Starre Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Do you use a recent macbook with you dac? Does it work with El Capitan and/or Yosemite OS? I am contemplating getting a MacBook Air 13 but I have read online about all kinds of USB dacs and similar not working any more with Mac. I use my Meitner dac with a Windows 10 laptop but am curious about using a Mac. Link to comment
Freann Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Hold your horses. *Some* dacs that depend on proprietary driver that has not been updated will experience trouble with the two latest OSX releases. If memory serves correctly this applies to older dacs from Chord, M2Tech and (??). Your Meitner dac has updated drivers? Roon client on iPad/MacBookPro Roon Server & HQPlayer on Mac Mini 2.0 GHz i7 with JS-2 LPS-1 & ultraRendu → Lampizator Atlantic → Bent Audio TAP-X → Atma-sphere M60 → Zero autoformers → Harbeth Compact 7 ES-3 Link to comment
Starre Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share Posted February 23, 2016 Firmware of my dac is from summer 2014. It normally needs no specific drivers to work with Mac. Link to comment
gmgraves Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Firmware of my dac is from summer 2014. It normally needs no specific drivers to work with Mac. Then it will work fine with your Mac. I have a number of USB DACs in house, none of which require a driver to work with either my Macbook or my Mini and I run El Capitan on both and all DACs work fine, Before I installed El Capitan, I ran Yosemite on both. Same result. All DACs worried perfectly. George Link to comment
JJinPDX Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 My MBP with El Capitan plays very nicely with my Bryston BDA-2 and a NAD DAC, and Schiit Bifrost. FWIW. Edit: the NAD DAC is the MDC module that I added to a C356BEE. I use a toslink with that unit. USB with the others. JJinPDX Link to comment
wgscott Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 I don't have the most recent Air, but none of the ones I have had have optical out. Link to comment
Starre Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 Might work then, I am only interested in using USB at the moment. I am also considering waiting for the next generation of Macbook coming this year. Link to comment
Starre Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 Which Macbook is enough for playing music files, hi rez and DSD with low latency? Link to comment
blownsi Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 Which Macbook is enough for playing music files, hi rez and DSD with low latency? Any current gen macbook should be able to pull that off unless you are referring to PCM to DSD on the fly conversion. In that case even the i7 Air may not be up to the task. I bought a used 2012 MBP quad core i7 2.7ghz just for this and it has no trouble. Link to comment
Starre Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 No "on the fly concersion" needed, my dac converts everything to DSD. I might go for the basic macbook pro. Link to comment
wgscott Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 Why not just get a mac mini? Link to comment
Starre Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 I want a SSD and it seems current mac mini does not have it, and it seems easier with a integrated screen and keyboard. Does it sound different, mini vs macbook? Best sound? Link to comment
JJinPDX Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 Good question. Maybe wants a screen? JJinPDX Link to comment
wgscott Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 If he can afford it, I suggest a mac mini and a laptop, and then one can use Apple's remote display to display the mini on the laptop from the comfort of the listening position. Link to comment
Allan F Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 If he can afford it, I suggest a mac mini and a laptop, and then one can use Apple's remote display to display the mini on the laptop from the comfort of the listening position.I am not familiar with macs but, If one uses a mac mini, why wouldn't one simply use an iPad at the listening position? "Relax, it's only hi-fi. There's never been a hi-fi emergency." - Roy Hall "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - William Bruce Cameron Link to comment
