Any audiophile use computer (MacBook) as your audio streaming source?


I rarely see any audiophile talking about streaming audio digital sources from a computer. I understand MacBook can accept native lossless formats form all the various platforms, and it can store unlimited music files in any format, so supposedly it’s the best source, and the digital file is the most purest before it’s fed to the dac. Anyone compared the sound quality of computer vs other audio streamer? 

randywong

I think jitter is another matter to be concerned with, but most competent DACs (low cost) can handle jitter these days. I do not know how that relates to streaming. I do not care since the DACs can deal with it.

@yyzsantabarbara  No!  Most DACs can somewhat handle jitter, but most if not all DACs can significantly benefit from a DDC and/or external clock.  Michael Lavorgna has written here recently how adding an external clock, even to a very accomplished DAC, can greatly improve performance.  Most DACs do not even have an OCXO clock much less completely deal with jitter, so to say most low-cost DACs can just somehow “handle” jitter is just nonsensical and incorrect.  You’re inappropriately minimizing a significant issue here that should not be minimized. 

@soix I believe it depends on the DAC and some designers say their DACs do not need a clock, such as PlayBack Designs. Now this is not a cheap DAC, $6k -$24k.

I use the low-cost, Schitt Yggi+ OG and LIM (soon converted to MIB) DACs. I consider the Yggi a very competent DAC, one of the best. I have not contacted Mike Moffet via Head-fi web site to ask why he does not use a clock, but I do not have any concerns about Schitt DACs supporting a clock. 

A lot of nonsensical and incorrect information abound. I know what works for me and who is blowing a bit of hot air. 

For anyone who is not sure what I am using. I have a separate streamer that uses fibre at one end and converts to USB at the other end. The USB end goes into my Yggi+ DACs. The newer Yggi's have a good USB support.

BTW - Mike is the designer of the Yggi DACs.

 

 

 

 

A MacBook has many computing processes going on in the back ground 

where a streamer just has 1 process your music ,

also it has no fan even streamers though in more  then 65% the power supplies are not that good meaning not high quality linear power supplies. Both can be improved better still . I have found that’s DDC or Digital to Digital Converter better known as a Reclocker  takes the incoming Digital signal puts it in a FIFO buffer then  totally cleans- filters  and processes the data to either a Temp controlled ⏰ clock, or even better Oven Clocks ⏰ that then go out to your dac with a much more pristine Digital signal .if your dac  has a I2S input then you can connect That from the DDC to the dac I2S which looks like a HDMI cable , which is the best sounding audio type cable connection ,he Wireworld I use has 48 Separate   wires . This will for sure give you computer or streamer a more musically engaging experience . I just stack on top of dac using Iso acoustic feet on both.

@devinplombier - There are no stupid questions, so no need to apologize for asking. One significant advantage that a fiber connection has is that it avoids an electrical ground connection. A lot of the noise in digital signal transmission is passed over the ground connection, often referred to as ground plane noise. Using a fiber connection prevents related noise from being passed into the connected device, allowing it to perform at a higher level. John Swenson is a renowned digital engineer who has written extensively about this issue and its impact. Hope that helps.

A lot of nonsensical and incorrect information abound. I know what works for me and who is blowing a bit of hot air. 

@yyzsantabarbara  Well, believing that most DACs just magically 100% “handle” jitter is ignorant and minimizing its impact on digital sound is blowing hot air in my book.  Most people here who’ve added a DDC with superior clocks or better external clocks have experienced significant improvements, and if most DACs just simply “handled” jitter as you state that would not be the case.  Period.  So you can “believe” whatever you want, but that’s a fact born out by many people’s real-world experiences here, and minimizing the effect of jitter is just peddling misinformation.