Macbook vs Squeeebox as digital source for Lavry DA-10

Yet another thread regarding the marvelous Lavry DA-10 DAC as music source in an otherwise Naim system.

As I promissed in a post on AllenB's thread, In the mix: Mac Mini / Lavry DA-10 / n-Vi, I would report my experiences borrowing my daughter's Macbook. I thought best to create this new thread.

See my earlier posts regarding my saga to find a music server which would equal or exceed a CDX+XPS. That CD player is now long gone and I am very satisfied with my current system, which for almost a year now has been as follows:

HP desktop running Windows Vista 64bit
Squeezecenter V7.1 music server
Apple Lossless, FLAC, WAV files on hard drive
wired LAN through Linksys router to Squeezebox SB3 (including Bolder mods and linear supply)
DC-1 coax cable to Lavry DA-10
NAC282+ serviced olive Hicap
NAP200
NACA5 to CP Audio speakers
carefully and subtly integrated subwoofer (which is defeatable by remote)

There has been much recent discussion and enthusiastic praise (understatement) regarding the Lavry fed by Mac optical Toslink. I was wondering how my SB3 system would compare to an Apple Mac system. Then it dawned on me - I have just purchased a Macbook for my daughter and I have a nice white apple Toslink cable. Sooooo...

The Lavry has both coax and Toslink (optical) inputs, selected by a switch on the front panel. I can easily switch between the above-described system and the following:

(same music files as above)
HP desktop, Windows Vista 64
Apple Lossless files on hard drive
iTunes V7.7 sharing my music library
wirless lan (also see note below, as I copied a file to the Macbook for comparison)
Apple Macbook, OS-X 10.5.4 (battery power, then plugged in - no difference)
output default: 44.1K at 24bit, all digital processing disabled.
(see note below, as I played with sample rates and bit depth)
iTunes V7.7.1
Apple optical cable to Lavry DA-10
(remaining system as above)

The short version: they are very close, sometimes indistinguishable.

The long version:

I hesitate to draws sweeping conclusions, as I prefer to involve other's opinions as well as my own, but the following were my impressions after listing to a vatiety of music. I switched between soures using the same piece of music, at shorter or longer intervals, and also just played an entire piece at a time (with file being accessed by only on process - this does not seem to matter?). Mostly he music sounded so good, I just could not get into any "analytical listening mode."

At first, I thought the Mac source sounded a tiny bit smoother (as in less digital) than my SB3 - but mind you, very very close. I was listening to "Quiet Rising" by Carlos Franzeti on Jazz Kamerati, swithing back and forth every minute or so. But then at one point, I remarked to myself "that sounds SO organic!" - I went to switch back to the SB3 but found I was listening to the SB3 and had forgotten which source was playing.

I tried changing output sample rates on the Macbook. This hardly made a difference, but I preferred 44.1K over 96K, which somehow did not sound quite right (hard to describe, and maybe my imagination). I felt maybe the 24 bit sounded nicer (a tiny bit less digital) than 16 bit. So mostly I left the Mac at 24bit 44.1K.

Just to eliminate the network, I copied the file (Carlos Franzeti) to the Mac. I could not tell any difference, when compared to the same music file being "shared" over the wireless lan.

Some of the possible difference (if any) I thought I (maybe) heard between the SB3 and the Mac was similar to what I (maybe) heard between 24bit and 16bit out of the MAC. I am going to see if my ripped fies can be sent to the SB3 as 24 bit, as that might be a good idea. Does any one know about this? I may be deluding myself, but i thought i would rank the sound quality as follows - with tiny differences (if any), best on top:

Mac 24 bit
SB3
Mac 16 bit

OK, there you have it. I do not consider this conclusive, and may have more time to make further comparisons as my daughter allows me to use her laptop. I would love to hear from others who can make a similar comparison. Also if anyone in the Seattle area would like to drop by for a listen, that would be great.

If you are planning to sell your CD player (quick while you still can!) to fund a music server source of absolutely top sound quality, I recommend you go the Mac route and add a an iTouch for remote control. As for me, I have no desire to change from the SB3 for now. But it is great to hear that iTunes may be used in a system of this caliber. I wrote off iTunes before because I did not want a computer in my rack and I did not like the sound of Airport Express; but now the rules have changed...

Happy Listening,

Charlie