Tech support: what cable to use from mac to amp?

[azurememo]

But I think the volume control is the major issue here. @azurememo, did you try Tidal Connect and see if the volume control works?

oh yes. The volume control, I just tried soundsorce and it works, thank you. The reason I didn't try before is because I don't like the idea of adding another layer of sound processing software after a previous bad experience. I guess it's a good way to do it if I don't find a cable that supports volume control.

Edit: soudsource and tidal work together but not perfectly. Unless in exclusive mode (no volume control whatsoever), Tidal will play at max system volume for roughly a quarter second (sounds like glitch) when scrubbing through music.

why does the OP need a cable from the Macbook to the Wiim at all?

yes I've tried Tidal connect and it works perfectly (except no volume control). The thing is, my macbook is my main workstation, and I do youtube, netflix, gaming, everything on it, and I want everything to sound good. Another reason - Tidal connect is considered a difference source by my wiim amp pro, so every time I switch back to system sound I have to do it manually on the wiim app.

It's really stupid that the Amp Pro does not support AirPlay, that would have been a trivially simple and wireless solution.

It turns out that Apple is not allowing Airplay on third party products unless approved, and they went after Wiim for having it. Wiim said okay fine no future products with Airplay, but the Wiim amp non-pro version got away with it.

 

[Roland68]

Thank u for ur advice. I guess one of the reasons I wanted to go with usbc to optical was that I learned digital signal is either bit-perefct or no sound at all, so the material & quality of the cable don't matter like speaker cables do. If I go with analog to analog cable, I still need to find good quality cables right? Any recommendations? About external DACs, I never knew they could be as tiny as the JCALLY JM20 MAX dongle. Is it safe to say if I want better sound quality, going with an external DAC dongle + analog cable is the best way?

Edit: I guess I also need to worry about volume control. Do u happen to know whether volume control is avaiable with either MBP headphone jack or external DAC dongle like the JCALLY JM20 MAX?

High-quality cable, such as from Mogami or Sommercable, costs between €1 and €5 per meter, plus the plug. You can make it yourself or pay the extra to various companies/retailers. There are several threads here with retailer recommendations.

We spent a long time testing various connection options, both analog and digital, and the differences are so marginal that they shouldn't be taken into account.

I always control my volume via the amplifier, never via my Mac or PC.

 

[azurememo]

Latest update: just found the cable I've been looking for amazon link
Usbc to optical, supports up to 32bit/192khz (that's a negative according to everyone), supports system & tidal volume control, supports tidal exclusive mode, checks every box. The only thing I can maybe complain is the device name being a string of random letters & numbers.

 

[Roland68]

Latest update: just found the cable I've been looking for amazon link
Usbc to optical, supports up to 32bit/192khz (that's a negative according to everyone), supports system & tidal volume control, supports tidal exclusive mode, checks every box. The only thing I can maybe complain is the device name being a string of random letters & numbers.

I can't understand it right now. You want to improve the quality, but you're using a cheap product at a high price, which probably increases the jitter significantly.

It's nothing more than a simple DDC with attached cables, probably with a cheap and poorly implanted USB chip.
It's actually the same as the well-reviewed SMSL PO100, only it's a much more elaborate design.

If you buy this cable, it would be interesting to have Amir or someone else measure it.

 

[staticV3]

@azurememo I'd use a PO100 2024 for this.

Supports UAC2 hardware volume so your Mac volume control will keep working even in Tidal Exclusive mode.

 

[azurememo]

@azurememo I'd use a PO100 2024 for this.

Supports UAC2 hardware volume so your Mac volume control will keep working even in Tidal Exclusive mode.

That looks like a good solution. I wasn't planning to get more devices involved but since it is so small, it gets a pass. Btw what do u think about the external DACs mentioned by others like the JCALLY JM20 MAX dongle? It is so tiny but I assume it's only marginally better than the DAC of my Wiim amp pro?

 

[staticV3]

Btw what do u think about the external DACs mentioned by others like the JCALLY JM20 MAX dongle? It is so tiny but I assume it's only marginally better than the DAC of my Wiim amp pro?

The CS43131 used in the JM20Max has quite a few bugs/issues, including Multitone saturation and DRE crossover distortion.

The 9038Q2M inside your WiiM is IMO easily the better DAC, from a technical perspective. Though they likely still sound the same.

However, since the WiiM digitizes analog inputs, it's:

JM20Max: CS43131 DAC->PCM1863 ADC->9038Q2M DAC
vs
PO100 2024: 9038Q2M DAC

So in reality, it doesn't matter how good the JM20 DAC is, you could substitute it with the World's best $20K DAC, and the PO100 straight digital would still have better fidelity in the end.

 

[SKBubba]

Seem like you are defeating the purpose of Wiim. Why have a computer in the chain at all? Wiim is the computer.

 

[azurememo]

@azurememo I'd use a PO100 2024 for this.

Supports UAC2 hardware volume so your Mac volume control will keep working even in Tidal Exclusive mode.

So I got my SMSL po100 today, tried it, no system volume control, werid. I've seen discussion where u asked if it has, and they posted an audio midi screenshot and said it has. It could be the cable (KabelDirekt TOSLINK) but I really doubt it since MBP is connected to the po100 first via a usbc cable. For any output with volume control, the primary stream volume bar would be adjustable, but as shown in the picture, it's all grey and system volume is fixed at max.

Sound quality wise, way better than the first 2 cables I've tried, no audible difference from the Arklove "expensive cheap" cable.

 

[staticV3]

So I got my SMSL po100 today, tried it, no system volume control, werid. I've seen discussion where u asked if it has, and they posted an audio midi screenshot and said it has.

Dang. I'm really sorry

Edit:
Found out why there's no vol control:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...nts-digital-interfaces-dac.40483/post-2183822

So just like on the original PO100, SMSL pushed a FW update that removes UAC2 hardware volume control. Your newly purchased unit already comes with that FW preinstalled.

 

[azurememo]

Dang. I'm really sorry

Edit:
Found out why there's no vol control:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...nts-digital-interfaces-dac.40483/post-2183822

So just like on the original PO100, SMSL pushed a FW update that removes UAC2 hardware volume control. Your newly purchased unit already comes with that FW preinstalled.

Well I guess the only solution goes to the Arklove cable amazon link. "Cheap and expensive" according to someone. But I can confirm first hand that it's made of high quality materials. Bit/sample goes up to 32/192. Supports all volume control. The only difference from smsl po100, other than volume control, is that smsl has internal clock and arklove does not. Highly rocommend.