Bruce1

Eloise has a very valuable idea here that deserves some consideration. Many people would love to see the results of such a test in order to know what a performance to price curve looks like for these types of products. I know I'm trying to make such a decision, and can't be sure it will be a good one in the absence of such information.

Well, no transfer of 24/96 is pretty much a deal killer. Apple would seem to continue to ignore the audiophile community as a market. This is an unfortunate choice on their part, because with little cost or effort they could build a lot of goodwill and positive word-of-mouth. Plus, establishing a connection with audiophiles would improve their product development and increase cross-selling of Apple products. Sad.

You are absolutely right about the Berkeley needing (deserving) a better source. I have been looking for an interim low cost solution until the new wave of converters are out and have been reviewed. My current set up, HiFace to Berkeley via 40ft of Belden 1694 cable, is low cost ($225), but doesn't do the rest of the system justice. I'm thinking that I'll end up with a Mac Mini plus some converter, but wondered if the Apple TV might for $99 be a better interim than the HiFace. Patience is a virtue, but it is also in short supply with audiophiles.

Does anyone have an opinion about running 40ft of ethernet cable from an iMac to the AppleTV, then out via Toslink to a BADA? I'm looking for an improvement in music quality over my existing M2 Tech HiFace BNC-->40ft of S/PDIF cable to the Berkeley BNC input. I'm trying to find a good quality/price ratio for improved performance. Other possibilities include a new MacBook and Empirical Audio Pace Car2, but that is a very expensive solution. Thanks for weighing in on this. Bruce

Well, it is probably good that the DAC8 doesn't have that ability. The last thing I need is to be second guessing decisions that just yesterday seemed the height of wisdom!!

Thank you, Eloise. That is very helpful, as you always are. Here is a question I think many of us might be interested in knowing: Is it your understanding that buyers of the new Audio Research DAC8, with its proprietary drivers, will not need Pure Music or Amarra software to be able to play 24/176.4 or 24/196 files through an Apple based iTunes system? In other words, the ARC software performs the same job that the PM or Amarra software does, including detecting and allowing all HiRez music to be played in its native format through iTunes, without you needing to do anything other than press "Play"?

I will (hopefully, I payed for the equipment 2.5 months ago but it hasn't arrived at the dealer yet!) soon have the following equipment set-up: iMac-->M2 Tech HiFace with BNC output-->SPDIF cable-->BNC input on a Berkeley Alpha DAC-->Kubala-Sosna Fascination XLR cable-->Pass Labs INT-150 integrated amp-->OCOS speaker cable-->Sonus Faber Cremona M Speakers. I am currently using iTunes to play back my playlists of 16/44.1 music, but want to be able to play back HiRez music files over this system as well. So here are my questions/assumptions, given my current limited knowledge of computer based music playback: 1. I can play 24/96 over this system, but to get iTunes to output a 24/96 file I would need to 1)close iTunes, 2)open Apple MIDI and change the setting to 24/96, 3)Reopen iTunes and play the track. Is this correct? 2. If I want to get 24/96 downloads from HDTracks I'll need to first download software that can convert FLAC files to AIFF? What software do I need to do this? Once I have that on my computer, what are the steps I must do to get it onto iTunes? I guess the alternative would be to load Windows OS onto my computer, then download MediaMonkey and move the FLAC files onto it, but that seems a needlessly complex way to do this, right? 3. If I want to play RR 24/172 files I assume I'll need to download Pure Music or Amarra first, then buy a RR disc, put it in the computer, and then...? 4. I've downloaded the free RR tracks (thank you's to Chris and RR) made available here in AIFF format. To get them to play in native format I assume I'll need Pure Music or Amarra, but otherwise can play them as they are currently residing in iTunes? 5. Is there something that could replace the HiFace in this system that would substantially improve sound quality? If so, please advise. Thanks to all who reply to help me out with these questions. Bruce

Eloise, A Question: Do I need to do something in addition to Time Machine backing up iTunes on an external HD, to be covered? If so, could you tell me (and others who also are wondering about this) what to do? Thanks.

