Mac sound quality

Hello:

A couple of things you can do:

I suggest you do not use the Mac's digital audio out. Get a usb to SPDIF converter if you want to continue to use your Levinson DAC. Sterophile has reviewed several of them recently.

Do not rely on itunes alone for playback. Pure Music or Amarra use itunes for book-keeping but substitute their own vastly superior audio playback algorithms.

I'm guessing the biggest issue is using the Mac's digital audio output. If you can, try to get something like an Ayre QB-9 USB DAC on loan, or even something like the new version of the music streamer plus. They both plug directly into the USB ports and you are up and running in 5 minutes. Either of those plus pure music should definitely go head to head with a mid-fi CD player. The Ayre + pure music is guaranteed to kick the CD players keister into the next county.

If you really want to see how good a Mac can sound as a server, you might want to try one of the extraordinarily good Metric Halo or Sonic Studio (the MH re-badged) firewire interfaces. In my humble opinion, one of those with Pure Music or Amarra will not be embarrassed by any digital front end, computer or otherwise at any price.

The optical out on the Mac isn't the best way to go. Rather then spend a lot, I went with a M2Tech hiface with the BNC fitting. I run that from a powered hub, and use a apogee BNC cable to the Levinson. Use one of the many software players and it sounds very very good! Oh and I attenuate the line by 12db...

Here's the solution: use Mac for what is intended to be used as -- a computer for data management, email and Internet access. Neither they not PC's are ready-for-prime-time as music sources. Eliminate the headaches with JRiver, MM, etc., midi settings, additional software like Amarro or Pure Music, etc., firewire or USB cables, external HDD's, blah blah blah. Get yourself a good CDP or decent transport and DAC and relax and enjoy.

Come back in 2-3 years when they have it all sorted out, if ever. Don't forget, this hobby is supposed to be fun, not a teeth-gnashing exercise.

Neal

Neal

Absolutely support what Nglazer says. PC Audio is nothing, but a nightmare waiting for the wheels to fall off. Lazy
Manufacturer's Format (Tool) for elimination of Customer
Support to maximize Corporate Profit. Like the CEO in
ROBOCOP says, "Who cares if it (PC Audio) doesn't work
(Half the Time)! It would be nice to hold CDP Manufacturer's feet to the fire if anything goes wrong from
Manufacturer's End, once again. Remember those days? You
also don't have to be a Rocket Scientist just to be able to listen to your Music! Convenient my *#!*#! A__!

Apple computers have been used in professional audio recording environments for more than 20 years. Apparently some people can figure it out, some even did way back in the last century.