Macbook Air with Amarra HiFi to Peachtree Asynchronous USB

[NipperDog]

Hi Guys, although I’ve been into home audio for many years, I’m brand new to the computer aspect of it. I just bought a Peachtree Nova 125SE integrated amp and I have a few questions. I’ve ripped some of my CDs to my Macbook Air in lossless format and I’m playing them through the asynchronous USB input of the Peachtree, and have downloaded Amarra HiFi to my Mac. To me, this setup works great and my CDs have never sounded better.

 

 

I’m now considering buying an 11” Macbook Air to act solely as a music server because my current Macbook Air doesn’t have enough free space to house all of my CDs. I’d be using this new computer on battery power when I’m listening to music. Would the amount of RAM critical to this setup?

 

 

Another thing I’ve been wondering about is whether I should use the error correction feature in iTunes when I rip my remaining CDs to the computer. I know it takes longer to rip the music when the error correction is on, but if it improves the sound, it would be worth it to me.

 

 

Thanks for any help guys can give me because this computer audio stuff has me baffled.

 

 

Steve

[wgscott]

Here is something I wrote up, and welcome!

 

Absolute beginner's guide to using Apple's OS X for computer audio, the easy way - Blogs - Computer Audiophile

 

and something I didn't write:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/blogs/wgscott/absolute-beginners-guide-seting-computer-audio-apple-os-x-part-ii-643/

[avta]

You might consider getting an external hard drive to store your music files rather than a new computer. I use a usb drive to store music, load the files I want to play into my Mac Mini, play them from the internal drive ( I'm using a solid state drive ) with Amarra then delete them from the computer's drive when finished. Seems to work well for me.

[NipperDog]

Here is something I wrote up, and welcome!

 

 

Absolute beginner's guide to using Apple's OS X for computer audio, the easy way - Blogs - Computer Audiophile

 

 

and something I didn't write:

 

 

An absolute beginner's guide to seting up computer audio on Apple OS X, Part II - Blogs - Computer Audiophile

 

 

Thank you so much, this info will help me immensly!

 

 

You might consider getting an external hard drive to store your music files rather than a new computer. I use a usb drive to store music, load the files I want to play into my Mac Mini, play them from the internal drive ( I'm using a solid state drive ) with Amarra then delete them from the computer's drive when finished. Seems to work well for me.

 

 

I thought about going the Mac Mini route but decided against it because I would need a monitor of some kind. I like the idea of the Macbook Air because everything is is self contained and I would only be using it as a server.

[wwaldmanfan]

Hi Guys, although I’ve been into home audio for many years, I’m brand new to the computer aspect of it. I just bought a Peachtree Nova 125SE integrated amp and I have a few questions. I’ve ripped some of my CDs to my Macbook Air in lossless format and I’m playing them through the asynchronous USB input of the Peachtree, and have downloaded Amarra HiFi to my Mac. To me, this setup works great and my CDs have never sounded better.

 

I’m now considering buying an 11” Macbook Air to act solely as a music server because my current Macbook Air doesn’t have enough free space to house all of my CDs. I’d be using this new computer on battery power when I’m listening to music. Would the amount of RAM critical to this setup?

 

Another thing I’ve been wondering about is whether I should use the error correction feature in iTunes when I rip my remaining CDs to the computer. I know it takes longer to rip the music when the error correction is on, but if it improves the sound, it would be worth it to me.

 

Thanks for any help guys can give me because this computer audio stuff has me baffled.

Steve

 

By all means, use error correction when ripping your CD's. If you want to go even one better, download XLD (X-Lossless Decoder), a freeware app that has a lot more features than iTunes, and is the de facto standard for ripping/transcoding digital music files with a Mac.

 

Get yourself a Thunderbolt external HDD to store your music, rather than copying it to your laptop. An even better option is large-capacity SDXC/SDHC cards, if your machine supports that.

 

There is no SQ advantage to playing music on battery power vs. leaving the AC power supply plugged in. Just completely discharge/recharge the internal battery once a month to keep it healthy.

[wwaldmanfan]

I thought about going the Mac Mini route but decided against it because I would need a monitor of some kind. I like the idea of the Macbook Air because everything is is self contained and I would only be using it as a server.

 

If you still want to buy another Mac laptop to use as a music server, consider this:

 

The 2012 13" MacBook Pro is still available new from Apple for $1,099. You can also buy a refurb from Apple for $829, or used ones elsewhere for even less. This is a best Mac laptop for audio. Why?

 

The 2012 MBP has a faster processor than the MacBook Air.

 

The 2012 MBP has user-replaceable RAM SIMM's, and can be configured for up to 16GB RAM. The One World Computing 16GB RAM kit is $155. The MBA only goes to 8MB RAM (that's a $100 upcharge from Apple), and is not user-replaceable. If you ever want to run a processor-intensive app like HQPlayer to upsample your redbook CD rips to 4x DSD, you are going to need extra RAM.

