16 Bit vs. 24 Bit for Mac OSX


Can a Mac, or specifically an IMac, be configured for 16bit 44.1khz via USB?

I've an IMac 20 that I'm using with a Benchmark DAC1. I've noticed the following -

When opening up the Midi/Audio Interface Application and selecting "Built in Input" and setting it to 16/44.1, it appears it's sending 16/44.1 to my DAC. I'm well familiar with the sound of 16/44.1 compared to 24/44.1 from my experience with my PC using Foobar, and the sound appears to be 16 bit coming from the IMac. When I select the Benchmark Dac1 under "Output Device Settings" in the Midi, the IMac then appears to revert to 24/44.1, as is set under the output device options.

My curiousity is that the Midi setting is for "Built in Input" not output. Further, the output settings are still 24/44.1 with the Benchmark as the default output device, I've only selected the Input settings options to change them. Am I confusing anything here? When the input settings are chosen, no output settings are listed at all within the menu, so there's nothing to alter there unless I go back to the pulldown menu and select the output device again.

Sorry if I'm not explaining this well, but basically I've found 16/44.1 to be preferrable for redbook lossless. I'm not a big fan of the extra sound stage and bloom that 24/44.1 offers over the original 16bit source material as it's recorded.

Steve (Audioengr), if you catch this post, you suggested setting Output on the Mac to 24/44.1 for true bit perfect. But when I select Input device and set it to 16/44.1, it definitely sounds like 16 bit and to my ears appears to be bit perfect as well.
mb9061

Showing 1 response by ultrafitimes

You need focus on the "output" device. That's what matters, and has to do with the usb dac, as you're concerned with here. Forget about all the input stuff - doesn't apply. A usb dac is an output device.

When you make a selection in the MIDI screen, the screen changes for selection of the settings for that device selected. The Benchmark in this case.

Basically, when you plug in a usb device, such as a usb dac, it reports what it is capable of doing, e.g., 16 or 24 bit, or, 44.1 or 96 kHz. This then populates the selection found for that output device in the MIDI screen, that you may then select from.

In other words, what you see there is what you're capable of doing.

No mine field, pretty simple.