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  1. 01-24-2013, 01:40 PM #1
    asiufy
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    Linux on Mac: which one?

    Hi,

    I have a MacBook Pro that I'm willing to sacrifice to the audio gods, and install Linux.
    I've always been curious about the audio performance of other OSes (other than MacOS), so that'd be a chance to test on hardware that I know.
    So, what are the distributions I should try, that would work on a Mac? I know my way around Unix/Linux, so I'm not worried about that, just mostly compatibility with the Mac stuff...
    Thanks!

    alexandre
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  2. 01-24-2013, 01:54 PM #2
    wgscott
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    My personal preference is for ubuntu.

    There are some lightweight window managers if you don't want to deal with the gnome or KDE bloat.
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  3. 01-25-2013, 05:11 AM #3
    Richard Dale
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    Quote Originally Posted by asiufy View Post
    Hi,

    I have a MacBook Pro that I'm willing to sacrifice to the audio gods, and install Linux.
    I've always been curious about the audio performance of other OSes (other than MacOS), so that'd be a chance to test on hardware that I know.
    So, what are the distributions I should try, that would work on a Mac? I know my way around Unix/Linux, so I'm not worried about that, just mostly compatibility with the Mac stuff...
    Thanks!

    alexandre
    I use Kubuntu which is the KDE version of Ubuntu (running on Mac OS X under VirtualBox in my case, which I don't think you would want to do for audio). It uses PulseAudio and you probably want to make sure that any DACs you drive don't go through PulseAudio, but straight to ALSA instead.
    System (i): (MacBook/Decibel; V-Link+AQVOX psu/Marantz CD7; Gyrodek/SME V/Ortofon 2M Blue/Pure Sound P10; Magnum Dynalab FT101A) > Glow Amp One > Tannoy Autograph Minis
    System (ii): HRT Music Streamer II+ > MiniWatt N3 > Modified Tandy LX5
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  4. 01-25-2013, 06:47 PM #4
    Kilauea50
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    I would go with Lubuntu because of it's use of Alsa by default. It is also very light and fast and easy to set up
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  5. 01-25-2013, 07:23 PM #5
    AudioDoctor
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    Been there, done that. Its not really worth it. Just get Amarra HiFi and be done with it.
    "People don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed." Frederich Neitzsche.
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  6. 01-28-2013, 11:39 AM #6
    asiufy
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    Thanks for the input!

    And AudioDoctor, Amarra is my least favourite player on MacOS


    alexandre
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  7. 01-28-2013, 11:51 AM #7
    Jud
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    Quote Originally Posted by wgscott View Post
    My personal preference is for ubuntu.

    There are some lightweight window managers if you don't want to deal with the gnome or KDE bloat.
    Ubuntu can be installed, then the lighter-weight XFCE or LXDE if you don't want to run Gnome or KDE. Or to save a little room on your machine (for instance, to dual-boot if you'd like to go back and forth to compare the sound), you can avoid having the Gnome or KDE software in your installation altogether by installing one of the prepackaged lighter-weight Ubuntu variants, Xubuntu (with XFCE) or Lubuntu (with LXDE).
    One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller
    WD MyBook FW -> MacBook Pro w/SSD (Audirvana Plus) -> Mapleshade Clearlink USB (Plus version) -> Semi-customized DAC (plays DSD natively; any necessary oversampling done prior to DAC in software; for more detail see blog) -> Spectral DMC-12 & DMA-150 -> Vandersteen 2Ce. Other cabling and power strip Omega Mikro/Mapleshade. Also MIT Z-Stabilizer.
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  8. 01-28-2013, 12:40 PM #8
    AudioDoctor
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    Quote Originally Posted by asiufy View Post
    Thanks for the input!

    And AudioDoctor, Amarra is my least favourite player on MacOS


    alexandre
    Then pick a different player, my point is that it was more hassle than it was worth.
    "People don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed." Frederich Neitzsche.
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  9. 01-28-2013, 04:17 PM #9
    Bloodwound
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    I recommend rEFIt, so you can dual boot. Just in case. You just need resize the Mac partition and choose the free partition when you install Linux. Be sure to install GRUB to the partition and not the MBR.

    I have minimal Debian installed on my Mac mini. No X. Tweaked properly, the sound quality is worlds beyond OSX. (That includes Pure Music / Amarra and other audiophile players)
    2011 Mac mini 2,5GHZ 8GB RAM, Ayre QB-9, Ayre K-5xeMP, Ayre MX-R, Pioneer S-1EX
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  10. 01-28-2013, 05:58 PM #10
    Biku Toru
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    It is like getting a BMW and installing Hyundai's or Kia's engine. ;-)

    I've been running Ubuntu for a few years till recently. It was nice to see that with each release the implement more and more OSX features, but one day I woke up and asked myself why do I need to suffer with a wannabe if I already have a real thing? Of course you need to figure it out on your own, so I'd vote for Ubuntu.
    I also never understood until I used PC hardware for audio, what is everybody is striving for this mysterious "black background" out of audio port, yes pc's audio ports are just as bad as old bad analog audio. On the other hand, all the macs I had over the years were dead silent, that how I was seduced by computer music, long long time ago, in the first place. I had tubes/analog/static/distortions, all of the regular and than it was clarity of digital. Yes some things, like white noise were missed, but not for long.
    Computer audio is a nice journey.
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