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Mac Mini USB output sounds "garbled"

In my smaller second system I have a Mac Mini with songs ripped into WAV with error correction turned on going into a dac via USB. Why does the music sound "garbled" or "crackled" most of the time? I run a composite output from a CDP into the same dac and it's fine. What am I doing wrong/not doing right?
devilboy
glory's avatar
glory
1,373 posts
 
Boy oh boy, sounds like the Devil at work again in your system.

Try using another USB cable and use the last port ( on the right looking at the back of the Mini ) for hook up of the USB cable.

Did you try AIFF?
ricky64
8 posts
 
I just purchased a MacMini, (my first Mac) for audio use.
Running it via USB into the PS Audio PWD (toslink adapter on order).

I notice inconsistency in the sound. Sometimes it sounds outstanding, other times it starts to sound lean and harsh. On one of these latter occasions, I pulled out the USB cable on the mac side, and reinserted it into the same port, and better sound returned.

Any thoughts on why this occurred?

r
ricky64
8 posts
 
Also,

Why would AIFF be better than wav in this context?

I am new to all this, and assumed that downloading into wav was ultimately going to be the most flexible way to start my computer audio files, as I don't have that many CD's in my collection.

Hopefully this is complementary to the original poster's questions; not trying to hijack the thread here.
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