[ecruz]

Why does my Bolder Cable modded SB3 sound sooo much better than my Macbook? They are both going into the same PS Audio Digital Link III DAC. The SB3 via coax, the Macbook via USB. The SB3 is connected to my Mac Mini via ethernet and accessing files that are stored on an external hard drive. The Macbook has the same files stored on it's internal drive.

The SB3 sounds fuller, more detailed, more extension at both ends, just better all the way around. Wondering why my Macbook sounds so bad by comparison? Seems like I should be able to get equal, if not better sound out of the Macbook.

I did some testing last night, using iTunes w/Pure Music in the "memory mode", connected the Macbook to the PS Audio DL III via toslink. Did sound a little better than the USB, but still the Macbook sounded very flat, undynamic and one dimensional compared to the Squeezebox.

I guess my next step will be to try something like a Musical Fidelity V-Link and see what that sounds like.

My ultimate goal is to replace the Squeezebox with a Mac Mini.

Any thoughts?  Recommendations? 

Thanks

[geowak]

Does the PS Audio DAC run in USB asynchronous mode?

Some will argue that the non-asynchronous USB connections do not sound good at all with computers as a source. I don't know, I have not tried it. Others may chime in here. Also are your files hi-res? I rip with Mac software and use lossles files or AIFF. Others use even better software methods, but you are still feeding the SB with the same files, so I don't know....

[jarcher]

I'd suggest trying a USB to coaxial digital converter - preferably something asynchronous. Direct USB from a Mac (mini for me) or digital optical to a DAC have not in my experience produced favorable results (thin & lifeless as you said), even compared to a squeezebox duet via coax digital.  Both a hiface2 & a Stello U2 with mac sounded much better to me, though I have not a/b vs squeezebox. I'd start w something like a hiface2 or music fidelity  vlink & coax digital with your MacBook first & compare vs your squeezebox before changing any DAC.

[Ern Dog]

My macbook pro took a significant jump forward after installing an Empirical Audio Overdrive SE dac.  Now it sounds better than cd player.  If you want to keep your current dac, you can try their Off Ramp 5, which is a high quality usb converter.

[srb]

I would lastly try Toslink out of the SB3 to your DAC to see if you get similar results as the Toslink out of the Mac.  If so, then you do need to either add a USB to Coax converter or replace the DAC with one that has a better implemented USB input built-in.
 
Steve

[wilsynet]

It's definitely jitter related.  As suggested by others, an OffRamp 4 or 5, a JKENY USB to SPDIF converter, a HiFace 2, or an Audiophellio should make things better.

[HPower]

It's definitely jitter related.  As suggested by others, an OffRamp 4 or 5, a JKENY USB to SPDIF converter, a HiFace 2, or an Audiophellio should make things better.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=111327.0

No affiliation... but this could be the ticket.