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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 audioengr

audioengr
3,282 posts
 
This is only because you were not bypassing kmixer on the PC. The PC can sound just as good or better than Mac. With XP if you unmap the device, it is superb. The USB interface you are using makes a big difference too. If you are getting 24/44.1 rather than 16/44.1, the sound quality wil be great with Vista. Some USB devices do this.

The Firewire thing is filling the gap right now for 24/192, but it is not asynch. As soon as we have async USB supporting 24/192, it will beat this firewire. This year.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
If you were running ASIO on the PC, that explains it. None of the ASIO's sound good IMO. You have to unmap or use kernel streaming.

Mac is more trouble-free I admit, but I dont think the upsampler is as good as SRC and Foobar 0.8.3. I dont like the sound of the new 0.9.x Foobar and SRC, so that explains that too.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
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