Friend
MacBook Pro’s already have outstanding power supplies that include great power conditioning - which contributes to their stellar performance.
Your best bang for the Money would be a good Digital USB cable. If your budget is limited visit Best Buy and get the Audioquest Carbon; if not - look at the Wireworld Platinum Starlight 7USB 2.0 or the newer Starlight 8 USB 3.1.
McIntosh equipment is also stellar; so you are almost there as far as Sonics go. |
Very helpful. Thank you. Be well! |
Have you considered a USB to S/PDIF converter?
I use an old Macbook Pro, with Halide Bridge (USB to S/PDIF converter) to DAC.
All in one cabling is an advantage for me.
Also have an iFi USB Silencer.
At work have a M2Tech Hiface2, which was recommended to me.
I'm considering upgrading the Halide Bridge. It's limited to 24/96.
Although I have no 24/192 at present.
Also have
Have heard people talk very highly of Black Cat Silverstar Coax cable. |
See if you can hear a difference if the Mac is on battery or not. If you do, you may need a replacement PS. If you can't, you are good. The real issue is ground loops and RF/EMI noise being caused by the PS.
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Thanks for the input... that's something to consider as well which i hadn't considered. Best!
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shouldn't "steam" your laptop ;) |
Friend
Please post your decisions and results.
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After doing some searching, I'm going with your advise. A silver starlight 7 USB. Arrives tomorrow. Very interested to see the affects it may have :) I couldn't afford the platinum but i got the Silver used for about the same price as a new entry level cable. |
Friend
You should have a complete System after your Wireworld arrives! With a
MacBook Pro and its already stellar design feeding the excellent Wireworld which will feed the McIntosh MHA100 - you should be in the house for quite awhile enjoying Music.
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Best upgrade for streaming? Ditch the laptop as a streamer. It's not made for that.
There are plenty of purpose built streamers out there, even much cheaper than a laptop. They also free your laptop for other usage, and look better. Some examples in budget: microRendu, SOtM sMS-200. Bluesound Node 2, and Cambridge CXn |
I didn't realize that. Do you get a an appreciable gain in performance from a range of $500 Streamer to $2000 streamer? And i'm not necessarily in necessity of storage capacity 1T/ 2T, etc.. I'm more keen on sound as determining factor of value for purchase. |
Generally yes, but it is all dependent on the rest of your system of course.
The streamers I mentioned don't have any storage. They are just that, streamers. Not servers, no storage. |
Thanks! I'll check out those streamers. i also have a DVD player from McIntosh, 901. Do you know off hand if i can use it as a streamer? I looked at the owner manual, it says there is an ethernet option. |
Sorry I am not familiar with that Mac. I highly doubt it though |
I received the USB cable and rigged it today. I must confess that i was pleasantly surprised with the sonic improvement. I can't talk all that audiophile lango, but i assuredly heard recordings in a different way.. the nuances of drums rolls, horn flutters, gasps of breath even. Pretty remarkable. My conclusion is that purchasing a $350 digital cable for a $5,000 headphone amplifier is justifiable. Makes me wonder if spending the extra $300 for the next level cable would have been worth it? And here i go down the rabbit hole :) If you are curious, I'm pairing Foster MK II (closed) headphones with a MHA 100 Headphone amp and a MVP 901 DVD. I have a pair of Soliloquy book shelves running to the 50W headphone amp but they get little usage. Happy to be streaming-along better now. Thanks for all the tips. |
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Since you have a Prized and Cherished USB Cable in use you might look into a Galvanic Isolation component for USB which is just this side of a dedicated streamer.
Ifi offers two nice USB related products: micro iUSB, and nano iGalvanic.
Though it would require another cable! |
which selection of streamers might you recommend if i don’t require a dac? this was actually my next considerations. you’re right on point- thanks
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