change the Audio Midi settings to suit and before (re)starting iTunes. That way you get the best of both worlds.

 

Unfortunately without adding Amarra to your Mac, there is no way to do this change automatically. You could possibly add [96k] to the end of the title of Albums recorded in higher resolution to remind you.

 

Eloise

 

 

[nyc4785]

makes sense. thanks, Eloise.

 

[jimmy page]

NYC, I bought a high quality glass toslink on line and cannot hear the difference with my amp. I have a Neuhaus Labs amp that has toslink similar to the Peachtree with DAC. The amp came with a low cost plastic fiber toslink to mini. To be honest I may not have a good hearing but I have a time time telling the difference. You can hear a difference playing around with the settings on the MIDI panel. Sometimes 16 bit sounds good and other songs the 24 bit is out of this world.

 

[ronfint]

I just tried a mini-toslink to toslink cable (MacBook Pro to Peachtree Nova), and I'm able to play 24/96 files perfectly. A comment that I got from Peachtree concerned jitter. Could a toslink-to-mini adapter be introducing significant jitter?

 

[nyc4785]

Jimmy, thanks for the feedback on your glass cable. interesting.

 

Ronfint, that's interesting. After listening some more this weekend, I think that I prefer the USB connection over the toslink/mini toslink (all redbook material so far). Maybe that's the reason?