[simon wagstaff]

I just updated my mac mini, intel core solo, (yes, an old machine) to 10.6 and downloaded a trial copy of Decibel. i have not been really happy with Amarra nor Pure Music as they are either expensive or want to use iTunes. I have been using COG which is great in some ways, it will decode just about anything I throw at it including shn files but I have been bothered by the fact that it has a volume control. AFAIK the only way to reduce volume digitally is to reduce the bit depth, not a good thing. If I have the volume control all the way up I have not be totally thrilled with the sound.

Since I don't use iTunes and I don't do compressed music of any sort I wanted a very simple program that would allow me to just drag the files into the play list and play them back with the best fidelity. Hopefully just a simple bit for bit transmission. I use the optical digital output to my Pioneer Elite TSX 59i receiver.

So far I am very pleased with the sound of Decibel.  Best I have gotten from my mac mini and the equal of cds that I burn from my files and play. Simple interface, when I play 24/96 files the 96 khz lights up on the receiver, I am not sure that happened with COG. Decibel will also allow you to use memory playback which means the file is put into ram prior to transmission, I guess to reduce jitter. I can only have 2 gigs of ram so I am not sure what happens if I have a file that is bigger than 2 gigs but we will see.

Very happy with Decibel and am going to buy it. In the review in Stereophile he stated it was the best $33 he had ever spent. In my case I had to buy Snow Leopard so it is the best $62 I have ever spent.....

[pardales]

I think Audirvana can do the same thing and is free. Might be worth a try to compare.

[simon wagstaff]

I will have to check that out. Seems audirvana won't do 88.2 over toslink and I will have to check the files it can run.

Interesting that they both require 10.6.

thanks!

[jrebman]

Simon,

Actually there is another, far better way to do digital volume control -- dithering, which does not drop bits, though each implementation can be different and there are only a couple of really good ones out there -- Pure Music being one.
and the memory limitations, etc.

Also, there really should be the ability to defeat a digital colume control, or maximize it in any competent piece of music playback software.

Not trying to convince you of anything, just clearing up a possible few misconceptions.

-- Jim

If you tried PM and didn't like it or it didn't work well, it's most likely due to the age of your machine, older operating ystem (before the upgrade)

[simon wagstaff]

I spent a little time with Audirvana and Decibel last night.

Neither will decode SHN files.

Both output 88.1/24 files over toslink.

When set at maximum upsampling I did notice some skipping with Audirvana. I am using a core solo processor. Likely the problem.

I compared the first track on Brian Ferry's Olympia. It is a pretty complex and bass heavy track, though likely compressed. I felt that Audirvana was a little better defined in the bass, but not by much.

For me the big thing was that Decibel would decode the 44.1/24 tracks from the Beatles USB stick while Audirvana would not.

I will be buying Decibel and likely using both.