Eric F

Thanks David. In your experience hearing both "Mac to DAC" systems and streamer component-based systems (like a Linn) has one system in particular topped out for you? I might spend the money for a Linn Akurate (or similar) or the same budget for a dedicated DAC for a Mac to plug into.

Tonight I tried using an optical cable from my Mini right into the Krell DAC. It then sounded almost exactly the same as the wireless music stream from the macbook -> airport express -> optical cable -> DAC. The DAC has two optical inputs, so I could easily compare both. Interesting that WiFi transmission and airport express seems to have no impact on 16/44 and MOG music. Still need to test 26/96 flac files. I did swap out the coax cable on the Mini's SPDIF adapter to the DAC's digital coaxial input...and noticed that a different cable improved the sound to very close not necessarily better than the optical link. By the way, the driver I installed to send the Mac mini's sound output through the USB-SPIDF adapter was this: http://www.m2tech.biz/hiface.html#driver Does anyone have a better recommendation for driving sound through a USB-SPIDF adapter?

Greetings, I'd wanted to improve the sound of my audio, which consisted of playing MOG, lossless CD tracks, and HDtracks over WiFi from my MacBook Pro to an airport express which fed via optical cable into my Krell DAC/preamp in an adjacent closet. So with the idea that "wired is better" I got a Mac Mini as a music server. Loaded it with iTunes, my music files, and MOG, and plugged it directly into my DAC's coax input via USB-to-SPDIF adapter and cable. Using screen sharing to control the Mini from my MacBook, I compared playback on both. Lo and behold, all music sounded clearer and brighter using MacBook WiFi -> airport express -> Optical into DAC. With the setup of Mini -> USB/SPDIF -> Coax to DAC the music was maybe 10% less clear and bright. Any ideas on why? What might I try to dramatically improve the Mini's sound, which I'd think is potentially much better than streaming music real-time over WiFI from my MacBook Pro? Many thanks! Eric

David and Eloise, Thanks so much for your feedback. Say I go with a Linn Akurate DSM. It's not clear to me from their literature...is this also a WiFi receiver that replaces the airport express (AE)? I'd want to replace the AE since I understand it limits the bitrate of any files higher-res than 16/44. If the Linn does act as the WiFi receiver and DAC, and then goes balanced-out into my amp, I'd just keep the Krell KPS25 as a CD transport or sell it if I was sure the Linn had a better DAC. If the Linn needs a wired digital input from a NAS, then do you know the relative quality of the AudioEngine D2 wireless sender and receiver? It could act as a wireless bridge to any DAC that needs a wired optical input. The D2 seems to replace the Mac's WiFi system and AE with a proprietary network that includes: - a USB-connected sender box next to your laptop - a receiver box that can optically output to your DAC wired to the stereo system. - the capacity to handle 24/96 or better bitrates Then finally, there's the choice of player software. Linn has the Songcast program that seems to replace the Fidelia/Audirvana/etc file players, and seems to host MOG et al. on the Linn unit. Not 100% clear in the brochureware... What would you see as the best complete setup given a <=$5000 budget? Best, Eric

Greetings, I'm catching up on the current terminology, so please forgive my question if I've missed this answer in earlier posts. My 15-year old audio system is a Krell KPS25sc CD/Preamp unit, connected to a Krell 700c amp and Wilson WATT Puppy speakers. I almost never play CDs anymore, but wirelessly send Spotify, lossless CD WAV files, and HDTracks hi-res Flac files to an airport express, which sends the signal via optical wire into the KPS optical input for its DAC to process and send forth to the amp. For music software, I use Fidelia to play locally stored files and Airfoil to get all audio wirelessly broadcast. Potential bottlenecks: - Krell DAC is 15 years old. Are new ones noticeably better sounding? - Apple WiFi and airport express compromising music quality? I know there's some WiFi receivers/DACs by Linn that seem substantial...and Audioengine's proprietary network "sender and receiver". I'm sure many other hardware solutions too. If I'm committed to wireless streaming from my MacBook and keeping at least the Krell analog stages, what do you think would be a top-end solution for this...and maybe a couple of cheaper options under it? Super thanks, Eric