Francis Hemeter

I don't assume members will use integrated amps, but I assume somebody has already made a conscious decision not to have an amp subforum, maybe because such content is replicated in a lot of other forums (not that it is not spread around here as well). So just suggesting something that might not have been considered before. I would love to see headphones and speakers separated too. Like we have the rest of the playback chain covered why no amp forum? I don't know.

I think you also differentiate between all in one box DAC and class A A/B amps and integrated digital class D amplifiers. I am very happy with my small NAD D3020 integrated DAC/Amplifier (amplifications is in the digital realm) so is volume control. 30W continuous 120W into 0 ohms dynamic power, and continual power usage about 30% of a class A, A/B amps. I know a lot of people don't care about the power usage, but class A/B Onkyo amp is like a room heater that I continually forget to turn off, definitely not needed in the tropics where I live. EQ can be done in the digital realm on your player PC/MAC software if you are into that. The footprint is smaller than a lot of headphone amps, USB connection does not require any magic high end cables (I am using printer cable). Can be found new from about $430. Amazing low floor level noise and bang for buck. No wall wart either to deal with. I think they need a sub forum for amps, even if covered elsewhere maybe a sub forum for integrated amps only being computer audiophile

I have the NAD D3020 DAC/Amp along with Quad L11.

Just an update, tried with El Captain same problem: I enabled the "Default to Fixed Indexing" option in BP's preferences, and based on limited testing so far, it seems to restore gapless playback.

Running Yosemite, updated to v.3 now gapless does not work and tracks skip randomly to another song in the play list. Wish I could roll back to version 2

iTunes as player with BitPerfect (background app) to ensure files are streamed to DAC in native format. XLD for file conversion ripping DSDMaster for DSD to PCM formats

I had SMC fan control running when I first setup the unit, uninstalled and not look at it since, but just installed it again and it is running. The difference of having air conditioning on or not and I had physically looked at the fan with the cover off last time. But yes it is running. Sorry for misleading anybody.

Running a mini mac with two solid state drives (one with the OS the other with just music) and my fan does not run unless I am playing video, screen sharing, or something else that requires a lot of process power like converting music files. When playing music the fan does not run, on really hot days (I live in Cambodia) if I put my ear on the mini max I might notice the fan is running. But have had the case open up and and just iTunes and bit perfect and zero fan running.

Given the first paragraph that it does not damage to equipment, I assume this would also go for not causing transient harmonics in the high frequency, why use a low pass filter at all? I did actually purchase dsdmaster after trying a few others, major feature was equalising so I don't clip dB grain if I selected something arbitrary. Some feedback/ideas/questions -suggested conversion rates from DSD to PCM. My DAC (NAD D3020) only outputs 24/96 via USB, but I went for the 88.2Khz conversion rate altering reading a bit, or would I have been better going for something higher. -add an add file to the menu bar, i had to go read the instructions to run it -when I select a full album (a number of individual files) in finder and click open, does that mean that batch is equalised or is it added to all the other files (if I have done a few albums queued up at a time) and equalised with them? -you file processing list like stops at 6, but I can see DSD mater making file containers in the output directly. Does not display all queued files. -closing or pop up saying finished for the processing files list, kinda like XLD -speed wise the eq anti clipping feature must chew up some processing power, its the slowest converter I tried, but some things are worth waiting for.

I have a few DSD files I want to convert to PCM as by DAC does not play DSD files. I downloaded a DSD file from DSDMaster (makers of bitperfect) and their 88.2 PCM. I tried a few programs and options for conversion Audirvana Plus Decimation 0.75 cut off at 24/88.2 Audirvana Plus 64 multi at 24/88.2 DSD2Flac standard 88.2 DSDMaster as per download at 88.2 Audirvana Plus Decimation 0.75 cut off at 24/88.2, cuts it off but still a lot of energy between 20-35Khz, Audirvana Plus 64 multi at 24/88.2, seems to be a lot of high frequency noise. DSD2Flac standard 88.2, gradual cut off. DSDMaster as per download at 88.2, a lot less energy drop off starts before 20KHz. Listening to the tracks I can't hear the difference as I am not a bat. More concerned with that its doing to my audio gear.

I note HD Tracks has the album as well is it the same mastering?

Try screen sharing instead of remote app. If you really want touch screen there are some hot VM apps around that will let you screen share.

Hi what shop in PP did you get the NAD from that wells HiFi (not boom boxes like you get in most places). I am in Sihanoukville here. I ended up with the NAD D3020 (brought it in Australia last time I was there as I knew HiFi equipment in Cambodia would be limited, overpriced and probably older models). Feeding a could Quad L11s bookshelf speakers with it.

Just checked out the optical toslink on the mini mac it is limited to 24/96, only the new retina MBP does 24/196 on the to slink out. So I have a choice between 24/96 toslink or USB. Will have to check if my bluetooth keyboard will be on the USB bus or not or asynchronous DAC USB vs optical jitter so far not real difference. My media storage is on a SSD which is on the SATA connection inside my mac.

I just brought a used mini mac and have upgraded it (specs below), and I am looking for some basic setup recommendations. Connection to NAD D 3020 DAC - Thinking of using asynchronous USB, I know this is limited to 24/96 both by my mini mac and DAC but most of my music is 24/96 or rebook 16/44.1 CD Rips. I am thinking asynchronous connection to be better than having to deal with the toslink/optical possible jitter and output issues, although optical it would electrically isolate the mini mac. Storage All media will be on 500GB SSD separate to the system disk. Use Will be connecting my mini mac to the TV and also using it as a media server to put my movie library as well. Headless I want to control the mini mac remotely from multiple mac laptops, what is the easiest way to do so, I need more than iTunes remote as I want to use it to operate VLC, and use the mac for downloading torrent as well. Screen sharing or remove management what's the difference what do you recommended. Is it worth trying to use the iPad as remote screen? I read the remote app for iTunes does not let you use playlists Player iTunes with bitperfect. I am thinking that I just want something to swap the bit rate over (the manual midi settings) and stay with stock iTunes as a player. Any other recommendations. (aside from complex mods what I doubt I will ever hear the difference in) Hardware Overview: NAD D 3020 DAC/AMP Speakers QUAD 11L MINI MAC (it was 2011 server edition prior to mods) SSD 256GB Apple (system Disk) SSD 500GB Samsung Evo (media disk) Model Identifier: Macmini5,3 Processor Name: Intel Core i7 Processor Speed: 2 GHz Number of Processors: 1 Total Number of Cores: 4 L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB L3 Cache: 6 MB Memory: 8 GB