 

Unlike the MBA, the 2012 MBP has a user-replaceable internal hard drive. You could swap out the 500GB HDD for a 60GB SSD from OWC (only $57), or 120GB SSD ($80) which would be really fast, then install the old HDD in an external enclosure kit as a spare backup drive.

 

The 2012 was the last model MBP to have a built-in SuperDrive. Obviously, this is useful for playing, burning, and ripping CD's and DVD's. Without it, you need another solution. You can also remove the SuperDrive and install a second HDD or SSD with a kit from OWC.

 

The 2012 MBP was the last model Mac laptop with FireWire connectivity, as well as USB 3, Thunderbolt, and Ethernet, and an SDXC card slot on its own interface (not sharing the USB bus).

 

As you can see, the older MacBook Pro is has a lot more connectivity, speed, and storage capabilities beneficial to audio playback than the newer MacBook Air, which is designed to be small and portable, above all else.

[tranz]

A few thoughts.

 

1. A new MB is not going to provide better sound

 

2. No need to buy a new computer just for disk space.

 

3. If you are using USB for the DAC, don't get an USB external harddrive. Thunderbolt or firewire is better in that case

 

4. A NAS can be setup on your network and is visible as an external harddrive. Great expansion option, and much better than an USB drive. Bit of a learning curve though.

 

5. I know this keeps coming up, but rip it once and rip it well. This means not using iTunes, but a tool that has Accurate rip check in it and tells you if something went wrong during ripping. Take your time up front, and don't rush the ripping process.

 

6. Amarra is the most natural sounding, least fatiguing on a Mac. Use playlist, kill finder, and memory cache mode for best sound. Also follow their OS optimization steps listed on their site

 

7. Mac mini or any computer can be run headless (Recommended) using an iPhone or iPad with an app such as Mocha VNC

 

8. A Mac Mini will not provide you better sound than your current laptop. Save your cash.

 

9. An USB clean-up device such as an IFI USB Power or Uptone Regen is the first place to look for sound improvement

[NipperDog]

If you still want to buy another Mac laptop to use as a music server, consider this:

 

The 2012 13" MacBook Pro is still available new from Apple for $1,099. You can also buy a refurb from Apple for $829, or used ones elsewhere for even less. This is a best Mac laptop for audio. Why?

 

The 2012 MBP has a faster processor than the MacBook Air.

 

The 2012 MBP has user-replaceable RAM SIMM's, and can be configured for up to 16GB RAM. The One World Computing 16GB RAM kit is $155. The MBA only goes to 8MB RAM (that's a $100 upcharge from Apple), and is not user-replaceable. If you ever want to run a processor-intensive app like HQPlayer to upsample your redbook CD rips to 4x DSD, you are going to need extra RAM.

 

Unlike the MBA, the 2012 MBP has a user-replaceable internal hard drive. You could swap out the 500GB HDD for a 60GB SSD from OWC (only $57), or 120GB SSD ($80) which would be really fast, then install the old HDD in an external enclosure kit as a spare backup drive.

 

The 2012 was the last model MBP to have a built-in SuperDrive. Obviously, this is useful for playing, burning, and ripping CD's and DVD's. Without it, you need another solution. You can also remove the SuperDrive and install a second HDD or SSD with a kit from OWC.

 

The 2012 MBP was the last model Mac laptop with FireWire connectivity, as well as USB 3, Thunderbolt, and Ethernet, and an SDXC card slot on its own interface (not sharing the USB bus).

 

As you can see, the older MacBook Pro is has a lot more connectivity, speed, and storage capabilities beneficial to audio playback than the newer MacBook Air, which is designed to be small and portable, above all else.

You certainly make a strong argument for opting for an older Macbook Pro over the new Air. For this application, I'm not sure I understand the importance of processing speed and increased RAM. Forgive my ignorance, but doesn't the asynchronous input of the DAC connected by a USB cable render those things unimportant?

[NipperDog]

A few thoughts.

 

1. A new MB is not going to provide better sound

 

2. No need to buy a new computer just for disk space.

 

3. If you are using USB for the DAC, don't get an USB external harddrive. Thunderbolt or firewire is better in that case

 

4. A NAS can be setup on your network and is visible as an external harddrive. Great expansion option, and much better than an USB drive. Bit of a learning curve though.

 

5. I know this keeps coming up, but rip it once and rip it well. This means not using iTunes, but a tool that has Accurate rip check in it and tells you if something went wrong during ripping. Take your time up front, and don't rush the ripping process.