sbank Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 It all depends on which software you use on the macbook or mini. With A+ running on my Mini, I screenshare to control with my macbook pro. Ipad has the A+ app that doesn't allow full functionality and has some quirks. A+, Amarra & PureMusic users all have our own tales of woe with software. JRiver is relatively newer contender in the Mac universe(after years as Windows popular choice) but sound quality for Mac version is reportedly not up to SQ of the other 3 mentioned. I haven't tried that yet, but of the first crop, I prefer A+ sound quality. When all is said and done, will be happy to replace the Mac with a dedicated low power linux computer or something like the pending Sonore Microrendu. IMHO all the mac control software(except JRiver) sets a low bar. Digital Source: Synology DS415+ NAS and Small Green Computer SonicTransporter i5 Running Roon Core > Blue Jean Cable Cat6a >TP optical converter > Sonore OpticalRendu with Sonore LPS> Curious USB > Denafrips Pontus DAC Analog Source: Dynavector XX2 mk2> Audiomods Series 5 silver arm > Sota Nova Series VI turntable w/Condor & Roadrunner motor controller/tachometer > Nagra BPS battery powered phono stage> Both: BAT VK51SE preamp> Krell FPB300 power amp > Sound Lab A3 ESLs > > Custom room treatment > 50 yr. old ears(left-handed) Link to comment
Starre Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 I wonder if a mac sounds better than my windows 10 laptop with internal ssd and JRiver. That Sonore looks interesting. Link to comment
Starre Posted February 25, 2016 Author Share Posted February 25, 2016 After some research I have found what seems to be a problem with El Capitan and a dac with usb 2.0 using async usb transfer. It does not support it anymore! It will not let the dac take control of clocking! This is really serious since my dac use this and many more I am sure. I really hope this will be fixed but who knows, and why was it removed? Sigh... Link to comment
Freann Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 No Starre, that is incorrect. Asynchronous transfer mode is enabled by the dac/driver, not the OS. Where did you find that information? Roon client on iPad/MacBookPro Roon Server & HQPlayer on Mac Mini 2.0 GHz i7 with JS-2 LPS-1 & ultraRendu → Lampizator Atlantic → Bent Audio TAP-X → Atma-sphere M60 → Zero autoformers → Harbeth Compact 7 ES-3 Link to comment
Starre Posted February 25, 2016 Author Share Posted February 25, 2016 I cannot find the exact post but here is a similar article: Apple Messes Up USB 3.0 Audio Big Time - Audiophile Review One more:https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7253452?tstart=0 It seems like the problem started with El Capitan? And if you buy a new mac it is not easy to go back to Yosemite? Link to comment
Freann Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 USB 3 is not used for audio, only USB 2. Not the same thing. You really have nothing to worry about. Roon client on iPad/MacBookPro Roon Server & HQPlayer on Mac Mini 2.0 GHz i7 with JS-2 LPS-1 & ultraRendu → Lampizator Atlantic → Bent Audio TAP-X → Atma-sphere M60 → Zero autoformers → Harbeth Compact 7 ES-3 Link to comment
jhwalker Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 USB 3 is not used for audio, only USB 2. Not the same thing.You really have nothing to worry about. Exactly. No problems at all. John Walker - IT Executive Headphone - SonicTransporter i9 running Roon Server > Netgear Orbi > Blue Jeans Cable Ethernet > mRendu Roon endpoint > Topping D90 > Topping A90d > Dan Clark Expanse / HiFiMan H6SE v2 / HiFiman Arya Stealth Home Theater / Music -SonicTransporter i9 running Roon Server > Netgear Orbi > Blue Jeans Cable HDMI > Denon X3700h > Anthem Amp for front channels > Revel F208-based 5.2.4 Atmos speaker system Link to comment
Starre Posted February 26, 2016 Author Share Posted February 26, 2016 The problem is using a usb 2.0 device in a usb 3.0 port since no older usb 2.0 only ports are available on macbook since some time ago. Link to comment
Freann Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Again, no problem. They are compatible. UBS 3 is UBS 2 plus two new wires and four contacts. There are some images showing this on the wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_3.0 Roon client on iPad/MacBookPro Roon Server & HQPlayer on Mac Mini 2.0 GHz i7 with JS-2 LPS-1 & ultraRendu → Lampizator Atlantic → Bent Audio TAP-X → Atma-sphere M60 → Zero autoformers → Harbeth Compact 7 ES-3 Link to comment
Starre Posted February 26, 2016 Author Share Posted February 26, 2016 If I get a mac I will try if it works. My Windows laptop is doing fine but it could be fun comparing. Link to comment
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