Hi guys, I actually found this site while researching DACs. I currently still use macOS Mojave with iTunes since I'm not a fan of the replacement Music app. I have several albums from HDtracks, and my CD collection was ripped using iTunes with the AIFF encoder. I know that ALAC is more space efficient, but with 128GB on my old crusty iPhone 6s Plus and 512GB on my iPad and iPhone 11 Pro Max, space isn't a concern.
I'm hearing impaired, moderate in the left, severe in the right. I've always had a passion for audio gear since I was in elementary school and got into the DIY field in high school. An engineering teacher gave me his old Hafler DH-200 & DH-101, and that kicked off my interests in diy.
As of now, my current listening amps and equipment (everything gets mixed and matched once in a while) Hafler DH-101, DH-100, DH-120, XL-280 (I replaced the driver boards with Musical Concepts ones 10 years ago) XL-600, DH-200, FX Audio TUBE-03. All of the Hafler gear has been recapped and some wiring was cleaned up on the DH-101.
Speakers include Boston Acoustics VR-M90, VR-M60, VR-40, Micro90x, CR9, several Boston subs. I also have a pair of Ohm C2s, Earthworks Sigma 6.2 monitors, and some ancient EV Aristocrat cabinets with Knight KN-800 speaker drivers installed. I also have multiple HomePods. They don't compete with the real speakers, but when configured as a stereo pair, the sound state is larger than one would expect from such a small speaker. I live in the next town over from Peabody where Boston was located for many years. Boston Acoustics used to be in Lynnfield, them Peabody, and some other part of Massachusetts before fading into history. They made their tweeters and woofers on automated assembly lines in Peabody. I was able to talk to a former employee that worked on numerous projects, and even after the woofers and final assembly was done in Asia, the tweeters were still produced in Peabody before being shipped overseas. Eventually that stopped though and the Peabody facility was just administrative offices. They closed it down entirely 8-9 years ago.
It's difficult to pin point differences in 256kbps AAC from iTunes and CDs at 16 bit/44.1kHz, but there's a difference on some tracks. I can also hear (I think) a slight difference on some tracks from 16 bit/44.1kHz and 24 bit/96kHz. It's a challenge because when you are focusing on such small minor details, you aren't enjoying the music (at least for me I don't). I bought a gently used DacMagic 100 and recently a new Fiio Q3. I haven't had time to do A/B comparison, but the DacMagic's output is super high. I have it connected to a cheap FX Audio TUBE-03 and the stepped volume control is super touchy, just 3 clicks from minimum volume and the sound is uncomfortably loud. The Fiio Q3 does have a volume control which is nice. I ordered a Topping E30 DAC to play with, and that has a volume control as well. The Fiio and Topping can be powered from the computer's USB port directly eliminating another wall wart, and the Fiio is also battery powered as well since it's designed to be held to the back of the phone/source with included rubber bands.
I've been trying out Apple Music on a family member's iPhone and it works seamlessly with both the DacMagic (with the lightening camera connection kit) and the Fiio Q3 (cables included)