@RunHomeSlow - thank you for your reply. I’m a newbie here and appreciate all the help I can get. Especially if you have any feedback on the music server set up I’m about to put together.
The set up:
Mac mini (late 2012, 16gb ram and 1TB HD)
Onkyo TX-RZ810 - it has a Kasei 384khz / 32 bit DAC onboard and sounds amazing for 2.0 music listening (and it hooked up to my TV)
I was planning to use Audirvana for high-resolution music file management and processing. Using my TV for the visual UI for Audirvana and music management.
Question: Is “Direct Mode” essentially Bitstream output?
If so, then I can set everything up via a single HDMI cable out of my Mac mini. The Onkyo process the Bitstream output through the DAC and has a “Pure Audio” mode that bypasses all the non-music, essential circuitry. It’s a simple set up. If not, then my only other option is optical out of the Mac mini and into the Onkyo, splitting the video signal off to different output/input resources.
Does anyone have any input/thoughts on this setup?
Hello, Direct Mode does not work over a network…
i don’t use a server, or network can’t help on that, just plain usb direct to dac
Direct Mode just go deeper in MAC audio core to give you ‘more’ pure sound if you can hear the difference… I’m on Catalina Beta now and don’t miss Direct Mode a bit… some seems to find it more good with their system, i don’t hear the difference with or without, i might be too old
??
The output usb will be pcm from your dac settings can give or and dsd if your dac can to that too. Optical is only 24/96 pcm i think and some mac can do 24/192 but not sure about 192 . Bitstream means over a network… i don’t use that
I am a bit confused : My understanding is that direct mode is diseabled unless we install the patch described above in this thread.
I have recently installed Catalina on my Mac Mini and I have upgraded to Audirvana 3.5.
In the audio setup preferences , there is a button that apparently turns direct mode « on » and « off » ! no patch has been installed on my Mac, so what does this mean ? is direct mode available or not ?
Please thanks for clarification…
Hi everybody,
I have been usin A+ since the its first version. Believe me, if your sound system is accurate enough, you can hear the difference with and without Direct Mode. It bypasses Apple core audio and avoid several manipulations of datas. That is why it is called “Direct Mode” I suppose.
I am using a late 2012 Mac mini, and I let its OS to El Capitan v10.11.6 version.
As my Mac mini is used only as an Audio Player, I do not need any OS improvment. So please Damien keep Audirvana still El Capitan compatible !!
Is there a way to enable Direct mode on Catalina? Onyx is ready and can be used for Catalina but Extensions folder seems to be read-only and I couldn’t make it read-write enabled so that I can change IOAudioFamily.kext. Did anyone solve this issue?
On Mojave, with an external DAC/DDC, with exclusive access and integer mode… Does anyone actually have any hard data (or reference to) whether the direct mode hack actually makes any difference - one way or another?
Just seems to me, this is what integer mode is for.
You’ ll never get your answer… some can’t live without it, some don’t see a difference… make your backup, install it, takes 15 minutes to see, not happy, revert back or just wait till the next OS update it will be erased again
. Bitstream means over a network… i don’t use that 
