Isabella: Macbook vs Vista

jrebman · « **Reply #60 on:** 27 Oct 2008, 04:02 pm »

hifi2me,

I don't think you'll see, or hear any difference between the Mac and your current IBM, and of course there are far more media player alternatives for the PC based machine.

As for expanding disk capacity by plugging in another USB hard disk, this will work, but is not optimal as more than likely you'll have a lot going on on the USB bus which could, and probably will effect playback quality.

Best to use a NAS of some sort and use an ethernet connection between the PC and storage device and keep the USB bus clear except for the cable to the DAC.

-- Jim

ebag4 · « **Reply #61 on:** 27 Oct 2008, 04:08 pm »

Quote from: jrebman on 27 Oct 2008, 04:02 pm

Best to use a NAS of some sort and use an ethernet connection between the PC and storage device and keep the USB bus clear except for the cable to the DAC.

-- Jim

Great point Jim! I was looking at a USB drive as part of some system changes I am considering, now that you have brought this point to light I will just expand what I am doing today with regards to the storage solution.

Best,
Ed

kitten · « **Reply #62 on:** 27 Oct 2008, 05:37 pm »

Regarding playing files stored on a USB hard disk, many people report success with this method and I wouldn't discount this option. I cannot tell any difference myself between a file accessed internally or externally. To attach a USB drive without AC power requires 2 ports, then you need another port for the USB DAC and with a macbook you only have two ports available unless one goes with the mac pro, which is way more expensive. For this reason, if planning to use external USB storage, consider a mac mini. The specs of the cheapest one are fine for audio streaming and it has 4 USB ports. (You'd need an external display and a mouse for the initial set up, though.) Control could be via iPod Touch - by the time you add the cost of this though you're nearly back to the cost of the cheapest macbook. This if fine if your music collection is small enough to fit on the macbook's internal drive, but even then it's still prudent to have external storage (or NAS or something like Time Machine) for protecting your collection against disk failure.

One advantage with using a mac is that the hardware and software are made for each other and audio is bit perfect by design. With Windows, there is no message that says 'Great, you've got bit perfect audio!' so unless you have a DAC that indicates that it's receiving a bit-perfect signal, there's always a nagging doubt as to whether you've really bi-passed the k-mixer.

At the moment I use a 2003 Toshiba Satellite running Windows XP Home SP2 as a dedicated music player. It is not attached to the Internet (I use another machine to rip CDs and get the song titles etc.), so there is no need for Windows updates and no anti-virus programs or other unnecessary services running. I run it in safe mode with network support and video accelaration off. The native processor is a bit too fast so I slowed it down to keep things cooler so the fan does not come on at all during audio streaming. Using JRiver media jukebox with the asio4all driver, this is outputting bit perfect audio - AFAICT! - and everything is very stable. 1 GB of RAM. I use an ingenious wireless remote system: when the album finishes playing, I get up off the sofa, walk over to the machine and select another one. While I'm not a tree hugger, at the moment I'm quite happy to extend the life of an old machine in this way. Too many computers as landfill in this world already if you ask me.

The main drawback with Windows is the interface. iTunes is really pretty. On a PC I'd stay away from iTunes as it's a large installation that installs services without the user's permission. I'd try foorbar, MediaMonkey and JRiver and see which you like best. They're all free.

Reliability is important with streaming audio:
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/blown_tweeters

I don't have experience with the T61 but if it's anything like the older Thinkpads (I'm typing this out on an X40) be careful before using it as a music server as the older Thinkpads are notorious for beeping loudly at random intervals, even after you've set them up not to.

jrebman · « **Reply #63 on:** 27 Oct 2008, 05:47 pm »

And just how do you set the thinkpad to stop beeping at you? I have an old one that's a backup for real emergencies but the beeps drive me nuts.

-- Jim

kitten · « **Reply #64 on:** 27 Oct 2008, 06:20 pm »

Try going into device manager, go to View-> Show Hidden Devices, and then under Non Plug and Play Drivers, choose Beep. Under Driver, change Startup to Disabled.

Hope that works for you. It has to be the most pointless feature ever...

jrebman · « **Reply #65 on:** 27 Oct 2008, 06:32 pm »

Thanks -- I'll do that.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program...

-- Jim

hifi2me · « **Reply #66 on:** 28 Oct 2008, 04:39 pm »

Hi there,

Great input, thanks

Just realized one major difference, only Macbook provides option to control via remote

Alwayswantmore · « **Reply #67 on:** 28 Oct 2008, 05:43 pm »

Quote from: hifi2me on 28 Oct 2008, 04:39 pm

Hi there,

Great input, thanks

Just realized one major difference, only Macbook provides option to control via remote

I just tried Front Row for the first time. This built in app lets you navigate music from across the room (big type face). The remote is very simple, but seems to do a great job for controlling music, without getting up from your listening chair.

wilsynet · « **Reply #68 on:** 29 Oct 2008, 10:54 am »

Quote from: hifi2me on 28 Oct 2008, 04:39 pm

Just realized one major difference, only Macbook provides option to control via remote

The PC version of iTunes doesn't let you use it with the Remote iTunes software for the iPhone/iPod Touch? That's not what the documentation says ... ?

Or do you mean the PC doesn't support the little white front row remote control?

hifi2me · « **Reply #69 on:** 1 Nov 2008, 07:17 pm »

Or do you mean the PC doesn't support the little white front row remote control?

