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Getting good sound from MacBook via DAC.

Hello everyone,

I decided to go down the digital path and picked up a Bryston BDA-2.  I hooked up an Audioquest USB 2 cable from my MacBook to the BDA-2  to play music from my Itunes and it sounds awful.  What am I doing wrong?  I tried playing with the sampling rates thru the MacBooks Audio Midi set-up but no help there. it sounds compressed, over extended bass, lack of detail and soundstage, just plain awful.  

Ive been using the DAC with my Simaudio CD player with excellent results. I also have a WADIA 177 hooked thru the DAC for my IPod which sounds surprising good. I like the idea of using the MacBook and was thinking about getting a dedicated Mac Mini for music files.  
128x128jetmek
thunder240
6 posts
 
Guys, he has the MacBook already, and he hasn't yet explored the free and low cost options. If he configures the Mac properly and tries adding a $100-150 USB-SPIDF converter, and he still doesn't  get the sound he likes, then by all means replacing the Mac with an Aurender or similar dedicated streamer makes sense. But until then, it seems irresponsible to recommend replacing existing hardware for thousands of $$$ when there are free and low cost options that can make a world of difference. In particular, the USB-SPIDF converters can do wonders for cleaning up noisy USB signal. I don't doubt that some of you can here the difference using a purpose built streamer, but that doesn't mean it should be the recommended solution of first resort in a situation where OP already has hardware.

My two cents, of course ...
thunder240
6 posts
 
Also, consider that the issue may be with the Bryston's USB implementation, in which case no streamer that uses USB is gonna fix the problem. (As a point of comparison , my NuForce HDP DAC sounds great through SPIDF but horrible through USB, regardless of the source.)

OP, have you tried the Bryston DAC using any alternative USB sources, and did they sound any different than the MacBook?
cico
4 posts
 
I have a Bryston BDA 2 and using an iPad, I stream music from iTunes onto a Sonos device and it sounds superb. I also stream Tidal music via a Bryston media player that you can download.

cico
4 posts
 
I have a Bryston BDA 2 and using an iPad, I stream music from iTunes onto a Sonos device and it sounds superb. I also stream Tidal music via a Bryston media player that you can download and play directly through the BDA2

larryh111's avatar
larryh111
11 posts
 
Digital

MacBook Pro ------> JRiver Media Center ----->TOSLINK from audio out connector -----------------> CHORD Qute EX DAC -------> Audio Research Ref 6 ------> Audio Research Ref 610T"s ---------> Wilson MAXX II's 

I also have an analog front end with a Bergman Turntable and AR phono preamp.  The digital side of my system is VERY good and I do know how it sounds compared to an extremely good analog system on identical recordings.

I do have high quality interconnects as well.  So,  I am in agreement that a computer based digital system can sound great.

LH 




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