Computer Audio Asylum

Posted by AbeCollins (A) on July 02, 2015 at 20:52:36

In Reply to: RE: Well, I can certainly hear the difference between streaming 16/44.1 Lossless FLAC... posted by Ivan303 on July 02, 2015 at 14:11:13

You cannot bypass Core Audio with VLC alone. Bypassing Core Audio is just one of the claims to fame with those other players like Pure Music, Audirvana Plus, Amarra, etc., along with other features like disabling services, setting OS priority for music playback, memory play, etc.

Through the use of software like Audirvana Plus, you bypass Core Audio so it's out of the picture and does no sample rate conversion at all. AV+ can be setup to pass the file at it's native resolution from the Mac to DAC without altering it.... Or you can choose to alter some files.

For example, in Audirvana Plus I normally have it set for direct mode, exclusive access (hog) mode, integer mode and to not alter sampling rate at all, EXCEPT for my 16/44.1 files which get sampled 2x using the iZotope SRC via the Custom Settings.

The end result is also displayed correctly on the Ayre and the Oppo screens. On the Ayre my CD rips show up as 88KHz (2x 44.1) and my other files display natively as 88, 96, 192.

Audirvana Plus Preferences. Selet modes and memory

Select Sample Rate Converter and when and how it's used

Custom sample rate settings. Only my 44.1 files are converted 2x

Disable unneeded services and set OS priority for music. Other services and
processes can be disabled manually or through scripts

Edits: 07/02/15   07/02/15