 

6. Amarra is the most natural sounding, least fatiguing on a Mac. Use playlist, kill finder, and memory cache mode for best sound. Also follow their OS optimization steps listed on their site

 

7. Mac mini or any computer can be run headless (Recommended) using an iPhone or iPad with an app such as Mocha VNC

 

8. A Mac Mini will not provide you better sound than your current laptop. Save your cash.

 

9. An USB clean-up device such as an IFI USB Power or Uptone Regen is the first place to look for sound improvement

Thanks for the help, but I don't know where to begin with your post.

 

4. I don't know what NAS is.

 

5. What tool has "accurate rip check"?

 

6. I don't know what you mean by "use playlist, kill finder, and memory cache mode for best sound."

 

7. I don't understand the term "headless" or "Mocha VNC."

 

9. I have no idea what "IFI USB Power or Uptone Regen" are.

[wwaldmanfan]

You certainly make a strong argument for opting for an older Macbook Pro over the new Air. For this application, I'm not sure I understand the importance of processing speed and increased RAM. Forgive my ignorance, but doesn't the asynchronous input of the DAC connected by a USB cable render those things unimportant?

 

The asychronous USB capability of your DAC has nothing to do with your computer's processing power. Surely, you know that the only downside to having a faster computer processor and more RAM is the nominal initial cost.

 

4. A NAS is a network audio system. Google it.

5. XLD has accurip checking. Download it, and peruse the preferences to get a gist of what it can do.

6. These are Amarra playback options. Playlist mode on 3rd party audio players is more transparent than iTunes integration. Kill Finder saves memory, but you don't need to do that. Memory cache mode preloads the song into RAM before playback so your media drive is not forced to transmit the data simultaneously during playback. It's cleaner.

7. Headless refers to a Mac Mini (or equivalent) with no monitor or keyboard. Mocha VNC is a remote app for a handheld device. Some type of remote control app and device is required with the Mini, often necessitating use of iTunes integration. That's the advantage of a self-contained laptop.

Although, since you already have a MB Air, you could use a headless Mini and screen-share with your existing laptop.

9. IfI Power and UpTone REGEN are add-on devices to clean up your USB power and signal. Don't worry about those things right now.

 

As a newbie, we welcome you to the forum, and are happy to answer your questions. However, its up to you to look some of these terms up on the internet, Google, WikiPedia, or search this forum. Do some woodshedding here while you enjoy your current audio system. You'll have to spend some time reading, but this place is wonderfully informative and fun. There are some very smart folks here, and you will learn a lot about our hobby.

[NipperDog]

The asychronous USB capability of your DAC has nothing to do with your computer's processing power. Surely, you know that the only downside to having a faster computer processor and more RAM is the nominal initial cost.

 

4. A NAS is a network audio system. Google it.

5. XLD has accurip checking. Download it, and peruse the preferences to get a gist of what it can do.

6. These are Amarra playback options. Playlist mode on 3rd party audio players is more transparent than iTunes integration. Kill Finder saves memory, but you don't need to do that. Memory cache mode preloads the song into RAM before playback so your media drive is not forced to transmit the data simultaneously during playback. It's cleaner.

7. Headless refers to a Mac Mini (or equivalent) with no monitor or keyboard. Mocha VNC is a remote app for a handheld device. Some type of remote control app and device is required with the Mini, often necessitating use of iTunes integration. That's the advantage of a self-contained laptop.

Although, since you already have a MB Air, you could use a headless Mini and screen-share with your existing laptop.

9. IfI Power and UpTone REGEN are add-on devices to clean up your USB power and signal. Don't worry about those things right now.

 

As a newbie, we welcome you to the forum, and are happy to answer your questions. However, its up to you to look some of these terms up on the internet, Google, WikiPedia, or search this forum. Do some woodshedding here while you enjoy your current audio system. You'll have to spend some time reading, but this place is wonderfully informative and fun. There are some very smart folks here, and you will learn a lot about our hobby.

You've spent a lot of time and effort explaining things to me in this thread and I appreciate it more than you know. It didn't occur to me to check the sources you've listed to find the answers to my questions, but I'll certainly try that.

 

In the meantime, I'm going to check Amazon to see if there's a book such as Computer Audio for Dummies, or The Complete Idiots guide to Computer Audio. ;-)

 

Thanks yet again wwaldmanfan!

[wgscott]

Just to answer one of your questions: If you were to buy a mac mini, you can set it up with a keyboard, mouse, and (eg) your TV attached, and then pull the plug on all of the above, and forever after use Apple's built-in remote display to view and interact with it from the comfort of your current laptop. (This is what "headless" refers to. I leave mine plugged into the TV via HDMI with no ill effects, and it permits us to use it for games and movies and stuff like that.)

[goldsdad]

4. A NAS is a network audio system. Google it.

 

NAS is network-attached storage. Google it.

[tranz]

Hi Route66,

 

Looks like wwaldmanfan answered the questions - thanks for that.

 

After your research if there is anything not clear, many here willing to help out. Happy reading.

 

Cheers