BACCH4MAC Short Review / first impressions

[Carousel]

The answer depends on how many features you want to use. Certainly if you do not have a Mac Mini now and you get an M4 version, you will be fine!

I drove Edgar (the purveyor) crazy last year because I was using an old Intel i5 Mac... though with 32GB RAM... while trying to run the XTC crosstalk feature, which is the core of BACCH, plus the ORC room correction, plus the three-way active crossover... and I refused to buy an M1 or M2 Mac Mini while waiting for the new mini.

 

[Dialectic]

The absolute cheapest new Mac mini m4 is very adequate and can be had for $550 on sale. That’s the cheapest the minimum hardware has ever been. Even on the used market people’s prices for their older mini’s have not adjusted to the excellent bargain the base m4 mini is. I have a 15 inch mac book air with m2 processor and 16gb ram and BACCH runs extremely well. I think older intel hardware is a mixed bag for being able to run BACCH or even be compatible with the most current version.

I don't believe the newest version of BACCH will run on Intel Macs.

 

[Carousel]

Oh, it will. I can testify to the contrary. I just don't recommend it. More critical is to have at least 16GB RAM. I also would not recommend to run BACCH on an 8GB M1 or M2 Apple Silicon machine...

 

[Bioman65]

Purchased the Bacch4mac Audiophile version version with ORC add-on late in 2024. For me the improvements, though very costly are worth it. Drastic improvements in soundstage particularly in width. The best way I can describe the listening experience is that moves the listener to a more immersive perspective. As if you hearing from the perspective of the microphones used in the recording. Had over a long time listening buddy. His comment when he left was "Now I have to find a way to afford this". The ORC add-on takes it from "that's a nice improvement" to "Wow". Naturally mic'd recordings are crystal clear with very 3D instrument placement. On recordings that are studio processed the results can sound like a convincing surround sound presentation. So far the only down side would be for group listening as the " sweet spot" is about 24" wide. No regrets at all.

 

[doorofnight]

Do you know why the MIC EQ & GAIN values are about 10 for L and R? The values are 0 in my bacch configuration (also audiophile + ORC).

 

[tjcinnamon]

Purchased the Bacch4mac Audiophile version version with ORC add-on late in 2024. For me the improvements, though very costly are worth it. Drastic improvements in soundstage particularly in width. The best way I can describe the listening experience is that moves the listener to a more immersive perspective. As if you hearing from the perspective of the microphones used in the recording. Had over a long time listening buddy. His comment when he left was "Now I have to find a way to afford this". The ORC add-on takes it from "that's a nice improvement" to "Wow". Naturally mic'd recordings are crystal clear with very 3D instrument placement. On recordings that are studio processed the results can sound like a convincing surround sound presentation. So far the only down side would be for group listening as the " sweet spot" is about 24" wide. No regrets at all.

Wish he would optimize it for lower latency so we could use it in a home theater application. Currently the latency is a bit too high for lip sync purposes.

 

[Bioman65]

Do you know why the MIC EQ & GAIN values are about 10 for L and R? The values are 0 in my bacch configuration (also audiophile + ORC).

That was an example of readings someone on the B4M WhatsApp group posted. Just for illustrative Purposes. This is my current best (left image) The second is another filter I ran where the XTC levels are very close. Ironically it does not sound as good.

 

[Bioman65]

PS. Not sure about mic eq gain levels. If you hit the set gain to 0 values go to zero. Seems like a question for Dr. Choueri.

 

[tjcinnamon]

Hopefully he’s at Axpona this year. I’ll definitely stop by that room again

 

[mieswall]

Hi, any Bacch4Mac owner having troubles with RME drivers? It seems Apple changed protocols for drivers, and the RME devices are not working on my mac (I have both a ADI 2 Dac fs, and the Babyface Dac/mixer that came with B4M; the first has the volume slider dimmed in the midi app; the second one just disappeared from the list of sound devices); but also no other external sound device is working too, not even the external monitor speakers. Btw, the same happens in another Mac I tried, without B4M installed.

So, no B4M, no streaming, nothing, any sound except with the low fi internal loudspeaker of the mac mini M1 I have. It's a tragedy. It's hard, very hard to listen music without B4M once you get used to it.

 

[Gwreck]

Hi, any Bacch4Mac owner having troubles with RME drivers? It seems Apple changed protocols for drivers, and the RME devices are not working on my mac (I have both a ADI 2 Dac fs, and the Babyface Dac/mixer that came with B4M; the first has the volume slider dimmed in the midi app; the second one just disappeared from the list of sound devices); but also no other external sound device is working too, not even the external monitor speakers. Btw, the same happens in another Mac I tried, without B4M installed.

So, no B4M, no streaming, nothing, any sound except with the low fi internal loudspeaker of the mac mini M1 I have. It's a tragedy. It's hard, very hard to listen music without B4M once you get used to it.

Make sure you get a support call with Dr Choueiri.

 

[Dialectic]

Hi, any Bacch4Mac owner having troubles with RME drivers? It seems Apple changed protocols for drivers, and the RME devices are not working on my mac (I have both a ADI 2 Dac fs, and the Babyface Dac/mixer that came with B4M; the first has the volume slider dimmed in the midi app; the second one just disappeared from the list of sound devices); but also no other external sound device is working too, not even the external monitor speakers. Btw, the same happens in another Mac I tried, without B4M installed.

So, no B4M, no streaming, nothing, any sound except with the low fi internal loudspeaker of the mac mini M1 I have. It's a tragedy. It's hard, very hard to listen music without B4M once you get used to it.

Uh oh. What version of Mac OS are you running?

 

[mieswall]

Uh oh. What version of Mac OS are you running?

Sequoia, both in a Mac mini M1 used for B4M and as a Roon server, and an iMac M1 that I use for everything else.
In the iMac the problem started before; I think -but I'm not sure- that the problem triggered when I restarted it, after months running. I upgraded the OS to Sequoia hopping that would solve it. But no. In fact, I was in another physical location with only one of those computers when the problem started in the Mac mini (I was setting up a dedicated listening room in our new home... where I had high expectations on how B4M would perform...).

I guess the only common sound-related app between those two Macs is Roon. The iMac never had B4M installed in it, not even the RME devices. I tried installation of them in the iMac to track the problem, and to my surprise exactly the same happens: RME ADI2 DAC with volume dimmed in the midi app; RME Babyface not even appearing as a connected device, sound to external monitor speakers also dimmed. All sound devices dimmed, with the exception of internal speakers of the Mac. Both in the iMac and the Mac mini.
Gwreck: Yes, I'm trying to contact him.