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Just out of curiosity, is it possible to run two different brands of DACs on a Mac in these configurations:
1) Both DACs simultaneously attached to a USB port? Will Audio Midi Setup show both DACs? Do you simply choose the one you want as the output device?
2) One DAC attached via USB, the other attached via mini-TOSLINK? And again, do you simply choose the one you want in AMS?
3) Is it possible to drive BOTH DACs simultaneously? (Two attached to USB, or one on USB and one on TOSLINK)?
If I owned two DACs I would give it a try but since I don't, I'm wondering if anyone has tried it.
Thanks!
Follow Ups:
1. Yes, and yes, but you can select the dac in Audio preferences.
2. Yes, and yes, and what I said above.
3. Yes, but it's complicated.
--eNjoY YouRseLf!.....
I may get a second DAC, possibly the Schiit Bifrost or Peachtree Audio DAC•iT, for a pseudo second system. The second system will be driven from the same Mac music server as the main system.
I have no experience with Airplay, but may investigate it as an alternative since bwb mentioned it.
Thanks again!
AirPlay would be an option. I use it as well. Plug a dac into an AppleTV or Airport Express and listen to your tunes anywhere in the house wirelessly (each unit acts as a zone, and multiple zones can play simultaneously).EDIT: The link below is to a dedicated Mac audio forum.
--eNjoY YouRseLf!.....
Edits: 07/02/12
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Not sure about two hard wired with USB and/or toslink, but if you have multiple devices on the network you can stream to as many as you want. I have 3 Airport Express' and an Apple TV and you can feed them all at once over the network. iTunes and Airplay see them all. I don't know if it would see two hard wired DACs.
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Crimson set me straight on using multiple hard wired DACs but I also like your idea of using an AirportExpress so I'll research that a bit more. I wouldn't mind getting an AppleTV as well for the family room. Thanks.
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I haven't checked lately but the last I read the Express only does 16/44.1 and the TV 16/48. Files at other resolutions get converted somewhere along the way. From I've read on an AE everything is converted to Apple Lossless at 16/44.1 in the computer and then sent to the AE where it is converted back.
You will also hear moaning about jitter on the toslink but I've read the new AEs are much better than the old ones. Neither device supports USB audio. Toslink on both, + HDMI on TV, + analog on AE.
None of this is really a concern unless you are doing critical listening. I'm streaming all over the house to various systems and it works fine.
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Yes, the second setup is not for critical listening but mainly for convenience and background music.
I have a tube amp that I use in my main setup and I rather not waste the tubes for background music.
The second system will consist of a solid-state integrated that I can leave powered ON 24/7 while playing music via iTunes in shuffle mode while I work in the home office.
Thanks!
I connected a TC Konnekt 8 via firewire and another Dac via USB...never tried to see if both will work at the same time.
But they both worked without a problem, I just switched between them to output.
Dynobots Audio
Music is the Bridge between Heaven and Earth - 音楽は天国と地球のかけ橋
I was able to get movie sound on one DAC and listen to music on headphones using another DAC. The sound was great on both and the movie playback was smooth. Try that on a Mac.
"Try that on a Mac"
So I assume that you did it but not on a Mac?
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