Yes, I am not aware of any PC supporting the remote control

wilsynet · « **Reply #70 on:** 2 Nov 2008, 04:51 am »

It's a rather expensive remote control, but if you get an iPod Touch or iPhone, you can remotely control iTunes on a PC or Mac. It works wonderfully.

hifi2me · « **Reply #71 on:** 2 Nov 2008, 09:26 am »

I'm not sure I got it, how will it interact with the IBM PC I have?

If possible

, what about the Apple Remote then?

Mariusz · « **Reply #72 on:** 2 Nov 2008, 11:23 pm »

I have tried front raw remote control with my new "MacBook Air" and it works great.
Also.....I send email to Vinnie regarding this "wireless usb device" - W1 from Audioengine.
It says to have no degrading effect on 16bit/48Khz signal up to a 100f.
http://www.everythingusb.com/audioengine-w1-premium-wireless-audio-adapter-14424.html

Vinnie is not familiar with this adapter and raised some concerns with the quality of the signal and overall performance.
It costs around $150 (with some promotional codes, you might save between 10-20% off).

As far as I know Apple remote control works only with comparable Mac computers.......iPhone and iTouch should work with most window based computers and downloadable software from Apple.

I haven't try my iTouch yet but sure will try it in the future.

Mariusz

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #73 on:** 3 Nov 2008, 01:13 am »

Quote from: Mariusz on 2 Nov 2008, 11:23 pm

I have tried front raw remote control with my new "MacBook Air" and it works great.
Also.....I send email to Vinnie regarding this "wireless usb device" - W1 from Audioengine.
It says to have no degrading effect on 16bit/48Khz signal up to a 100f.
http://www.everythingusb.com/audioengine-w1-premium-wireless-audio-adapter-14424.html

Vinnie is not familiar with this adapter and raised some concerns with the quality of the signal and overall performance.
It costs around $150 (with some promotional codes, you might save between 10-20% off).
Mariusz

Hi Mariusz,

I took another look at that link. So one "dongle" plugs into your computer USB port. What does the receiver plug into? I assume the receiver is the AC power adapter thingy (like an airport express), and you can use a USB cable (like the one that comes with the Isabellina) to plug into the USB input of the Isabellina?

It is a little confusing because of the minimal description and there is a picture of analog cables with it (Mini to RCA, mini to mini). So is there a built-in dac in this?

Thanks,

Vinnie

Mariusz · « **Reply #74 on:** 3 Nov 2008, 03:46 am »

You are right ......not a lot of info.
Here is some data but it is not 100% clear if and exactly how it would work/interact with Isabela/isabellina dac.
Fond it while browsing the net but now I have second thoughts......if and how it works.
http://www.audioengineusa.com/downloads/AW1%20setup%20guide.pdf

Best
Mariusz

Mariusz · « **Reply #75 on:** 3 Nov 2008, 03:54 am »

Here is another link:

http://www.audioengineusa.com/tech_stuff_w1.php

I am not 100% sure how it works but I have seen it transmitting music from Mac/usb transmitter to his powered speakers with usb "IN".

Mariusz

Fork · « **Reply #76 on:** 15 Dec 2008, 04:46 am »

After listening to the Isabella for a few months I'm noticing that in the case of the USB DAC, being off the grid with your computer/source is not as big a deal as I was expecting.

I live in a building in a busy downtown area, where the power isn't great. My CD player really suffered when I sold my power conditioning equipment. However, after several hours of critical listening I seldom bother to unplug my Gateway laptop while listening. The extent to which it opens up the soundstage is so minute that it's not worth the effort to unplug, except on rare occasions. I even find that connecting my TV to my laptop with my HDMI introduces some noise (so I don't leave it plugged in), but it's not a substantial amount.

I set up a system for my parents using the USB port on a KingRex integrated. The system uses a basic desktop PC and external hard drive and the improvement when disconnecting the desktop and plugging in an Apple Macbook was zero (KingRex is much less resolving than Red Wine). I haven't tried a desktop with my Isabella, but I wouldn't be surprised if the sound quality was pretty close to my laptop.

While a laptop makes for a nice sleek system, based on my listening tests, I wouldn't be running out to replace a desktop with a laptop, unless I needed a new computer or money wasn't an object.

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #77 on:** 15 Dec 2008, 02:29 pm »

Hi Fork,

I can only speak for the RWA Isabellina dac in your Isabella preamp - we do NOT power it from the 5V coming from the computer. We use our own 5V regulator powered by the battery supply. So the noise/grunge from your computer's 5V USB power supply never enters the Isabellina. This explains why you are not hearing a difference in your system between the laptop and desktop. The USB Ground from your computer must also be quite clean.

However, I have also heard a laptop fed by the AC power adapter (a noisy switch-mode power supply) and it still was able to feed plenty noise into the system (high frequency squeal and some fuzz) when plugged into the AC adapter. I suspect that the noise was coming from the USB ground pin into the Isabellina. In this case, removing this supply from the laptop removed all the noise.

Long story short - when using the USB port to feed the dac, if you cannot hear a difference between being plugged in to the AC mains or unplugged, then you are lucky and there is no reason to keep it unplugged

Thanks for posting your findings.

Vinnie