[SoundsGood]

This might be a stupid question, but is it worth purchasing a new music player (I'm looking at Audirvana) when I don't have an external DAC? I'm currently using Cog to play my flac files (both CD rips and high-res downloads). Is there a sound quality upgrade even when listening through the headphone output on my MacBook Pro?

 

[solserenade]

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What is the computer that your using.  If your on a Mac you have to reset your Midi audio.

 
A Macbook Pro. I'm familiar with adjusting Midi audio when using Fidelia. Would it just be the same with BitPerfect-- set it to 24 bit, etc. (the max. resolution file I'm going to play) ?
 
thanks for the help.

 

[RUMAY408]

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A Macbook Pro. I'm familiar with adjusting Midi audio when using Fidelia. Would it just be the same with BitPerfect-- set it to 24 bit, etc. (the max. resolution file I'm going to play) ?
 
thanks for the help.

Exactly the same. 

 

[Jmstrmbn]

Quote:

This might be a stupid question, but is it worth purchasing a new music player (I'm looking at Audirvana) when I don't have an external DAC? I'm currently using Cog to play my flac files (both CD rips and high-res downloads). Is there a sound quality upgrade even when listening through the headphone output on my MacBook Pro?

I've used Audirvana to play music through either the headphone out to iems or through the internal speakers, I heard a difference between plain old itunes on both.  Now of course the biggest improvement will come when you get an external DAC to use with Audirvana; so you have to decide if the $75 is worth it to you.  

 

[solserenade]

I really appreciate the assistance. .

Now I just need to decide which is more important to me: an interface that I love or the handful of features in Fidelia such as FHX/ Cross-feed ….

I wonder if there is a crossfeed plug-in which could be used with iTunes? Maybe I'm thinking crazy and plug-ins don't work with it, I am forgetting now.

I suppose for starters an investment in Bit Perfect is an inexpensive way to get a feel for how much I may like to go with it!

Furthermore, I'd bet staying with iTunes will make transfer of Higher Def files to my iDevices much, much easier.

 

[RUMAY408]

If anyone wants to try higher end players I would strongly recommend trying a demo of Pure Music or Amarra.  A two week free demo of either of the players is available via their web sites.  Amarra can  change the bit size automatically without having to manually change the Audi Midi.
 
If all you're music is the same bit size then Bitperfect is fine. 

 

[Silent One]

Are you suggesting "A+" didn't make the cut? 

 

[RUMAY408]

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Are you suggesting "A+" didn't make the cut? 

Can't recommend what I haven't tried.  

 

[Silent One]

Well stated...

 

[miceblue]

Quote:

This might be a stupid question, but is it worth purchasing a new music player (I'm looking at Audirvana) when I don't have an external DAC? I'm currently using Cog to play my flac files (both CD rips and high-res downloads). Is there a sound quality upgrade even when listening through the headphone output on my MacBook Pro?

I just downloaded Cog (I used to use it for listening to CDs) and I compared a few CD-ripped tracks between it and Audirvana Plus straight out of my MacBook Pro Retina Display with my AKG K 701. Through Audirvana Plus, the music sounds more spacious both in terms of width and depth, the instrument separation is improved, and sounds just sound more crisp and well-defined. I paid $50 USD for Audirvana Plus and I would say it's worth the money. The current price of $74 USD is steeper, but if you plan to use Mac OS for a while, I think the investment is worthwhile.
 
 
Also, one of the comments in the Mac OS X Music Players Wiki suggested JRiver Media Center. Does anyone have experience with the paid version ($44.98 USD)? I downloaded and tried the beta a few months ago but it didn't support proper Asian Unicode fonts, just like Foobar in OS X through Wine.

 

[agentsim]

Quote:

If anyone wants to try higher end players I would strongly recommend trying a demo of Pure Music or Amarra.  A two week free demo of either of the players is available via their web sites.  Amarra can  change the bit size automatically without having to manually change the Audi Midi.
 
If all you're music is the same bit size then Bitperfect is fine. 

BitPerfect will also automatically change the bit depth to match the file you are playing. It will also convert to a supported sample rate if needed.

 

[RUMAY408]

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BitPerfect will also automatically change the bit depth to match the file you are playing. It will also convert to a supported sample rate if needed.

This must be new when I used it  >1 1/2 years ago I had to manually change bit depth.  I was using a DF DAC maybe that was the issue?

 

[agentsim]

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Quote:

BitPerfect will also automatically change the bit depth to match the file you are playing. It will also convert to a supported sample rate if needed.

This must be new when I used it  >1 1/2 years ago I had to manually change bit depth.  I was using a DF DAC maybe that was the issue?

BitPerfect has always automatically changed bit depth, that was pretty much the whole point of earlier versions

 
What's a DF DAC? I'm not familiar with that term.

 

[RUMAY408]

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BitPerfect has always automatically changed bit depth, that was pretty much the whole point of earlier versions

 
What's a DF DAC? I'm not familiar with that term.

Thanks for the feedback. DF=Audioquest Dragonfly

 

[agentsim]

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Thanks for the feedback. DF=Audioquest Dragonfly

 
I have a Dragonfly, nice little DAC, should work just fine with BitPerfect.