02-Jul-2015, 18:22
I have been using mostly USB with a Mapleshade cable, since Toslink can't handle DSD or 192/24 from my Mac Mini, and Air was not at all stable with high sample rates (even Ethernet), and didn't work well with Audirvana (could not change properly sample rate). I was more or less happy - the Mapleshade cable improved a lot over the bog-standard USB cable I started using.
I have not tried Air since 7.1.1.
After installing 8.1.2, I routinely tried Air from Itunes, and found -to my surprise- that it was much better than USB on Audirvana! Much more 3D, more natural and organic, bass more connected with the rest of the frequency range. The music sounded "bigger". And, for the first time, totally stable, even on 192/24 or 176.4/24 - which always failed after 30 seconds at most.
The only disappointment is the lack of DSD support - both on the Itunes side and Air; and the fact that it still doesn't work well with Audirvana. But I still keep both USB and Audirvana - I only have to change programs. Still, a nuisance - cannot use them in playlists together with PCM
I have not tried Air since 7.1.1.
After installing 8.1.2, I routinely tried Air from Itunes, and found -to my surprise- that it was much better than USB on Audirvana! Much more 3D, more natural and organic, bass more connected with the rest of the frequency range. The music sounded "bigger". And, for the first time, totally stable, even on 192/24 or 176.4/24 - which always failed after 30 seconds at most.
The only disappointment is the lack of DSD support - both on the Itunes side and Air; and the fact that it still doesn't work well with Audirvana. But I still keep both USB and Audirvana - I only have to change programs. Still, a nuisance - cannot use them in playlists together with PCM
Oslo: sources: Mac Mini/Itunes/Audirvana, glassfiber toslink/Mapleshade clearview USB to D200;
Double helix to Gallo Strada 2 with mapleshade stands, TR3 subwoofer.
Spain: Oppo 95 vacuumstate modded, Kimber select 1021, Linn Classik Movie Di to Gallo Solos through Goertz Python cable
Double helix to Gallo Strada 2 with mapleshade stands, TR3 subwoofer.
Spain: Oppo 95 vacuumstate modded, Kimber select 1021, Linn Classik Movie Di to Gallo Solos through Goertz Python cable
