[xenithon]

Hi all. I have an Empirical Audio Freeway 2 USB interface, which I use to playback my FLAC collection via Foobar. It uses the latest M-Audio drivers and works flawlessly. I am possibly moving to a Mac platform however and have a few questions:

- would you guys suggest a) using iTunes and one of the FLAC plugins (e.g., XIPH); or b) re-ripping/converting the entire collection to ALAC?
- if the latter, which app would you suggest? (I have come across suggestions to use "dBpoweramp Music Converter")
- I assume that to get the Freeway 2 running on the Mac, I'd just install the latest M-Audio Transit drivers for Mac?
- do I need to worry about ASIO (as I do currently on PC)? Or will just using the M-Audio drivers ensure bit-perfect playback?
- anyone here perhaps use the Empirical Audio Freeway (or Off Ramp), or M-Audio Transit, on a Mac?

Worse comes to worse I can run Foobar on VMWare using an XP image, but I'd prefer to go cold-turkey on PC, and use all native Mac apps.

Thanks in advance for any assistance,
X

 

[grawk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xenithon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi all. I have an Empirical Audio Freeway 2 USB interface, which I use to playback my FLAC collection via Foobar. It uses the latest M-Audio drivers and works flawlessly. I am possibly moving to a Mac platform however and have a few questions: - would you guys suggest a) using iTunes and one of the FLAC plugins (e.g., XIPH); or b) re-ripping/converting the entire collection to ALAC?

I'd convert Quote:

- if the latter, which app would you suggest? (I have come across suggestions to use "dBpoweramp Music Converter")

Max Quote:

- I assume that to get the Freeway 2 running on the Mac, I'd just install the latest M-Audio Transit drivers for Mac?

If you needed to do anything at all. The apogee you just bought will just work with the mac

Quote:

- do I need to worry about ASIO (as I do currently on PC)? Or will just using the M-Audio drivers ensure bit-perfect playback?

it's just magic, apples are bit perfect Quote:

- anyone here perhaps use the Empirical Audio Freeway (or Off Ramp), or M-Audio Transit, on a Mac? Worse comes to worse I can run Foobar on VMWare using an XP image, but I'd prefer to go cold-turkey on PC, and use all native Mac apps. Thanks in advance for any assistance, X

 

[hempcamp]

I second Max. It's a small app, quick, and converts everything fine. Drag and drop and add to iTunes.

--Chris

 

[reemixx]

What's wrong with iTunes for ripping to ALAC?

 

[hempcamp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by reemixx /img/forum/go_quote.gif What's wrong with iTunes for ripping to ALAC?

More passionate minds will disagree, but I think nothing is wrong with ripping to ALAC with iTunes.

But the OP already has FLAC files, which can easily be converted to ALAC using Max without the manual labor involved with re-inserting every CD.

--Chris

 

[reemixx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hempcamp /img/forum/go_quote.gif But the OP already has FLAC files, which can easily be converted to ALAC using Max without the manual labor involved with re-inserting every CD.

Ah, well that makes sense then

Would there be any changes in quality by converting from FLAC to ALAC, rather than ripping tracks straight into ALAC?

 

[xenithon]

Hi there,

Thanks for the responses.

hempcamp - thanks, Max certainly seems to be in high favor. I guess I may just play around between that and dbPowerAmp; which I believe will do exactly the same thing.

grawk - thanks for the great info. There are a couple reasons I would still use the Freeway though.
- firstly, I've tried a few USB DACs, and compared against the Freeway doing the USB conversion, feeding the DAC. The latter was always superior (to my ears). I believe it is simply as it is a dedicated unit just for the USB->SPDIF conversion.
- the Freeway can do 24/96, and I believe the MiniDac is limited to 44.1/48k. Not sure about the bit-depth though.

reemixx - for new albums I will rip to ALAC. However I would still need to convert the existing library of FLAC files.

Would you guys say that iTunes ripping to ALAC is the way to go? That is, is it as good as EAC?

Thanks and cheers,
X

 

[Denver Max]

I third(fourth?) using Max. It's a very useful little program. Every time I buy a new CD, I rip it using Max simultaneously to FLAC, Apple Lossless, and "Transparent" VBR Mp3. I keep a separate iTunes library for Apple Lossless and for Mp3, and then keep the FLAC files backed up on an external drive.

If you really like playing FLAC files and don't want to have to rerip or convert, you could look into a program called Play, made by the same company as Max (sbooth.org). It isn't too bad.

 

[xenithon]

Thanks guys, will do. Going forward I'd probably used ALAC, so may as well just convert the existing FLACs to ALAC. I also like iTunes on the Mac (much quicker, more integrated than on PC) so would use that for playback.

Two more quick questions:
1. if I do use iTunes, any specific version or just the latest one? I recall reading something about 7.5 onward allowing true bit-perfect playback?
2. currently I have two SATA drives in the PC which store my music. They are obviously NTFS formatted. I may end up getting a Mac Mini which does not have eSATA support. I'll thus put the HDDs in an external enclosure such as a Vantec which can use an SATA HDD and connects via USB. Two questions in this regard:
a) is USB ok for proper playback of the audio files; and
b) can I used the HDDs as-is or would I need to reformat them to use with the Mac?

