[Sherwood]

Hey gang,

My setup is curently in flux, as I'm trying to figure out the best-sounding way to connect my iMac to my ECD-1 DAC.

I've tried running USB out to my 0404 USB and then running coax S/PDIF out from there, and I've also tried toslink out directly to the DAC. Due to the difficulty of switching these sources on the fly I haven't been able to do a fair comparison, but my inclination leans slightly towards toslink direct, regardless of the digital/optical conversions necessary, and the problems endemic with doing the conversion in the computer, rather than in a dedicated device.

My question is this: The Audio/Midi options panel on the Mac gives me output options from 16/44 to 24/96. I'm inclined to leave it at 16/44, as my DAC automatically upsamples everything to 24/192 and I'd like to give it the least-processed signal possible. However, I'm worried that the 16/44 setting might downsample my 24/96 recordings, which I do not want. I can't find any documentation, but I thought if anyon would know it would be "computer-as-source". Any idea if the output settings on OS X are a strict rule? If so, where do you recommend I set them?

Thanks in advance.

 

[dmashta]

I believe the computer will always down/upsample to the output rate you specified under Audio/Midi options. So to avoid unnecessary conversion, I leave it at 16/44, which is what most of my music files are. For those times I want to listen to the few 24/96 recordings I have in their original resolution, I just switch the output rate. But frankly, I'm not sure I can hear a difference even when those 24/96 files are downsampled.

 

[krmathis]

I am 99% that Core Audio will down/up sample to match the settings in 'Audio MIDI Setup'.
Hence you will have to decide on one setting, or switch settings depending on input material.

 

[ph0rk]

I'd set it at 24/96 if you have any 96khz files.

Have you looked at the macs own spdif out? i think everything except perhaps recent imacs has one.

 

[Sherwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ph0rk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you looked at the macs own spdif out? i think everything except perhaps recent imacs has one.

The S/PDIF out/headphone jack combo is what I'm currently using. It seems to be doing a great job.

 

[whaleyboy]

I leave my Core Audio settings at 24/44.1. I don't own any 24/96 files right now (but am curious). I use the TOSlink connection.

I set the output "width" to 24 because I read on the Benchmark DAC setup guide that this setting allowed for "bit perfect" output of my RIPped Redbook CDs.

I tried using Core Audio to upsample from 44.1 to 96 and preferred my DACs upsampling. While I don't use the Benchmark DAC I suspect/hope that they know more about how Core Audio works than I do

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