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  1. Bobby, I've recently switched to XLD (http://bit.ly/XLDMac) for all my Macintosh based audio conversion and ripping. It supports all the popular formats including ALAC (Apple iTunes lossless), including ALAC at 24bits/96kHz content (Audio DVD). So with that said, I would try to take your 24/96 FLAC or DVD audio files and process them through XLD. I've done this numerous time with great success. I output all my audio at 24bits/96kHz it just sounds better, deeper stage, etc. Computer does a great job of upsampling. And, XLD will gladly convert and keep the same bit depth and sampling or the original content (WAV, FLAC, AIFF, etc). Hope that helps. Stuart
  2. Yes, Core Audio is basically the core libraries under Mac OS X that handle all the built-in audio formats supported by Apple (ALAC, AIFF, AAC etc). Sorry, I'm mixing developer metaphors here. I've recently fixed Max so that it will convert 24 bit / 96khz FLAC and AIFF to ALAC of the same order. That is where I got the Apple "Core Audio" term from.
  3. Frankly, I could not agree with you more. I've have an almost identical setup and have tried the USB route using a Kimber Kable (very nice). However, I too heard a major difference in sound using the TOSLINK and Digital Output set to 24 bits and 96khz. My major problem was finding the right mini-TOSLINK to standard TOLINK cable. I first used a few cables with an adapter and they just did not cut it. I finally broke down and bought a Monster Cable ILS100TM-1M Toslink-to-Mini Optical Digital-Audio Interconnect on Amazon.com and what do you know, the sound was exactly as I had expected it should be! I've been using the Digital Out exclusively now and the Kimber Kable was placed in storage. Immediately apparent are the following: 1) Deeper sound stage 2) Wamer more musical sound 3) Airy highs 4) Blacker blacks (you know the dark matter of sound) Overall, I found that my 24 bit 96khz ALAC content sounded superb. Even CD quality ALAC is up sampled by core audio before it makes it to the Digital Output and sounds significantly richer. I even went as far as to adjust the output settings using Audio Midi Setup to see if I could hear the difference. And you can. No doubts in my mind. What made the biggest difference in sound was the bit depth. Of course having the sample rate at 96khz added just that additional touch of detail and warmness to the music. So, with that said, until I can afford the Bel Canto USB Link, I'm sticking with my TOSLINK S/PDIF out. I'm not even sure I even care to plunk down $500 for something until I am uncertain will sound any better that the Digital Optical out on the Mac Mini. My setup: Mac Mini (intel) MiniMax 500GB external USB drive by iomega PS Audio DLIII with Cullen Circuits Stage IV Modification (well worth the additional $400 over stock version IMHO) Monster Cable ILS100TM-1M Toslink-to-Mini Optical Digital-Audio Interconnect McIntosh MA6500 Integrated Amp AudioPhysic Virgo III Speakers Anti-Cables - Speaker cables Luminous Audio: Synchestra Signature Series interconnects Stuart
  4. Bobby, Unfortunately, ripping CDs to ALAC in iTunes will only products 16bit / 44.1khz files. I would steer clear of AIFF since they take up way too much space (I know I tried to use AIFF for 24 bit/96khz content). I too just recently ripped 525+ CDs to ALAC. They are all at 16bit / 44.1khz and this is fine. Even when you set your output to 96khz, 24bit using the Audio Midi Setup utility. That's because in order to output the 16bit / 44.1khz data, the Mac will have to upsample using Core Audio to match the output settings (that is same same library used by most converters). I know and have tested this on both the Analog output as well as the Digital output of my Mac Mini. So, no worries. However, there is another way you can upsample the CD during the initial rip. For that I use a modified version of Max for the Mac (that I modified to meet this very need) and a customized preference file that has two ALAC settings. One is for regular 16bit/44.1khz conversion to ALAC. The other is for converting either original 24bit/96khz FLAC/AIFF or for upsampling CD content. It works very well well. But remember, the resulting ALAC file will be ~3 times the size of a 16 bit/44.1khz file and the benefits for analog output are marginal at best. For digital output I have yet to hear a difference. Hope this helps. Stuart
  5. Mike, Unfortunately, there is a bug in Max 0.8.1 so converting FALC 24/96 recordings from HDtracks to Apple Lossless will not work. However, you have two choices. I have a version of Max compiled (that I use) with the changes I asked Stephen to promote to the SVN archive. If you send private message I can hook you up with that version and you can convert the 24/96 FLAC to ALAC 24/96 and you'll be all set. One other options is to download XLD for Mac OS X here http://tmkk.hp.infoseek.co.jp/xld/index_e.html . This application will do the same thing as Max and some people prefer it to Max. Just make sure you check the output Sample Rate option for Apple Lossless to "Same as original". You should be all set. Now the next thing you will want to do on the Mac is to open Audio Midi Setup and change the output settings for your current output device to 96khz 24 bits (if supported). You'll be pleasantly surprised at how much better the sound is. Hope that helps. Stuart - Feel free to email me with questions.
