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MAC users, do you use optical out or just usb for dac - Page 3

post #31 of 71
2/8/08 at 10:10pm
^ My dac has upsampling but I can still hear the difference between 24/96 input and 16/44. Not sure why exactly.
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post #32 of 71
2/9/08 at 3:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by n4k33n View Post
With the airport express can you output 24/96 from the optical? I want to switch to an airport exp, but I don't want to lose that capability...
Sadly not.
The AirPort Express support 44.1Khz/16-bit only. So you will loose quality when playing high-def audio.
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post #33 of 71
2/9/08 at 4:23am
Does the squeezebox do 24/96? If not what will?
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post #34 of 71
2/10/08 at 6:23pm
Hi all,
Just tried switching my output to 96 from 44 - but i cannot say i heard much difference, arn't CDs in 44 anyway? Can i rip HD on my Intel mac? Has anyone tried HD downloads from Linn?
I currently rip in Lossless and with error correction enabled, is that the best set up? I too was thinking of switching optical cables, currently use a Cambrige audio Optical for £20, it has a adaptor for the 3.5mm to TOS link so as to connect to my Onkyo 515DAB, however having studied Optical fibres intently on my uni course i realise that the added interfaces will degrade the signal - but would paying out another £45 be worth it?
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post #35 of 71
2/10/08 at 6:26pm
I use optical out.
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post #36 of 71
2/10/08 at 9:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by krmathis View Post
Sadly not.
The AirPort Express support 44.1Khz/16-bit only. So you will loose quality when playing high-def audio.
Luckily, there's very little hi-def audio available that can actually be streamed by itunes anyway . Unless you're playing live recordings, or 24/96 needledrops, etc.
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post #37 of 71
2/10/08 at 10:45pm
wow, I just switched from USB to optical today and the difference in SQ is huge w/ my Extigy- possibly because the USB Extigy drivers for mac are very poor. I'll definitely be sticking with optical from now on.
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post #38 of 71
2/10/08 at 10:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by melomaniac View Post
and which optical if you don't mind?
For now, I am connecting to a Denon DVD-9000. I'm shopping for another DAC with more I/O flexibility.
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post #39 of 71
2/10/08 at 11:28pm
Wireless to various Squeezeboxes
Optical to DA10
USB to Pico
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post #40 of 71
2/11/08 at 10:50am
optical out of mbp and airport express
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post #41 of 71
2/11/08 at 2:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by grawk View Post
Luckily, there's very little hi-def audio available that can actually be streamed by itunes anyway . Unless you're playing live recordings, or 24/96 needledrops, etc.
Hi-def audio is not available on the same level as CD audio, that for sure.
But there certainly are some out there. Ex:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f9/new...s-hdtt-295149/
Linn Records - specialists in Classical, Jazz and Celtic music

For those I use the optical out on my MacBook Pro, which handle 24/96 audio data just fine.
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post #42 of 71
2/11/08 at 3:23pm
Apogee MiniDac - Firewire
Apogee Duet - Firewire
Stello DA100 - USB
Airport Express Airtunes - Optical into Lexicon MC-12B
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post #43 of 71
2/11/08 at 4:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by grawk View Post
Luckily, there's very little hi-def audio available that can actually be streamed by itunes anyway . Unless you're playing live recordings, or 24/96 needledrops, etc.
I can hear a slight improvement with just apple lossless files upsampled to 24/96. I hear just a bit more space around everything. I think the improvement is the same as the way DACs upsample 16/44.
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post #44 of 71
2/11/08 at 4:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by iamoneagain View Post
I can hear a slight improvement with just apple lossless files upsampled to 24/96. I hear just a bit more space around everything. I think the improvement is the same as the way DACs upsample 16/44.
Everyone has to decide what they can hear, what that's worth, and what matters most in terms of convenience and cost.
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post #45 of 71
2/11/08 at 5:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by grawk View Post
Everyone has to decide what they can hear, what that's worth, and what matters most in terms of convenience and cost.
But if you're using the mac as a source, it doesn't cost anything to play around with the Audio Mini output settings and see if you hear a difference yourself. If you don't like it or can't hear a difference, just change it back. At first the 16/44 sounds more solid but then it seems something's missing. After testing on a few songs, I ended up preferring 24/96.
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