I think that pretty much finishes up all the questions I have in terms of the migration....thanks again for all the help thus far!

Cheers,
X

 

[melomaniac]

Quote:

a) is USB ok for proper playback of the audio files; and b) can I used the HDDs as-is or would I need to reformat them to use with the Mac?

to play those files, you can also look into cog. glad people recommend max. I'm betting USB should be fine - and I'd reformat those drives.

 

[Macwizard]

I am also a big fan of cog especially for flac files. It is simple, clean, and doesn't get messy like itunes.

I know this sounds weird, but songs just sound better through cog.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xenithon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi all. I have an Empirical Audio Freeway 2 USB interface, which I use to playback my FLAC collection via Foobar. It uses the latest M-Audio drivers and works flawlessly. I am possibly moving to a Mac platform however and have a few questions: - would you guys suggest a) using iTunes and one of the FLAC plugins (e.g., XIPH); or b) re-ripping/converting the entire collection to ALAC?

I would convert to Apple Lossless and stick with iTunes.
Quote:

- if the latter, which app would you suggest? (I have come across suggestions to use "dBpoweramp Music Converter")

If you wait until you get the Mac, then you can use Max to convert the files. Or else give dBpoweramp a try.

Quote:

- do I need to worry about ASIO (as I do currently on PC)? Or will just using the M-Audio drivers ensure bit-perfect playback?

No need to worry about ASIO.
Mac OS X is bit-perfect itself, as long as the audio player don't alter the aaudio stream in any way. Volume at 100%, no Sound Enhancer or Sound Check (in iTunes).

Keep us posted on how the transition goes on!

 

[hempcamp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xenithon /img/forum/go_quote.gif 2. currently I have two SATA drives in the PC which store my music. They are obviously NTFS formatted. I may end up getting a Mac Mini which does not have eSATA support. I'll thus put the HDDs in an external enclosure such as a Vantec which can use an SATA HDD and connects via USB. Two questions in this regard: a) is USB ok for proper playback of the audio files; and b) can I used the HDDs as-is or would I need to reformat them to use with the Mac?

There is some complicated trickery that will allow a Mac to read (and perhaps write?) to NTFS (via MacFUSE), but I wouldn't get involved with that. You will probably want to reformat the drives.

As for drive enclosures, I suggest Firewire over USB for the Mac mini. Real-world data transfer is faster than with USB, and you can daisy chain your external drives (unless you get an enclosure for 2 drives) without a hub.

I personally use quad-interface Mercury Elite Pro AL enclosures by OWC, which have USB 2.0, Firewire 400 or 800, and eSATA. This allows for portability and future-proofing. The aluminum enclosure serves as a heat sink, so they are dead silent because they don't require a fan. Also, there are two choices: one model holds one drive and a second model holds two drives (which you can RAID or, better IMO, just use as two separate volumes).

Lastly, if you are into hardware hacking, you *can* mod a mini with an eSATA cable so that it boots off of externally-attached SATA drives, which is cool but not recommended unless you're comfortable with digging far into a rather tightly build computer.

Good luck!

--Chris

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by reemixx /img/forum/go_quote.gif What's wrong with iTunes for ripping to ALAC?

Nothing, as long as the CD is not badly scratched.
But the OP already have FLAC files, and its easier and faster for him to transcode those files than to re-rip from CD.
Quote:

Originally Posted by reemixx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ah, well that makes sense then Would there be any changes in quality by converting from FLAC to ALAC, rather than ripping tracks straight into ALAC?

No. Lossless to lossless transcoding is lossless.


Quote:

Originally Posted by xenithon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Two more quick questions: 1. if I do use iTunes, any specific version or just the latest one? I recall reading something about 7.5 onward allowing true bit-perfect playback? 2. currently I have two SATA drives in the PC which store my music. They are obviously NTFS formatted. I may end up getting a Mac Mini which does not have eSATA support. I'll thus put the HDDs in an external enclosure such as a Vantec which can use an SATA HDD and connects via USB. Two questions in this regard: a) is USB ok for proper playback of the audio files; and b) can I used the HDDs as-is or would I need to reformat them to use with the Mac?

1. Just use the latest version (currently 7.60).
I have been using iTunes on Mac OS X since version 4.xx, and all of them have been working perfectly.

2a. USB 2.0 is perfectly fine. SInce it have a maximum transfer rate well above the bitrate of a lossless audio file.
2b. Mac OS X have read-only support for NTFS file systems. So you will at least be able to access the files to play them. But reformatting might be the way to go, if your want full access and are going to use it on the Mac only.

 

[xenithon]

Hi again guys. Thanks for all the great info. I am almost set...I had a question regarding the Mac Mini HDD though. I know it comes with an SATA 5400RPM drive; and the only wau to get 7200RPM is to buy your own drive and replace it yourself. Do you guys think it is worth it?

Does the performance difference warrant that? The system would just be used for browsing, email, photo organization and music playback. It will be a Mac Mini 2.0GHz with 2GB RAM. Will the standard 5400RPM HDD suffice?