Yes… it is common-sense when you understand the nature of electrons flowing around in the system and the influences of design topology in producing the highest level of data integrity so that error-correction interrupts don’t create ripples in the power/ground topology of the platform that precipitate intrinsic jitter… Especially, with the vertical integration now in the new M series platforms.
The logic conclusion might then be that with Macs and Audirvana the direct connection via USB to the DAC is superior to a streaming solution via UPnP…
Matt
Short data path-lengths will always be better than long ones… In the case of UPnP there is another protocol layer on top of the I/O bus operation protocol layer… Obviously, there are other factors that play into whether to use one protocol or another…
This is definitely not the case.
Anyway, in my tests, M1 Macs sound better than Intel Macs with a direct USB output to a DAC.
I presume that the reason for this is that the M1 computers are a lot more silent. They are built like phones, and tablets.
While streaming, there’s a drop in sound quality with Windows PCs vs Macs, running the same players! There’s an OS related issue on Windows for an unclear reason.
Many other people observed this thing. I told it to a friend who is a PC guy, and when he tried Audirvana on a Mac Mini, he adopted the Mac as his music server.
3 Likes
Though the fans of these computers are almost inaudible, they produce an acoustical noise. But I was referring to these computers as being more silent, because they produce less electrical noise. It’s the electrical noise that degrades the quality of the sound when it reaches the DAC.
1 Like
Both the M1 iMac and the M1 mini have fans.
Bothe M1 and M2 Macbook Airs do not.
1 Like
My macmini 2018 almost always never work, all music is loaded in memory in seconds then cpu is almost at like 5% working all the time, so fan ain’t working either 
. Origin with local files, no upsampling, 20gb memory.
1 Like
All M series Mac’s, iMac’s and MacBooks have a fan, except for the MacBook Air. Those are fanless.
My M1 MacBook Pro also has a fan, but since buying it in February this year, I have never heard it spin up at all. And the MacBook stays completely cool.
1 Like
@sandsOfArrakis , I’ve had the same experience with the m1 MacBook Pro thus I’ve moved my music system to it. I think that a m1 is not in @astonmartin budget currently so I think @bitracer advice is most sound, 8gb memory minimum 16gb if possible and newest model that’s affordable. Sound quality and performance will be very good in any case with Audirvāna imo. Disabling unnecessary services such as spotlight etc. will lessen the fan running.
My M1 is the base model (8 gb of RAM, 256 gb SSD). 8 gb of RAM is more than enough for Audirvana to play while using my most used apps at the same time (Chrome, Microsoft Outlook etc).
Granted I’m not into DSD stuff etc. And only listen to my own local collection or stream through Qobuz or Tidal. So FLAC is about the highest quality sound I’m listening to.
Music is played through my external USB sound card which is directly hooked up to my monitor speaker set.
RAM usage is still well within limits, and the CPU usage is only a few % total. The M1’s and 2’s just fly through it. 
1 Like
Even my old i7 MacBook Air ran 3.5 easy as could be, I don’t think @astonmartin needs a lot of computer actually for great results with studio or Orgin.
Do you have any problems with noise or jitters issues with your setup? I haven’t detected any with mine but apparently some people do. My setup is perfect just like @reddog1 has reported.
2 Likes
No noise or jitter issues here. The only issue I’m having with my Audiotrak sound card is that even though the card is 24/96 capable, I have limited the output to 24/48 max, otherwise it will give short hick ups in the sound output while trying to play music which is 24/96 or higher. This does not only happen while using Audirvana. It also happens while using other music programs. So it’s an issue with the hardware itself.
@astonmartin will most likely do more than fine with a base model MacBook Air judging by his description. So pretty much any Mac will do. I would recommend for him to get an M series, as Apple is phasing out Intel Mac’s rapidly now. They even went so far as by not supporting my 2017 MacBook Air anymore when it comes to macOS. Monterey is the last version that is officially supported, Ventura is a no go.
If you like to play with macOS systems…
I run an old iMac 27’’ late 2013 on Ventura
Yes Ventura is working but still in beta, Monterey is perfect too. That thing just prove that Apple kill computer for nothing they still runs great with last macos…
2 Likes
I’m in the same boat with my air, that’s why he should try to get one that will at least do Ventura I’m thinking 
Sounds like you may be in the market for a upgrade in the DAC department soon 
There are some really good ones for a very reasonable price these days, spoil yourself for Christmas perhaps? I did get a quite reasonably priced usb-c to usb-b cable for the m1 MacBook, no difference in playback but 1 less adapter connection 
1 Like
RHS, Thank you for reposting this! Do you think our Air i7 will make the grade no problem?
On their page, they show all computers that work, with monterey or the ones that still in developp for Ventura
2 Likes
You can type that on youtube also to see it done, not so difficult in fact like the kind of doing the Direct Mode
1 Like
I need to get on this, I would like to make a Roon core out of either my air or old Mac Mini that are collecting dust presently. Thanks mate
1 Like