  6. memphiskat, I would appear that Stephen has yet to post a newer version of his program. If you need a copy that will work with 24/96 files please drop me an email request to [email protected] and I will send you a link to a version I compiled from the latest source code. Best, Stuart
  7. Based on all the specifications I've read, the DL III accepts 96khz or 192khz 24bit inputs. However, being caught in this game before (with respect to the USB port) I sent an email to Scott McGowan at PS Audio to see what he has to say about this question. As soon as I hear back from him, I will let you all know his response. Now on to a related question. I have attempted to use the Optical S/PDIF output of my Mac Mini to push out audio at 24 bits 96khz (using the Audio Midi Setup utility to set this for the digital optical out). However, I've tried three different optical cables with varying results. All not to my satisfaction. I keep coming back to the USB cable because it just sounds more musical for CD quality content. Anyone else have some input into this mysterious voodoo? Has anyone tried the Kimber Kable Opt-1? Does it sound transparent? Most of the optical cables I've attempted to use sound either lossy or way too bright. Thanks in advance, Stuart Addendum: It looks like the CS8416 receiver chip in the DL III does in fact support sampling rates up to 192khz at 24 bits (right justified). All the other components listed below also support 24bit inputs. And for those curious about the specifications for the DL III they include the following chips: 192 kHz Crystal CS8416 DAC receiver TI PCM1798DB DAC 192 kHz with upsampling via TI SRC4192 PCM2902E - USB 1.1 Audio Interface with S/PDIF Hope this helps to clear the air.
  8. Chris,<br /> <br /> So, I've had my PS Audio DL III with Stage IV Cullin Circuits mod now for about a month. I originally had it hooked up to my big rig via a Kimber Kable USB type B cable on my Mac Mini. All my content is ALAC and some is true 24bit/96khz purchased from various places on the internet (HDtracks.com, etc). <br /> <br /> Anyway, I was disappointed to learn the the USB port is limited to 16bit/48khz operation and did notice a lack of depth to the music on my big rig. So, like you, I decided to go the optical route and purchased a Hosa 5ft Toslink cable and a Mini Toslink adapter for output to the DAC using the digital out set at 24bit/96khz. I spend a good part of yesterday listening to a variety of music but mostly stuck to jazz during the afternoon. It sounds great, lot's of depth, airy highs, etc. However, later in the evening, I decided to put on the rock in the form of Dave Matthews Band (Under the Table.., Crash). The sound coming out of my system surprised me as it was not warm, the highs were sort of sizzling and way too prominent for my taste. All in all the music sounded intolerably digital. Is it possible that over time the TOSLINK lasers heating up could cause such behavior? Or is it due to the upsampling of 44.1khz/16bit content on the Mac? Am I just hearing the limitations of CD quality music? I wonder if the optical cable I am using is the issue? I was considering the purchase of the Kimber Kable OPT-1. Perhaps you can shed some light on this issue? Please let me know you thoughts.<br /> <br /> Thanks,<br /> Stuart
  9. Update: While this revision of the code was supposed to have my changes, there appears to be something missing and it is not behaving as expected. Please stand by for an update. >Revision 1382 source code for Max is now available from the SVN repository if you wish to compile a >version of Max that has the fix in it. svn co http://svn.sbooth.org/max/trunk Max. Not sure when >Stephan plans to post a binary version on http://files.sbooth.org but I can certainly ask.
  10. Just as an FYI to all those who were having the same issue I was with purchased 24bit/96khz FLAC files when attempting to convert them to ALAC 24bit/96khz files using Max 0.8.1 under Mac OS X, I have good news after spending a good few days trolling over the code, today I finally found the issue and corrected it. I can now convert these files (keeping all the FLAC tags intact) to ALAC file of the same order. No more converting to WAV first, re-tagging, and then converting to ALAC in iTunes (what a pain). Anyway, I have forwarded the changes I made to Stephen Booth (the author). As soon as I hear back from him I can give you all an update on when we should see a new official release. If you are interested in what changes I made and have the Max source code and Xcode Tools 3.x, then feel free to send a private message for details.
