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Apple versus PC

Any opinions on sound quality from those that have tried both?

I just switched from a Dell Laptop PC (with a 750gig external HD) to an IMAC 20 and am more than happy with the functionality/sound. Just a bit more resolve both in the HF and low end response (not enough to justify a switch, but my laptop was on it's last leg as an everyday computer).

Setup before was running FLAC through Foobar from the laptop via usb into a Dac1 (then on to an MF A5 integrated). Now simply running apple lossless via usb into the same setup. I-tunes functionality with the IR remote has the PC beat all to hell and I don't have a mess of cabling hanging off my computer now.
mb9061

Showing 2 responses by mb9061

mb9061 OP
137 posts
 
Come on Drubin, get your OS nomenclature correct, otherwise NONE of us are going to get anything useful from this thread. :)
mb9061 OP
137 posts
 
Regarding Audioengr's comments if they were intended for me, I actually was bypassing the Kmixer on the PC and was well aware of how to set it up through months of screwing around with it and researching. I was running FLAC with ASIO drivers and it was true bit perfect on the dell laptop.

Regarding 16 bit versus 24 bit, I'm not certain, but I thought I heard you mention sometime back that if someone has a dac that upsamples to 24bit, don't upconvert at the source (i.e. the computer), as you're just throwing more "garbage" down the line (i.e. USB cable) to the DAC itself. Anyways, in both setups (MAC and PC), I definitely prefer the 16 bit sample rate at the computer and just let the DAC up-convert. It's crisper, punchier and seems to provide better separation/definition, both with the dell laptop and the IMac. The 24 bit sounds broader and more "blended", but doesn't give you the dynamics of 16 bit settings from the computer.

Every computer/setup is different I imagine, but in my case the IMAC is clearly beating out the Dell laptop (which has FOOBAR and a 750gig external drive feeding FLAC). The IMAC provides more detail now that it's been up and running for a few days and the higher frequencies aren't as harsh though the PC wasn't necessarily bright to begin with (the IMAC seems to work in better tandem with the DAC1).

Throw in the functionality and definitely I'm not regretting switching to MAC at all.
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