Getting more from my macbook

[john1000000boy]

Want to get better performance from my itunes stored on my macbook playing on my Pioneer SC LX82 amp. What is the best way of connecting it to the amp. Is a dac the best option was looking at the Arcam Rdac or even stretching to the Audiolab cd player and using the onboard dac on it. It seems too good to be true for the money a top drawer cd player with inputs from other sources.

My music is all in Apple lossless on my Mac and it is currently hooked up by an optical cable. Is streaming it to a device plugged into the amp a better option in sound quality terms?

The Rdac has a wireless feature on it also giving the wifi flexibility into the package also.

With Christmas looming ideas for the wife are needed!!

So, Is there a hierarchy of connecting your laptop to your amp? What is best/worst?

Any help please??

 

[SteveR750]

John, whatever you do, make sure you send a digital signal from our Mac into whatever DAC you choose. The onboard soundcard on the Mac is only average, and you are missing out on a lot of information if you are using an analogue out signal. You can connect to an rDAC with a USB cable, though most other budget / mid priced DACs don't work well in USB mode, in which case use an optical cable plugged into the headphone socket on your mac and connect to an optical input on the DAC. I can only comment on a DACmagic, and even that was not bought in a demo comparison so my opinion of it will be pretty meaningless.

 

[Anonymous]

John,

If you are using optical out from the macbook to the Pioneer receiver, you are already using a DAC other than the one in the macbook. I imagine the Pioneer DAC is pretty reasonable, but how much better would an Rdac or the Audiolab CD player be, I don't know?

However from a useability point, wireless streaming is a great feature, and an Airport Express, an Apple TV or the Rdac (if it does have wireless ability with a Mac) would work well.

 

[john1000000boy]

Thanks guys. A bit of an open ender here then! Any users of the rdac?? I have seen posts with some really top amps and on the top shelf a little rdac!! i know i cant expect the same stereo performance as a dedicated 2 channel amp!! But would love to get the very best possible. Think i need to find a dealer with a 82/83 and the rdac so i can take my macbook along

Any other observations??

 

[Dan Turner]

You should try to find yourself a friendly dealer who will let you demo some DAC options at home, then you can compare directly to your Pioneer to see if it's worth the outlay. Most dealers will let you take a demo unit home for the swipe of a card.