Yeah, I was going to say: what you download isn't an .exe file, and I personally performed the installation on Mac side without any issues. The FW update process is the same even when going through PC. Now, the
driver you can download is an .exe file, but that won't even load/boot/launch even when I'm in VMWare Fusion (I get that "current system not supported" error).
I think that "problem" (assuming there's a problem) with the FW update is that I don't know if it even stuck because I can't use the XMOS/SMSL audio control panel to really verify, and what it displays in the setting menu looks like it's not version 1.01 as it
seems to indicate in the file name (i.e. the V101 at the end of the name). I'm wondering if
@SMSL-Mandy can shed some light on that? Because this is a later unit purchased just a few days ago, it seems logical that the latest FW would be installed, but who knows!
The other thing I don't particularly care for is there's not apparent auto on/off function. I don't want to keep it on at all times, and if I put it in standby (pressing the knob on the front or the power button on the remote), and turn it back on, I have to go into my Mac's Audio MIDI app, and reselect the bit/sample rate I want to use (it defaults to 32-bit, 48kHz).
It should be noted that all of this listening testing has been done through headphones. Whether any of those pops/ticks are audible with an external amp, I don't know yet. The ticks/pops are all over the place when I was going through VMWare (any time a sound plays, and stops, there's ticks/pops -- so any system notification sound).
The positives are:
- The most important: it sounds fantastic. I was a little concerned about the HPA side, but it's clean (i.e. no audible hissing despite the specs being 6dB lower -- 89dB vs. 95dB -- in the SNR department vs. the L50), and feels like it has the same punch/oomph as my L50.
- I like the volume controls. And like the E50 I had/have, when plugged into my Mac, the Mac volume control is disabled (i.e. when pressing the volume buttons on my keyboard, the window shows up with a circle/line through instead of an adjustable volume bar), which is exactly what I want. With the D50 III, I have to create a new Multi-Output Device profile in the Audio MIDI app to achieve that same functionality.
- It's solid, and well-built, but wish it came in a silver option.
- Seems to run very cool, even after a few hours of use.
Still on the fence, I think, but maybe leaning towards returning because of the pops/ticks. I know your workaround resolves most of it, but coming from gear that doesn't have that at all (even when operating via VMWare Fusion), and doesn't require leaving a different app running in the BG... I just have to decide whether it's going to bother me enough