Hi, Mac users, would you recommend to migrate to or avoid Tahoe ? My Studio’s main usage is multimedia, thanks
Since introduction of 44.1 streaming by Spotify I must admit I started to use it increasingly more often. I wonder if there are other similar experience here, I found that with MAY DAC streaming Spotify @1024 the ASDM7EC-super 512+fs is a sweet spot for me (others sounds shallower).
At least I have all my Apple silicon Macs on latest macOS. But it is not available for my Intel Macs. So obviously Apple is rather soon abandoning Intel Macs completely.
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Just out of interest, how are you streaming Spotify through HQPlayer?
@VictorS, yes, absolutely. For more information on possible set ups you can follow this thread : Using any audio source with HQPlayer - Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Soundcloud [2023]
In my particular case the chain is “simple classics” : Ethernet → BlueSound Node (as receiver) → Optical Toslink → USBStreamer B → USB → HQPlayer Embedded Server → …
So I have all Spotify content @1024 SDM, it’s amazing.
PS: Especially partying with friends “so, what’s that your fancy system now? Can you play my track?” “YES, I sure can, hehehe!”
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Thanks - I have read the thread you quoted many times. In your case, the USBStreamer B seems interesting.
Thanls, again.
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I think miniDSP is no longer sourcing “USBStreamer B” model, what looks like its successor is “MCHStreamer Box” (https://www.minidsp.com/products/usb-audio-interface/mchstreamer-box) Although, I have not tried this.
A hifiberry input NAA can be an alternative option for any network streamer with optical or spdif output (this option I use for my CD transport, but it can be any source with fixed rate).
I would avoid for a few more minor updates.
On another sad note… Tahoe is the last macOS that will support intel.
I guess this is on some rare Intel based models. Since none of my Intel based Macs got Tahoe.
A few of the very last intel models from 2019/2020 are still supported. But not macMini for example.
I mostly use my 27" 5K iMac for HQPlayer development things, not the most recent one but not extremely old either. It has i9-9900K CPU. I have also latest generation Intel based Mac Mini as a backup machine.
But certainly Intel support is going away.
- MacBook Pro (Intel, 16‑inch, 2019)
- MacBook Pro (Intel, 13‑inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- iMac (All models from 2020 and later)
- Mac mini (All models from 2020 and later)
- Mac Pro (All models from 2019 and later)
And hackintoshes. 
Yeah, my iMac is 2019…
My newest Mac Mini is probably newer, I purchased last stock when I found one shop who still had two. Unfortunately I broke one of the cooling fan connection pins when I took the machine apart to install more RAM. So now it doesn’t have a functional cooling fan, so it will thermal throttle… But it’s in storage, not connected to anything, just a spare part.
It would be recommended to disable this crossfade DSP to pass through the original data unmodified.
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Crossfade seems to be the only way I can get true gapless playback right now. Without it, I get a 1-3 second pause between tracks of the same sample rate, and switching between different sample rates takes even longer. Any idea what setting I may be missing to get seamless playback without relying on crossfade?
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Do you have some “Idle time” set for HQPlayer server? I use 30 seconds. Without it, Roon will do a lot of unnecessary and expensive HQPlayer engine stop/restart cycles. This will cost at least one second each.
One of the things I wish Roon would fix.
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Thanks! that was the missing piece. Setting idle time fixed the gaps, and now I can run seamless playback without needing crossfade. Appreciate the help.
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I received Fiio Warmer DAC today, my first R2R DAC replacing an SMSL DS DAC and I’m so impressed with the analog natural sound. Now I switched from upsampling to DSD to upsample to PCM 384, tha max the DAC supports. Now I can’t decide what bits and dither to keep Gauss1 is fine? and went from 24 bits down to 18 bits not sure if it’s better to get down to 16 bits. Will be using IIR2/Poly Since Gauss Long for next few days.