[HamsterJ]

[...]because iOS make everything above 256 kbps AAC inconvenient[..]

Sorry, but what do you mean? I think Apple Lossless across the board is pretty simple and neat, and relatively open (!) and compatible cross-platforms.

 

[The Socialist Nerd]

After testing some setups I am finding that I favor PC over Mac for music playback. Yes, even iTunes too.

 

[PopZeus]

Sorry, but what do you mean? I think Apple Lossless across the board is pretty simple and neat, and relatively open (!) and compatible cross-platforms.

Oh sorry for the delayed response. Just to be clear, I’m talking about iOS and iPhone, not other Apple stuff like Mac OSX or iTunes’ ALAC encoding quality, which imho is better than FLAC.

By getting rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack (and the ongoing lack of expandable memory) on all their phones, it was a way of pushing consumers towards Bluetooth. Then they decided to never support any bt standard higher than AAC. AAC is not a bad codec, but it’s not as great as LDAC.

Sure, I have their *sigh* dongle if I really wanted to store lossless on my iPhone, but it’s yet another thing for me to carry around and it doesn’t even sound particularly great, so I might as well stick with AAC and get the added convenience of bt. I could buy a nicer 3rd party dongle, but lightning-to-3.5mm 3rd party options are so limited. And I also have my audiophile gear that sounds better than any Apple hardware I’ve ever owned with all my lossless and HD music. Again, Apple falls into the convenient, casual category.

Apple engineers the market they want by making choices for their consumers. That’s not always a bad thing, but in this case, I’m more enthusiast than casual. And Apple has made casual more attractive than the higher quality alternative.

 

[HamsterJ]

Just bought the dongle, and enjoy the real sound again. We get used too quick to the (bad) BT by convenience.

 

[adeseaso]

To me the argument is of no consequence.

If for arguments sake a cheap external transport such as the Allo Digione is a 10/10 the difference between PC/Mac might be discussing whether one is a 5 and the other a 5 and a half in comparison.

If you care about SQ, use an external dedicated transport. Don't choose between PC/Mac based on it. Get the audio signal generation job into a less noisy environment.

I like Audirvana with system optimizer in extreme on either system, but something like the Digione leaves it completely for dead for very little money.

 

[ktm]

Raspberry pi here.
Windows gave me a ton of trouble with sudden cpu spikes that caused music stutters.
In XP I could optimize it. Windows 10 not at all. And that was a pc running only
my music and fubar to a dac. The Pi is rock solid , cheap and easy.
My current dac hat has remote control and a display. Once playlists are set up,
I can forward and back tracks and stop. Volume control as well
across the room without a tablet or phone. Other than OS glitches,
any platform sounds as good as the music (lossless) and the dac..

 

[Whazzzup]

Mac Mac Mac

 

[Whazzzup]

Server server server

 

[bfreedma]

Server server server

Waste of money with zero to actually gain. The load playback of music puts on a modern computer is minimal. A quick look at resource utilization will confirm that.

If on Windows, just run WASAPI and be done with it.

 

[Whazzzup]

Waste of money with zero to actually gain. The load playback of music puts on a modern computer is minimal. A quick look at resource utilization will confirm that.

If on Windows, just run WASAPI and be done with it.

completly disagree but that's what makes this hobby fascinating. I have a thread on this very topic which i asked this question. I came to my conclusions step by step. But to each there own here. i have been told stuff that just makes me head shake with a side of eye roll.

 

[bfreedma]

completly disagree but that's what makes this hobby fascinating. I have a thread on this very topic which i asked this question. I came to my conclusions step by step. But to each there own here. i have been told stuff that just makes me head shake with a side of eye roll.

We should all follow the path we like, but I can tell you with certainty (based on decades of engineering level work on the Windows platform), that what is stated from non-technical users in regards to using Server has zero impact on a modern PC being used for audio as long as WASAPI is in place. And if you really want to emulate the difference in using the Server OS, you can simply stop a few services in the desktop version.

Opening the Resource Monitor will give you a good idea of just how little load audio playback is putting on the computer.

 

[Redcarmoose]

It may be a high percentage psychological. So much of audio IS expectation-biased. There is maybe no better or worse way just what we believe to be better? Since 2010 when there seemed to be a huge shift over to computer audio there has been nothing but an increase in options. It’s hard to believe but much of the Hi/Fi community view Head-Fi as a joke. So many audiophiles would never think of using a computer to play music...........yet this forum seems to be computer dominated. While we still have a group using store purchased CDs it seems that format is on the decline with only Japan still having CD stores. So for many and many upcoming generations PC/Mac may be the only choice. Though my journey started with vinyl then moved to CDs in 1998, finally getting into both CDs and computer audio in 2010.

