Apple for Music server?

[asiufy]

I half wonder if I had a newer Mac mini, made some of those tweaks you mention and tried the new JRiver for Mac, that the result would have been closer. Ted and another guy, told me it still isn't close. My gut feeling is that the secret sauce is in the SoTM USB card. That thing is impressive. It can have its own power supply!

Mike

From what I read, I'm with you on the SoTM USB card being the culprit for the CAPS performance.
These cards are Mac compatible, but unfortunately not many people tried them on a Mac Pro. It'd be great to know how they work together before purchasing one of those big Mac Pros... I'm also allergic to Windows, so a CAPS is the absolutely last resort
I'm currently using a Mac mini with Audirvana+, and the results are very good.

alexandre

 

[ohbythebay]

Dewey you aren't using Apple except as what it should be, though - a glorified remote control (and handheld porn viewer).

LOOK WHO'S TALKING...Check that Avatar...LOL..Love it

 

[-E-]

Keeley doesn't do porn, though... :\

Wouldn't mind a leaked video! (and she has one, albeit lame)

 

[VT Skier]

I'm using an older (2010?) MacBook Pro with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD with iTunes and Pure Music, and it sounds great. I have not compared it to CAPS, but increasing the RAM and swapping the SSD made an enormous difference.

 

[JohnVF]

I use a 2011 MacBook Air running Decibel, with whatever the maxed out available ram was when I bought it. I may switch to Audirvana as I liked it a lot, though it wasn't that different sonically from Decibel. I tried JRiver this weekend and wasn't blown away by it, but it was ok. I thought it to be a step down sonically but it wasn't any sort of scientific comparison, just a general observation after playing with it for a day.

I run USB to a April Music Stello U3 USB converter/reclocker, then AES/EBU to my Berkeley Audio Alpha DAC. Honestly, running Decibel it doesn't seem to matter what else my computer is doing to a point. I surf the internet, do some photo editing, etc, and it just keeps going with the sound unaffected. I run it in HOG mode/exclusive access.

The sound with the above setup is nothing short of phenomenal. To me, anyway. Sounds every bit as good as my EMM Labs CDSA playing CD, or when running high-res, the CDSA playing SACD. I can't stream DSD, however, do to my DAC...but I can live with that.

 

[Mike]

The Berkeley DAC was one of the few I wished I had never sold. It's outstanding.