Should I switch to Windows version?

Legacy versions Windows
21

Mac OSX does not play DSD natively, only Windows will do that. MacOSX-Audnirvana will only show the native PCM sample rate of the source file or DAC, whatever is less

22

Thank you for your continued help here.

I hav followed all your suggestions from all your messages this afternoon. No luck.

Yes, I got the Hackingtool working. Yes, I tried copying over the ktext file to the other Library and restarting. I’ve tried everything you suggested. I’m going to give it one more shot just now - the whole process. Will let you know how it goes.

23

Your dac is really usb connected to mac only?
You don’t have a new mac with the T2 chip?

Good luck but if the .ktext is already changed there must be something else???

You are with Catalina not other system? :grinning:

24

yes… dac connected to mac only via usb.

So I just checked… My macbook pro has the T2 security chip! I wasn’t aware of that until just now.

25

Arf!! Then read the text at the end… i never tried it myself, just a user here told that recipe worked for him :grinning:

26

Right! I just read the bottom of the document. I totally missed and skipped that portion, which might be the problem.

What do you suggest I do now?

Also, this user said:
To verify, correct kext loaded use this command: kextstat | egrep ‘Index|Audio’

I tried that command at the terminal, but it failed. Where do I need to type in this command?

27

You should switch to Windows :slight_smile: joking.

This is the thread where he respond, you can try ask him…

it is at the end that you see his picture that i put in my text… @tstadam was the user.

28

the .ktext is good now, you change it, he seems to say that security must off at two places to work… you have the good one 204.4 like he said…

i’m still using a late 2012 Mac mini…

29

I give up. I tried everything but nothing worked. I am very sad right now :cry: I really really needed this to work.

30

Try message the user to explain to you if it really worked for him…

Or buy an not T2 chip mac or a mac mini or none direct mode pc

Or just stay with your mac with no direct mode like every new user with new mac on new OS without it and enjoying Audirvana.

I think your 100 000$ system makes much more differences then having Direct Mode in a 100$ software…

If you got ears, you gotta listen - Captain Beefheart

31

Stay with Mac. Audirvana’s support on Win10 USB DAC driver integration is weak (almost none for my Chord Qutest)…

32

Hi. If the computer is a dedicated player, I am not sure what the advantage is in having Catalina and would be glad of a heads up. If there isn’t one then I suggest you get a 2011 or 2012 Mac Mini, install High Sierra and the latest version of Audirvana, do the easier .kext op and get back to enjoying music. I agree that direct mode is essential. Drew

33

I’d rather fly in @RunHomeSlow to do it than having to deal with Windows. That’s just my 5 cents.

34

… or install the MSB network renderer module. There are other options also, like third party network bridges.

35

So, yesterday I went to the dark side and purchased a Microsoft Surface Pro 7, core i7, 16GB RAM. Took me 15 mins to set it up. Another 15 minutes to get Audirvana installed on it, get the Samsung T5 SSD firmware installed, etc. And since then, Audirvana has been churning out beautiful music (about 13 hrs non stop now). No direct mode etc to deal with. I am using the WASAPI default setting btw. DSD files are sounding amazing. So far so good!

1 Like
36

Quick update to my Windows experiment:

While the Surface Pro seems to be operating without glitches in comparison to my old MacBook, I just realized two things as I sat down for a PROPER listen. Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me is my test album - DSD mastered from original analog.

  1. It wasn’t sounding as lush… something was missing… the tone of the piano and other acoustics… something was definitely missing…

  2. all of a sudden, track after track, the soonstage seemed to have shifted to the Right!! I’m like, WTF! I went through all the settings in Audirvana and in Windows… couldn’t find anything where I could set or impact the output balance from Audirvana.

I then plugged back my MacBook, and all of a sudden life was back to normal … the luscious sound, the perfectly centered soundstage, etc etc!!!

I think I’m going to go the route of buying a 13” MacBook Pro, install El Capitan on it, get my Direct Mode, and then call it a day.

Looks like Mac wins in SQ. Returning the Windows machine tomorrow.

37

Old macbook pro… no T2 chip… don’t think you can install old system on those, not sure, never check that

38

Ok! Will keep that in mind. Thanks!

39

I have a PC running this Audirvana with no problems that you mentioned. Their are several guides (I have mention them in another post) but you should follow to minimize all the background processes that Windows 10 runs.

There’s no such thing as lush out of the Mac and not out of the PC in the way that you are referring to unless they’re interruptions with the signal getting out.

I wish I could remember what thread I wrote this in but it was in another one of these Mac versus PC versions, what should I use? But if you don’t want to look for my post, please Google improving sound quality on a PC for recording… or something like that.

By the way I run my audio server headless and without any moving parts to the system including system fans to minimize noise levels.

Hope this helps.

40

That’s another rabbit’s hole of endless pursuit of optimisations. Mac just works and sounds great even without direct mode. I use it like that and I’m happy with it.