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Yet another Mac music Question

I have an imac >transparent USB>PS audio digital link III (Cullen mods)>pre-amp. Its sounds good, not great. Here are my questions. Note, I will be purchasing amarra in the next week or so (if that needs mentioning)

I went to the audio midi set up and under the USB out it will not offer a 24bit option. it offers 48K and 16bit as the highest option. Itunes will not read a 24bit flac file even with Fluke. What am I doing wrong?

I would like to set up an external HD to store my itunes library (via firewire). I need to transfer the files that are now on various other external drives in flac format. I need to convert to AAIF and store in the new main library drive. What is the most efficient way to convert the files and link with itunes?
jordanmj
jordanmj OP
4 posts
 
Thanks everyone for your responses.

Herman, et al, I did do a side by side between amarra and pure music. And to me, and my system it was not close. Now, someone may feel that they are close. I have Conrad johnson amps and pre-amp and amarra supported that "live" and more in the room sound that I that drew me to the CJ stuff in the first place. That is why I would rather go with amarra.

I am still at a loss on my my Imac won't offer 24bit for the PS audio dac. I thought it was 24bit even for USB. Perhpas that is incorrect. Looks like I need a new DAC.

Jordan
cdm
47 posts
 
Here's another vote for Amarra. I tried both the Pure Music and Amarra demos and Amarra sounds significantly better with my rig.

PS Audio Power Plant Premier > Mac Mini 2.53GHz/4GB > Amarra Mini 2.0 > Halide Bridge> Cambridge Audio 840C > Acoustic Zen Silver Reference II > Arcam AVR350 > Acoustic Zen Shotgun Double Barrel > Vandersteen 2Ce speakers (combination of LessLoss and VH Audio power cables w/dedicated circuits)
mseaton
3 posts
 
Two more player to try. Mac Only

PLAY. smooth.org/play

Audirvana. audirvana.googlecode.com. (sounds great)
mseaton
3 posts
 
System Preferances ,Sound has to be set to Digital Out , you also need a special optical cable sold in the apple store. To conect to your Dac . This will out the resolution you are looking for.
rbstehno
916 posts
 
another option is to get a newer dac with 24/192 asynchronous usb connection. i use a wyred 4 sound dac2 with their device driver to support. you can also use the toslink from the mac but you are limited to 24/96 using this connection. (maybe the new macs can support 24/192 toslink, not sure, but all of my macs don't).
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