  11. I have to agree. If the Midi settings are set to 24 bit / 96khz then the Mac is definitely doing pre oversampling before sending out the data to the DAC. I have a DAC that also supports 96khz/192khz so if I were to set it to the higher sampling rate, then yes it would be oversampled twice.
  12. Thanks for all the feedback. It was very helpful in my quest to get this right. Right now, since the DLIII is limited via USB to 44.1khz 16 bit data (even using Apple's Audio Midi Setup, shows at maximum it will support 48khz 16bit data. Having learned based on the original post (thank you Spirit for bringing this to my attention) that the DLIII while a 24 bit 96/192 khz DAC is limited only by the USB input. I recently connected the TOSLINK S/PDIF and removed the USB connection, configured the Audio Midi Setup for Digital Out to support 24 bit 96 khz data and immediately one can hear the difference in the music. Even the CD quality content sounds better and the HD content I have from HDTracks.com sounds amazing. The stage is deeper, the music more natural sounding, the speakers almost disappear from the scene. And this is exactly what you want, 3D sound. Anyway, I'm still not crazy about using the TOSLINK because I do agree that it most likely imparts more jitter than straight USB and S/PDIF COAX . However for now I can live with that and the DLIII with Stage IV Cullen Circuits Mod does an amazing job of reducing that jitter so all is good. My next purchase will be the Bel Cantos USB Link which does support USB data transfers at 24 bits/96khz. It is still cheaper than buying a new DAC for me @ $495. I've search the internet high and low for alternative, but came up with very few with the same small form factor or audiophile quality. Anyone have any other suggestions (other than buying a new DAC that supports USB @ 24bit)?
  13. Ok, I was wrong and I admit I am holey disappointed in PS Audio for not specifying that the USB port only supports 16bit/44.1khz input. Oh well, nothing I can do now after spending the money and it still sounds great. So like you, I have a perfectly good 24 bit DAC with a USB port that disappoints. So, you ask, what did I do next after talking to PS Audio this evening? Well I hooked up the optical digital out from the Mac Mini using a 3.5mm optical cable to TOSlink and well now I have nothing to complain about since it sounds far better than the USB connection and supports output of 24 bit/96khz to the DAC which is for all intents and purposes is a 24 bit / 96khz / 192khz DAC. That part I am certain of. So what are my next steps instead of paying for a new DAC? Well the Bel Cantos USB to COAX S/PDIF adapter looks like the perfect solution for going back the way of USB for 24 bit/96khz content. For $495 (and perhaps a little lower if you shop around) I can have 24 bit/96khz USB connectivity to my Mac Mini. However for now, the optical S/PDIF works just fine. The difference is astounding to say the least. Think I'll stick with that for a while. I know there are grumblings in the Audiophile community about using optical instead of COAX because of noise, but at this point at least I can hear my 24 bit/96khz audio files as they were meant to be heard. Certainly beats having to purchase another DAC at twice the cost that has USB 24bit audio input.
  14. I'm not sure that I believe the DLIII will NOT decode a USB input at 24 bits. That is why I asked PS Audio. I've pumped 24 bit data down the pipe from my Mac Mini connected via USB. Anyway, let's see what they say. Where did you acquire your information regarding the 16 bit limit on the USB port of the DLIII?
  15. Well, the specification of the DAC are 24 bit 96khz/192khz. So no matter what you put through it, that is the baseline to work from. And, since I do have a good deal of 24bit/96khz content, I can say with certainty that the sound coming out of the speakers is far more defined than that of CD quality files. BTW, all my content is ALAC whether it is 24 bit or 16 bit. Now with that said, one would have to wonder what sort of digital data is being sent down the USB wire when playing a 24 bit/96khz digital data stream in iTunes? I'm hoping that one would only be limited by the drivers available for the OS. If it did not support 24 bits and truncated to 16 bits would it not sound, well horrible? The quality would be immensely worse not better, right? Anyway, without seeing it in writing (the USB specs) I can't confirm with any certainty that a 24 bit data stream is truncated or down-sampled to 16 bits. So, in the interest of accuracy, I shot an email to PS Audio asking this exact question. Are 24 bit data streams supported on the USB connection to a DL III DAC. I will let you know when I receive a response. I'm hoping not to be disappointed
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