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- Oct 25, 2019
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so this is an odd thing…
software transport: Apple Music (lossless)
computer: A) AppleTV B) MacBook Pro
connects: A) Optical B) USB
DAC Displaying: A) PCM 48 B) PCM 768
now assuming the streams are being streamed at X resolution then processed via the (computer) which determines what encoding the DAC interprets.
and considering that these differences should only be minor and arguably almost unnoticeable (apart from by cats and dogs).
The reality is that the sound is far superior via the MacBook, it’s unsurprising really given the computer processing comparables, and the difference in PCM conversion?
listening to Prince’s Sign o’ the times the soundstage is much wider, the instruments more defined and the actual sounds/notes are clearer with more timbre and texture. And yes whist distracting myself and the wife from the worry of our cat being at the vets I roped the poor Lass into helping me conduct blind tests, the difference is unmistakable.
and as we’re still awaiting news about the cats health I’ll try and get her to help me test it with the MacBook output set to PCM48 so it matches what’s being sent via the AppleTV (which sounds compressed)
curiouser and curiouser….
Its possible one of the streams has a degree of volume levelling/ normalising that the other doesnt so (possibly) what comes out of the DAC isnt at the same level for the Apple TV vs the Mac