I am pretty new to the audiophile world and so I am still learning about this fascinating hobby. I am reading through this thread and am currently on page 198 of 2242. So, a bit of a way to go yet, and my apologies if this is covered later in the thread (it’s a huge thread!).
I am close to ordering the Chord Mojo and my set up would be:
iPhone 6 plus > Mojo > Dunu DN2000J
FYI My main computer is an iMac using iTunes and I do not have any Windows PCs in my home.
I need some clarification on the use of the Onkyo HF Player app for those using their iPhone as a transport source. This app has been suggested by a number of reviewers here as an important factor to get the best music clarity from the Mojo and they talk of music files needing to be ‘bit-perfect’. The suggestion is to pay the £10 / $10 to get the full HD issue of this Onkyo app for this purpose.
1. What is the difference between using apple lossless files from the normal pre-installed iPhone music app compared to using FLAC/HD on the Onkyo app? I was under the impression that lossless was very good quality anyway. Is FLAC/HD better and is it only these that are bit-perfect?
2. If the Onkyo app is the best way to go, then does anyone have a link to a step by step guide on how to copy CD’s in FLAC or bit-perfect to my Mac computer and how to then upload to the iPhone?
3. Would I still run things via iTunes or would I need a different music app for the Mac to look after my music?
Sorry if these questions are a bit basic. I am new to all this and still learning.
Welcome. First thing I recommend is to not read the entire thread. I mean, you can, obviously, but my goodness there are tangents and repeated questions galore. You surely know the basics of this device by now and using it with Mac and iOS is fairly simple. The best thing for time's sake is to just search the thread with keywords pertaining to your inquiries.
On to your questions:
1. The default music app is fine if you have ALAC or higher bitrate mp3 files. It should be mostly plug in and play (however, I have not used it much with Mojo, so I may be missing something). The HUGE advantage of Onkyo (what I use) and other apps is that they take formats that the Apple app does not, namely FLAC and higher sample rate files*. Plus, there are more customization options that can get you more mileage out of Mojo. Additionally, personal preferences dictate one's opinion of the Apple app and iTunes. I hate them both. I only mention this because Onkyo is very straightforward to use. I get lost and frusrated in the Apple Music app.
2. There are many options to rip CDs. My simple go to is an app called Mediahuman. It's easy to use, free, and let's you rip in all sorts of FLAC options.
3. If you have FLAC files, you can't use iTunes to listen to your music. You would need another program, of which there are many. VLC is free and effective, but it's far from the last word.
* I believe the upcoming version of Music and maybe iTunes will take FLAC files. For me, it's a nonstarter since I dislike the UI and much more about those programs.
