Is Mac really better for music?

[Tacty]

at the moment i'm using small netbook as my music source who goes into cambridge dac100, all my music is on the nas...my main audio player is foobar + asio...and all is well until some friend of mine started to doing my head in...he said, based on his experience, how netbook is poor music source compared to his mac mini...after he switch to mac mini + audirvana plus he suddenly discovered some new colors in music, it's a night and day, it is transcendental experience, he cant beleive his ears, it is almost as good as vinyl and sex combined :?

i think it's a little bit of exaggeration but you never know...is there any truth in such claims? i dont care about mac in general, and i think it's a step down in terms of convenience and openess compared to windows, but i would like to get as much of a good sound quality since i'm all into computer based audio system...what's the verdict?

 

[AnotherJoe]

Your friend doesnt know his ar*e from his elbow by the sounds of it.

If you are using a digital out from your netbook - ie optical out, hdmi or usb then thats as good as it gets. Anyhting else is down to what you have it connected to and what format your music is in (obviously a lossless format like FLAC/ALAC is better).

 

[lpv]

... i think it's a step down in terms of convenience and openess compared to windows...

... and I think mac is a MASSIVE step up in reliability. everything just works.

sound quality wise? I don't care.. I forgot windows for good and poor people spending nights and days on their junk pc's trying hard to get it work.

fidelia's good too🙂

 

[mitch65]

vinyl and sex combined eh? must be good..........I agree he is talking out of his arse. A windows netbook (as long as the RAM is good) will sound just fine and, just like a Mac, as long as it's fed into a decent DAC you will be hard pushed to tell the difference...........IMO of course 😉

 

[matthewpiano]

I've always been a Windows fan but I absolutely hate Windows 8 so might be moving to Mac next time. I've used both in the past and I reckon performance and capability is pretty equal. Make you decision based on which you prefer using!

 

[Dave_]

... i think it's a step down in terms of convenience and openess compared to windows...

... and I think mac is a MASSIVE step up in reliability. everything just works.

A complete fallacy.

On comparable h/w Win 7/8 is every bit as reliable as any Mac.

The trouble is people rarely compare like for like.

As for better sq...

 

[Tacty]

is it possible that audirvana+ is some thing out of this world capable to improve things dramatically? if it's not about hardware is it possible to be about software side?

 

[mitch65]

is it possible that audirvana+ is some thing out of this world capable to improve things dramatically? if it's not about hardware is it possible to be about software side?

I think that view may have more legs than the windows vs. mac debate as Audirvana is a 'mac only' product, can't really comment as I use Media Monkey mainly because I'm used to it and for no other reason.

 

[Trefor Patten]

Yes it is. In fact it is better for everything except your wallet. And after five years of never having to PAY for software upgrades, never having to defrag a disc, never getting a virus or having to pay for anti-virus software you will find it costs less in the long run. Contrary to popular rumour, you do not have to buy everything from Cupertino either. I use an Airport Express (6 years old) to connect to my hi-fi because I had bought it earlier to have a wireless connection to the net when such a thing was less common than now. Audirvana does sound better than most playback software and that, rather than the fact it is running on a Mac is what makes your friends music sound better, but for now if you want Audirvana you will have to have a Mac.

 

[davedotco]

Of course the Mac is better for music........!

it is particularly fine when used in conjunction with a good pair of active lodspeakers, such as............. :silenced:

 

[AnotherJoe]

People's lack of technical knowledge in these forums is frightening. :help:

 

[lpv]

... i think it's a step down in terms of convenience and openess compared to windows...

... and I think mac is a MASSIVE step up in reliability. everything just works.

A complete fallacy.

On comparable h/w Win 7/8 is every bit as reliable as any Mac.

The trouble is people rarely compare like for like.

As for better sq...

really? so why my HP laptop died after 3 years ( tears I should say) the other dell wasnt usable after 2, Asus after 2 and my sister's Acer after 4? but my 7 years old basic MacBook works like new and even battery holds better than any of the above? maybe it's just me, I wasn't lucky.. no one else having hard times with windows... and it isn't true that every time I'm visting my next door neighbour he's trying to fix again defective operating system.

HP laptop £850

Dell £700

Asus £1000

windows junk together £2550 + £160 on anti viruses + 6 dvd's to make a copies of operating system + countless priceless hours of fixing + money spend on extra batteries... however on a positive side you could use windows based laptops as a radiator. they are that good, winter time's coming..

7 years old MacBook £800

2 years old MacBook £1000

 

[mitch65]

... i think it's a step down in terms of convenience and openess compared to windows...

... and I think mac is a MASSIVE step up in reliability. everything just works.

A complete fallacy.

On comparable h/w Win 7/8 is every bit as reliable as any Mac.

The trouble is people rarely compare like for like.

As for better sq...

really? so why my HP laptop died after 3 years ( tears I should say) the other dell wasnt usable after 2, Asus after 2 and my sister's Acer after 4? but my 7 years old basic MacBook works like new and even battery holds better than any of the above? maybe it's just me, I wasn't lucky.. no one else having hard times with windows... and it isn't true that every time I'm visting my next door neighbour he's trying to fix again defective operating system.

HP laptop £850

Dell £700

Asus £1000

windows junk together £2550 + £160 on anti viruses + 6 dvd's to make a copies of operating system + countless priceless hours of fixing + money spend on extra batteries... however on a positive side you could use windows based laptops as a radiator. they are that good, winter time's coming..

7 years old MacBook £800

2 years old MacBook £1000

Cripes! I must be lucky, my 'el crappo' Sony laptap must be due a meltdown anytime soon 😱

 

[BenLaw]

Vinyl and sex combined? Sounds.....rubbery.....