For the longest time I have been suspect of computer audio. When in reality it’s a stupid thing. It’s a reality only between your ears and in your head which route to choose. Then there is the whole USB paranoias which take place. And it goes on and on.

Still there is no denying that PC audio is here to stay. And everyone has their personal journey which is noted here in prior posts. I remember installing WASAPI into Foobar2000 years ago and it being the solution to what I perceived was timing issues, still I ended going back to a CD transport and a DAC.........maybe I was just paranoid? Apple computers are great if you have a program that runs well on them. Obviously now they can even play FLAC no problem with the right software, or there is Apple Lossless as a choice. Home severs now let folks stream without the worry of USB.

For most of us every computer sounds slightly different for what-ever reason................... basically making no sense at all; but that’s how audiophiles are. It’s because early on some gave up on believable science and tried to use subjective listening to find truths. Strangely it’s a deep rabbit-hole with no end in sight for many. In truth that’s “OK” as everyone has a right to their own opinion.......it’s their money anyway.

I’ve moved away from computers to DAPs as a source when in reality the DAP is a computer, which I plug into a dock then use a fancy USB cable and USB filtering (in the dock) to hopefully remove noise. So in many ways I’ve come full circle again? Though for what ever reason using a transport and using TOSLINK RCA from a CD transport to my DAC/Amp does not sound right......so I stick with DAPs? The main thing is simply to find something that you believe works and stick with it. Still at the same time we must try and keep an open mind so that if we hear someone’s rig using a different methodology....we can learn and adapt.

 

[ktm]

I think audiophiles have come around on digital audio. The big issues have been solved.
The industry has come up with solutions that match cd playback. And stepped it up to
match other higher res formats. With some work, any MAC, windows, or linux machine will sound
as good as each other. The issues I had with windows 10 were solvable, but my son gave me
a raspberry for my birthday about 5 years ago and it takes almost no room in my rack.
Using lossless FLAC with a quality DAC is certainly a match for cd playback.
I also did a comparison using an audio-gd dac using usb/pc and SPIF from my cd player
and couldn't tell the difference. Same song, switching back and forth between
the two sources. I did go for a DAC hat that wasn't $$$$, It loses a bit of the quiet noise floor
of the usb DAC. I'm looking into a better power supply to get that back to where it was.
So in summery, it all comes down to what you have sitting around. It will all work fine.
There is no superior source. just better implementation.

 

[Whazzzup]

My server playback is clearly more enjoyable than any computer playback I have tried, and it’s ripper is clearly better than flac. It’s quite a ripping process, takes twice as long involving complete analysis including fingerprint. In roon it’s indicated signal path does reflect acuity and enjoyment. Don’t know about comparing between computers or pi.

 

[Redcarmoose]

I think audiophiles have come around on digital audio. The big issues have been solved.
The industry has come up with solutions that match cd playback. And stepped it up to
match other higher res formats. With some work, any MAC, windows, or linux machine will sound
as good as each other. The issues I had with windows 10 were solvable, but my son gave me
a raspberry for my birthday about 5 years ago and it takes almost no room in my rack.
Using lossless FLAC with a quality DAC is certainly a match for cd playback.
I also did a comparison using an audio-gd dac using usb/pc and SPIF from my cd player
and couldn't tell the difference. Same song, switching back and forth between
the two sources. I did go for a DAC hat that wasn't $$$$, It loses a bit of the quiet noise floor
of the usb DAC. I'm looking into a better power supply to get that back to where it was.
So in summery, it all comes down to what you have sitting around. It will all work fine.
There is no superior source. just better implementation.

My server playback is clearly more enjoyable than any computer playback I have tried, and it’s ripper is clearly better than flac. It’s quite a ripping process, takes twice as long involving complete analysis including fingerprint. In roon it’s indicated signal path does reflect acuity and enjoyment. Don’t know about comparing between computers or pi.

That’s what I’m saying. This thread will show to have a different methodology for each person. It was their destiny almost, and there could maybe be right and wrong methods; but everyone is doing their own thing. Everyone believes they CAN hear improvements or the differences between what they had were exactly the same. Also much of what people do is insurance against failure. It’s not maybe a question of it being better but it’s insurance that it may be. When that’s combined with a sprinkle of expectation-bias.......all is well. But the ideas that form our subjective listening tests end up deep seated and difficult to change. Everyone believes they won, which can be super confusing for a beginner who is doing research.

My suggestion for someone starting out is that there is a bunch of good gear....go to a meet and listen to other set-ups. Some will sound great, some will sound bad (but you will understand everything is subjective).... and some systems will be amazing.