Eloise, your most recent suggestion to me about going with a Mac Mini and using a short cable made perfect sense. I now share coverto's interest in being able to control the Mac Mini using my iMac's screen for setting the MIDI settings, controlling my iTunes playlists, etc. While I might get an iPad at some future date, my immediate need is to be able to use the Mini as a music server without having to buy another piece of hardware. Thanks once again for your helping us to understand how to make this happen.

I think this seems to make the sense at this point: Pure Music software in iTunes-->M2Tech HiFace (BNC connection)-->12m Audioquest VDM-5 cable (BNC to BNC)-->Alpha Dac BNC connection. This will cost $1634 ($874 if I go with Audioquest VDM-3 cable), which is far below what I originally thought I'd need to spend. It should give me good sound up to 192/24 until other better solutions become available at a reasonable cost. Eloise, thank you SO MUCH for all your knowledgeable and valuable advice. You saved me a lot of unnecessary expense. Bruce

wgscott: I'm continuing to entertain the Mac Mini solution, but would also need to have some means of seeing the mini's iTunes screen. Would I be able to get it to show up on my iMac (wireless?),or would I need to buy an iTouch or iPhone? Plus, i would need to download all my current iTunes music onto it and be able to add new music to it via the iMac. Any ideas?

wgscott and Eloise, Thank you both for your help. I think I'm starting to understand, but please bear with me for a few more questions. It seems the solution with the least change would be the M2Tech HiFace adapter, which would allow me to continue to use my iMac and coax cable to the Alpha Dac. Any feel for how the sound quality of this setup would compare to going the Mac Mini route? How do I change the settings for iTunes to output at 192/24 (or 96/24, etc), if I don't get Pure Music or Amarra software? Many Thanks.

My Mac is an iMac with 2.66 GHz Intel 2 Duo processor 4GB memory purchased last summer. It is running OSX 10.6.3. More reading has added questions, but little enlightenment. Eloise, you are right--the Hagerman usb converter is limited to 44.1 and 48k. So I know I'll have to use some other setup to get hi-res to the Berkeley. One question is whether the S/PDIF coax cable and USB cable will need to be replaced if I want to send 96/24 music to the Alpha Dac? What about 192/24? If I settle for 96/24 do I need the Amarra software, or will the iTunes (v 9.1.1 (12)) and Snow Leopard software send that without the need for Amarra? If so, do I need to change anything in the iTunes settings to make that possible? Can I still use the existing cables and just replace the Hagerman converter, and if so, what is a relatively inexpensive USB to S/PDIF converter that could handle 96/24? If I want to move up to 192/24 what would I need for getting the signal out of the iMac and to the Alpha Dac? Lynx or some other way such as Firewire? (BTW, I'll have to use a RCA to BNC adapter to use the Alpha Dac without any other changes to the system). There is no easy way to get the computer closer to the Alpha Dac than the 11 meters. I could move the Dac closer to the computer, but then I'd have the long run of XLR cable from it to the Integrated Amp. One solution might be the new Micromega WM-10 airstream media player ($1600) that uses Wi-Fi 802.11 to wirelessly stream anything in the iTunes system up to 192/24 the 11 meters to the stereo system. Any opinions about that? Thank you all for your able advice to this novice.

I am in the process of buying a new system (Sonus Faber Cremona M, Pass Labs INT150, Berkeley Alpha Dac), and want to begin playing Hi-res digital on my Mac ITunes through it. From what I've been reading at computeraudiophile.com it appears that a solution would be Amarra-->Firewire-->Weiss INT202-->Kubala Sosna Fascination XLR-->Alpha Dac-->Kubala Sosna Fascination XLR-->Pass Labs. Is there a less expensive way to get comparable sound quality from the Mac and iTunes? I should mention that my Mac is in another room from the audio equipment and I will need to run 11 meters of Firewire from the Mac to the Weiss. I am currently using the following means of using my Mac as a digital server: Mac-->2 meters Usb cable--> Hagerman usb converter--> 9 meters of S/PDIF cable-->Tri-Vista DAC-->Audio Research SP9MkIII. Going the new path would add the following costs to what I have already ordered: Amarra=$1000, Weiss=$1300, KS XLR=$950, Firewire=$??? (anyone know what this would cost, and is 11 meters of Firewire OK?). Can I do this for less? Thanks for your help.