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HELP ... Mac MIni and Bel Canto DAC3 Problems ...

HELP PLEASE!!!

My Setup:
Mac Mini --> Bel Canto DAC3 via USB --> Simaudio I-7 via XLR --> Dynaudio Confidence C1.

My Problem:
I just received a slightly used Bel Canto DAC3 today to replace a Benchmark Media DAC1 USB. I planned on doing an A/B comparison. However, when I unplug the Benchmark and plug in the Bel Canto, I get music drop-outs and pops every 5 to 10 seconds. I have tried everything I can think of to no avail ... I still get the continuous drop-outs and clicks.

Should I return the Bel Canto or is there a fix for this? PLEASE HELP!!!!

Additional info ... the Bel Canto DAC3 has firmware revision 2.01.

Thanks :-)
pwfletcher

Showing 2 responses by michaelct

michaelct
27 posts
 
Running a BC DAC3 and M300 monoblocs for about
six months now, fed by a Mac Mini, finished with
Monitor Audio Platinum 100s.
All purchased new for around $10k total.
Tried lots of other stuff: complicated, fussy and messy.
None of it sounded better.
Actually, none of it sounded as good. :-)
michaelct
27 posts
 
Edo,

I'm using USB to USB. A Bel Canto engineer told me
by phone that with a Mac, USB is best, so haven't even
bothered trying optical. ( Maybe USB is best with Windows
too, I don't know -- and I don't care. ;-) )

As I inferred in my previous post, I tried lots of fussy mussy
and complicated stuff, to little avail and at significant expense.
None of it was worth it, that I could *hear*.
Hard to beat a $5, 6" USB cable for simplicity. :-)

I currently use only the hard drive in the Mini --
I ordered a 120 GB drive upgrade when I bought the Mini new,
which holds about 400 CDs in Apple Lossless format.
That happens to be enough for me, for now.
I own a Newer Technology 500 GB 'mini stackable' drive
that I use for other purposes, but it would be a little too noisy
for my tastes as an add-on the Mini server. I've read that
quieter Mini-stackable drives exist but I can't advise
which though, I've forgotten.
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