Do newer MacBook Pros provide better USB audio?

[hurstnova350]

I currently have a late model 2013 fully spec’d out MacBook Pro that still works perfectly as my source in my system. I use Tidal in Audirvāna out to a Chord Hugo TT2 via Audioquest Diamond USB cable. My question is would upgrading to a brand new MacBook Pro improve the sound quality at all?

 

[Roseval]

USB audio is USB audio. As your 2013 laptop already runs UAC2, nothing to upgrade

 

[matthia]

My question is would upgrading to a brand new MacBook Pro improve the sound quality at all?

Yes, according to this post:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/schiit-yggdrasil-impressions-thread.766347/page-719#post-16734814

 

[hlynur]

Anyone heard a differance between macOS´s? fired up an old 2015 macbook pro and Big sur was the best sounding imo, slight soundstage diff and less midbass boom i fealt, anyone else?

 

[matthia]

Anyone heard a differance between macOS´s? fired up an old 2015 macbook pro and Big sur was the best sounding imo, slight soundstage diff and less midbass boom i fealt, anyone else?

Which macOSs have you compared?
Thx

 

[hlynur]

Which macOSs have you compared?
Thx

All since Big sur, Monterey Ventura Sonoma all sound the same to me but Tidal on Bigsur just sounds better imo, cleaner midbass slightly less "boosted" too and the soundstage sounds bigger much better depth too. using with Xenns Up iem

 

[matthia]

All since Big sur, Monterey Ventura Sonoma all sound the same to me but Tidal on Bigsur just sounds better imo, cleaner midbass slightly less "boosted" too and the soundstage sounds bigger much better depth too. using with Xenns Up iem

I am more interested if newer Mx chip MacBooks sound better than older ones. There seems to be some evidence that this is the case.
So I am looking forward to buy next year a M4 MacBook Air.

 

[JonM78]

I currently have a late model 2013 fully spec’d out MacBook Pro that still works perfectly as my source in my system. I use Tidal in Audirvāna out to a Chord Hugo TT2 via Audioquest Diamond USB cable. My question is would upgrading to a brand new MacBook Pro improve the sound quality at all?

No, USB is just the power and data transport. It isn't what creates the audio or sound of the audio. That would be the DAC and amp. So the sound would be the same since the DAC and amp is your Chord Hugo TT2.

To give you an idea, my Schiit Magni Unity with internal USB ESS DAC sounds the same whether I plug it into my Windows 11/Intel PC, my 2021 MacBook Pro M1 or my iPhone 15 Pro. All sounds the same either with headphones or speakers.

 

[matthia]

USB is just the power and data transport. It isn't what creates the audio or sound of the audio.

Do not exist multiple reports on this forum that Schiit's Unison USB sounds better than their former USB implementations?

 

[JonM78]

Do not exist multiple reports on this forum that Schiit's Unison USB sounds better than their former USB implementations?

From a thread here on Head-Fi, everyone seems to agree that Unison USB is just Schiit's in-house USB solution and not something created to improve sound quality. The DAC and amp is more important for that.

 

[matthia]

From a thread here on Head-Fi, everyone seems to agree that Unison USB is just Schiit's in-house USB solution and not something created to improve sound quality. The DAC and amp is more important for that.

Disagree,
if you do a search on Head-Fi about "Unison" you will find multiple reports that it offers a better sound quality than Schiit's former USB implementations.

 

[JonM78]

Disagree,
if you do a search on Head-Fi about "Unison" you will find multiple reports that it offers a better sound quality than Schiit's former USB implementations.

You can disagree all you want and tell someone to search for something. Why don't you give me statistical data to support your claim? Scientific measurements work well.

Of course this is also going way off on a tangent. The subject is still whether the new MacBook Pro's offer better audio over USB. That answer is still an astounding no. There's no difference in audio quality using the same USB DAC between any device. And yes, I have a Schiit Magni Unity with "Unison" USB DAC and it sounds completely identical between a Windows 11 Intel PC (with 13600K and Z790 chipset), a 2021 MacBook Pro M1 and iPhone 15 Pro.

I-D-E-N-T-I-C-A-L.

 

[hurstnova350]

Perhaps a good follow up question is whether or not a dedicated streamer sounds better than a MacBook Pro using Audirvana (to transmit the signal to a TT2 for example). If all USB audio is the same, then it shouldn’t sound better. But so many people swear that streamers sound better due to laptop noise issues. I do know from personal experience that when I started using Audirvana on my MacBook Pro the sound improved drastically to my TT2.

I initially made this post because I was debating getting a new MacBook, getting a dedicated streamer, or saving for MScaler. I was unsure if a newer laptop would help at all, thus maybe a waste of money. My computer sits next to my TT2 so I really don’t need any functionality of a steamer, unless it really sounded that much better. I like using my laptop to navigate Audirvana.

 

[sajesak]

Perhaps a good follow up question is whether or not a dedicated streamer sounds better than a MacBook Pro using Audirvana (to transmit the signal to a TT2 for example). If all USB audio is the same, then it should sound better Gatwick Airport Taxi. But so many people swear that streamers sound better due to laptop noise issues. I do know from personal experience that when I started using Audirvana on my MacBook Pro the sound improved drastically to my TT2.

I initially made this post because I was debating getting a new MacBook, getting a dedicated streamer, or saving for MScaler. I was unsure if a newer laptop would help at all, thus maybe a waste of money. My computer sits next to my TT2 so I really don’t need any functionality of a steamer, unless it really sounded that much better. I like using my laptop to navigate Audirvana.

I saw a lot of worrying threads regarding the MBP and all USB RME interfaces. What's the official statement from RME regarding those laptops? All I saw is blaming Apple entirely, I get it, but that means that all current Apple laptops with USB-C connectors are useless until some unspecified update will or will not come from them? I want to buy current MBP 13" without touchbar and use it with original RME UFX, should I be worried? Or maybe using USB-C to FIREWIRE will be more hassle free?