 

[adamrobertshaw]

I would never use a PC for music play back.

I convert all my CDs to FLAC on PC but but then copy it all to a NAS and stream to a Cyrus Stream X in one system.

But I also have a Mac Mini with Audirvana Plus I-Tunes plug in, with a USB out to an ESS Sabre DAC (Audiolab).

I can use the Remote App to control I-Tunes, the sound is great. My CDs are ripped in ALAC.

Even 320 kps Podcast sound great.

I say yes, Mac ... plus some decent audio software ... is the best way to playback music via USB.

But I don't think a MAC + USB is as good as a NAS + quality streamer.

Also Macs are not Plug and Play. And my FLAC ripping software only works on a PC.

I should point out that my Stream X can play the FLAC files from my PC via my home network. To me it sounds a bit better than my Mac set up.

Finally, any USB connection into the QX DAC on my Cyrus system sounds awful ... even from a Mac.

 

[Covenanter]

Of course the Mac is better for music........!

it is particularly fine when used in conjunction with a good pair of active lodspeakers, such as............. :silenced:

You beat me to it! It's weird how some brands attract an almost religious following.

Chris

 

[davedotco]

Of course the Mac is better for music........!

it is particularly fine when used in conjunction with a good pair of active lodspeakers, such as............. :silenced:

You beat me to it! It's weird how some brands attract an almost religious following.

Chris

I know, Mrs DDC has a rather indecent affection for products by Gucci and AMG.

Regarding Apple, I do not think I am, as yet a disciple, but I got my first Mac in 1989, I have never used a Windows PC and frankly, they frighten me a bit. In modern times I have has a 2006 white Macbook that has given great service and had three issues, 2 fixed FOC and out of 'normal' warrantee and a ram failure where my genius 'suggested' that I buy replacements from Crucial then made sure I knew how to fit it.

Also I bought Mrs DDC a 1st Generation Nano, which was recalled after about 4 years and replaced with the 5th gen touch, which is absoluely the best 'clip on' iPod ever. I'm a great believer in sticking with brand/retailers who treat me well, Apple have, simple as that.

 

[busb]

The problem with Windows is that its stability depends on the software running on it - some people have virtually zero problems whereas others do. Microsoft have done a lot to address DLL version control but a great deal of users who use BOTH say that their Macs cause them less grief. I'm not an OS expert but have read that Mountain Lion's Unix-based origins does make it inherently more stable.

Apple also exert far more control over hardware & software (to the point of being control freaks) than Microsoft that may also impact on stability. However, digital music is fairly well understood so IF a stream is bit-perfect AND uninterrupted by other programs & services - it shouldn't matter! The problem with Windows are the IFs.

Addd:

However, Apple do cockup from time to time - their optical output implementation can be very flakey - just ask John Westlake regarding compatibility with the M-DAC!

 

[Covenanter]

I've been using Windows pcs (and before that MS-DOS pcs) since day one. I've never had a material problem and have installed them in thousands in a number of businesses (not an exagerration as I used to buy IT kit for one of the biggest accountancy practices in the UK). They work fine.

I've always been suspicious of the Apple thing because of the religious fervour of its supporters, just as I am suspicious of the AVI thing. I'm not anti-Apple as back in the day I wrote one of the first UK tax calculator programs for the Apple II and it worked fine.

Chris

 

[steve_1979]

Of course the Mac is better for music........!

it is particularly fine when used in conjunction with a good pair of active lodspeakers, such as............. :silenced:

:rofl:

I've got a PC with mine. I must be doing the AVI thing all wrong. :shifty:

Seriously though, I own a PC because I like gaming on it. It's been totally 100% reliable for four years, it's never had a virus, it still runs as fast now as it did on the day I bought it and because it has a bit perfect digital output it will sound identical to a Mac. Don't get me wrong I like Mac's too, in some ways I even prefer them to PC's but there's no way they will sound any different from the digital output unless you've been fiddling with the audio settings somewhere.

 

[steve_1979]

People's lack of technical knowledge in these forums is frightening. :help:

Don't let a little thing like having no technical knowledge stop you from posting. It's all about quantity over quality here (as The_Lhc would say).

 

[csq2]

YES, Mac are better for music UNLESS you have a custom built high end desktop computer. Mac and high end desktop computers are built using high quality computer parts, such as JAPANESE-made capacitors. The quality of the capacitors used in motherboards affects the sound the most. My motherboard uses tantalum capacitors, which are best capacitors you can get for a motherboard and there is significant improvement in sound over my crappy Dell laptop. So if want the best sound without blowing $$$ on a new Mac, I suggest you try to build a desktop using a high quality motherboard with tantalum or Japanese capacitors and a SSD hard drive for playback.

 

[professorhat]

Uh oh...

 

[Alec]

Of course the Mac is better for music........!

it is particularly fine when used in conjunction with a good pair of active lodspeakers, such as............. :silenced:

:rofl:

I've got a PC with mine. I must be doing the AVI thing all wrong. :shifty:

Seriously though, I own a PC because I like gaming on it. It's been totally 100% reliable for four years, it's never had a virus, it still runs as fast now as it did on the day I bought it and because it has a bit perfect digital output it will sound identical to a Mac. Don't get me wrong I like Mac's too, in some ways I even prefer them to PC's but there's no way they will sound any different from the digital output unless you've been fiddling with the audio settings somewhere.

This. And, to the OP - No, and certainly not in the way your friend says.

 

[Alec]

People's lack of technical knowledge in these forums is frightening. :help:

Don't let a little thing like having no technical knowledge stop you from posting. It's all about quantity over quality here (as The_Lhc would say).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jJGKOmZsTc