|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
73.229.29.71
In Reply to: RE: I'm about to pull the trigger on an Exasound E38 DAC - Comments, yay or nay? [nt] posted by Chris from Lafayette on May 07, 2017 at 19:58:14
...that Exasound uses their own proprietary driver on Mac which runs a variant of the UNIX OS. Is Exasound committed to updating their Mac driver as Apple continues to release new versions of MacOS?Mytek was not. The Mytek Digital Stereo192-DSD DAC no longer works over USB under newer releases of Mac OS. Why? Because Mytek used their own proprietary driver which hasn't been updated. They lack the in-house expertise to update it, and they aren't willing to pay for their developer to update the Mac OS driver. How committed is Exasound to keeping their Mac driver up to date?
Also, if Exasound requires their own proprietary driver, you may want to check if their USB DACs are compatible under Linux with it's built-in USB audio driver. Not that you would necessarily run a Linux PC but many network streamers are based on the Linux OS with their own USB audio driver.
So the questions to Exasound might include:
- Are your DACs supported on Linux with the built-in Linux USB audio driver?
- Do you supply a USB audio driver for Linux?
- Are your USB DACs compatible with network streamers, most of which are based on the Linux OS?
- How committed are you to updating the Mac USB driver as Apple continues to release newer versions of its OS?
Just some thoughts and things to consider before pulling the trigger. Good luck!
Edits: 05/08/17 05/08/17 05/08/17Follow Ups:
And, certainly, it's a risk you take in assuming that any given company will even be around in a few years to update its drivers!
BTW, just as an experiment, I did run LINUX on a Mac many years ago - when the very first iMacs (still using CRT's!) came out!
Windows Update has broken HQ, crashes now.
Computer Audio isn't for the faint of heart!
ASIO Drivers.
Windows will do DSD512.
I think they are going back to earlier Windows Versions for HQ.
And AV+ lacks the Direct Mode in Mac Sierra.
I'm surprised you haven't come across that on your Computer.
Personally, I'm OK with DSD 128 in any event.
I never found DSD to be very important for my listening pleasure. I have been totally satisfied with most of my redbook CD rips and 24/96 PCM downloads.
Have they still not fixed AV+ Direct Mode on Sierra? I like AV+ a lot but I've been using Roon lately.
HQPlayer is fun but it's also a CPU hog depending on what type of upsampling you're doing.
and this explains your quirky views about equipment, software and computer performance.
Don't even try to ask me to explain. Other inmates who value quality audio will now why.
Unlike you, I enjoy ALL of my music collection most of which have been ripped from CD collected over the decades, plus my 24/96 PCM downloads.
You on the other hand have a very small music collection that you play over and over again that doesn't even require a good library manager, and this explains your quirky views about equipment, software and computer performance.
Some of us enjoy listening to music while you enjoy listening to your equipment.
I had an Exasound E22, they supplied ASIO Drivers for Mac which worked fine.
My Mytek 192/DSD Dac Never worked with USB2, DSD had crackling, or nothing.
This goes back to Mavericks or the one before it.
I don't know why they said it wasn't compatible with El Capitan or Sierra, it was Never compatible with any Mac/USB2.
I almost sent it back, but they convinced me to get the Thunderbolt/Firewire hookup, which they said was Better than USB anyway.
With the Jumpers to lower Output level, it's OK, but I don't think I'd buy one of their new ones.
I also use the Analog Volume Control, turned all the way up.
It's the same level as Bypass, but not as clinical.
Also approved by Mytek.
I hope this wasn't Entirely Off-Topic...
Not at all, you are entirely on-topic!
"I had an Exasound E22, they supplied ASIO Drivers for Mac which worked fine."
I don't doubt that. The question is, will that Exasound ASIO USB driver for the Mac be compatible if/when one updates their Mac OS? In other words, will Exasound update their driver as needed?
Mytek chose not to update their proprietary Mac driver for the Mytek Stereo192-DSD DAC rendering the USB connection to their DAC useless on newer Macs or those with updated Mac OS.
I run my Mytek over Firewire directly as my Mac has a Firewire port, so the USB driver is not an issue here. For those Macs that do not have a Firewire port, Mytek will supply free of charge a Thunderbolt-to-Firewire adapter so their DAC will run off the Mac's Thunderbolt port.
As for Mytek, none of their newer DACs require a proprietary driver on Mac so this is no longer an issue for them.
Can't say the same for Exasound. It's just something to watch out for if:
- You plan to run the Exa DAC via USB on Mac
- You plan to run the Exa DAC via USB on a Linux machine.
- You plan to run the Exa DAC via USB on a network streamer.
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: