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[Matt]

mitcho wrote a nice article at Computer Audiophile instrument testing the audio output on Windows and Mac:
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/513-jriver-mac-vs-jriver-windows-sound-quality-comparison/

As you would expect, a bit-perfect stream (JRiver's default mode) sounds the same on either platform.  This is the definition of bit-perfect, but it's still nice to have instrument testing validate that we're getting the audio right on Mac.

We also got DSD bitstreaming on Mac working yesterday using DoP which is a good double-check of the bit-perfectness of the playback chain since messing up even a single bit in the 24-bit DoP package causes the audio to collapse due to the nature of delta-sigma encoding.

Thanks to Mitch for his contribution.

[kiwi]

I saw that. Great validation!

It would be interesting to see similar comparisons of other players to see how well they are able to be bit perfect.

[Peter_RN]

My wife and I conducted a listening session yesterday and concluded that we could not hear any difference between the two versions – Windows streaming into Naim NDX/DC1/Naim DAC/XPS - Mac: Optical out into Naim Dac/XPS which was a delight for us, gives us choices.

I know nothing at all about how to program so have to admire your achievements, look forward to watching how the project on Mac develops, as it seems the sound is already there.

Many thanks
Peter

[AndyU]

It is indeed good to know that JRiver outputs the same on a mac and a pc but, just to be a bit pedantic, the computeraudiophile tests don't show that JRiver is bit-perfect on either player, just that the outputs were identical. They could be identically wrong! For completeness it would have been good if the captured outputs had been compared to the file that was ripped. Some DACs have tests of bit-perfectness - you play a special test file into them and they tell you if they recognise it and it is bit-perfect; some time ago I borrowed an Audiolab M-DAC which has such a test and, as you would expect and hope, JRiver passed fine. Given the propensity operating systems have for doing things to audio data that you don't want done, I wonder if there is some simple way of capturing the data that comes out of a USB port and comparing it to the source? Or is the blue light in JRiver and absolute absolute guarantee?

[Matt]

They could be identically wrong!

The DSD bitstreaming test I mentioned above is a pretty good test for this.  If bits are wrong, the audio collapses.

[Mitchco]

It is indeed good to know that JRiver outputs the same on a mac and a pc but, just to be a bit pedantic, the computeraudiophile tests don't show that JRiver is bit-perfect on either player, just that the outputs were identical. They could be identically wrong! For completeness it would have been good if the captured outputs had been compared to the file that was ripped. Some DACs have tests of bit-perfectness - you play a special test file into them and they tell you if they recognise it and it is bit-perfect; some time ago I borrowed an Audiolab M-DAC which has such a test and, as you would expect and hope, JRiver passed fine. Given the propensity operating systems have for doing things to audio data that you don't want done, I wonder if there is some simple way of capturing the data that comes out of a USB port and comparing it to the source? Or is the blue light in JRiver and absolute absolute guarantee?

Hi AndyU, I ran a few more tests, including comparing the output of JRiver with the original file and is indeed bit identical.  The results are here:  http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=92856&view=findpost&p=829893

[Philthy]

Thanks for that link, pretty eye opening. Technology is finally catching up with what people think they can hear.

MC guys should be pretty happy about this since they offer the whole nine yards with a fancy schmancy interface that has some kickbutt remote apps.