Hello Nick, having spent time, effort and money in optimizing my streaming setup, was thinking same as you.
I’ve tried the Innuos Phoenix USB with the Mac Mini m2 and it made the sound worse. I liked the sound of mac mini better without it.
However, the Innuos Phoenix makes my high end server better with blacker background and more focus. Go figure.
The sound of the Mac Mini m2 is not bad if you are coming from an inexpensive streamer but terrible compared to current top servers/streamers.
I think adding a clean power supply would help, but from what I hear not much. I’ve looked into it and only a less than optimal teradak connection is available as of now.
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This is true.
No, simply convert the DSD layer to PCM or let your streamer handle it. I don’t convert any DSD files in my system, my Grimm MU1 just knows to send PCM instead of DSD to the Bacch gear. I doubt you would detect a difference in sound. I highly doubt it.
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I own both. I wonder what you mean by more accessible?
Do you mean more affordable? Then I agree.
But the dio and adio have much better input and output options. In addition, the iPad that comes with the BACCH-SP gear is much more user friendly. Changing from one input to another doesn’t require a Master Degree in Audio Engineering.
I love having both, but I will be MUCH, MUCH HAPPIER when my adio returns upgraded and has ORC built into it. The Bacch4Mac setup is super enjoyable, but the higher priced gear is so much easier to live with. I prefer the iPad Interface, but I love love love the Bacch4Mac interface too.
People take one look at the Bacch4Mac Interface and say “Oh hell no!”.
So many controls all displayed at once. Fun!
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DSD is really not mandatory IME. I agree with Al.
Since I bought the MSB DAC, I have to connect the PST to it via AES/EBU, I2S is not available. It means I’m no longer allowed to play DSD. Believe me, I don’t hear the difference, or rather, I like my CDs even more than before.
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My Audio Guru, George from Kyomi Audio has told me many times that he prefers PCM to DSD. Edgar has said pretty much the same if I remember correctly. I have an extremely large DSD collection, it seems nice. But if my streamer or Bacch gear converts it to PCM I don’t hear a drop in quality. I have lost interest in buying anymore music in the DSD format which I am happy about. A DSD256 album takes up anywhere from 8 GB to 20 GB. A PCM album rarely takes more than a GB to store.
Lets get together and do a listening test, is this DSD or PCM 24.192? Whoever guesses which is which at least 50% correctly has my sympathy.
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This is the way!
The ADIO sports the I/O settings required, just one thought: is it possible bypassing the internal DAC in order to use an external DAC at your choice? I know that the DIO would make more sense but it’s lacking the ADIO flexibility in connections,
It is not affordable but it seems the final solution (or logical upgrade) for BACCH lovers, maybe after having experienced BACCH4MAC for a while.
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You can easily bypass the Internal DAC to use an external one. In the past I found the DAC inside the adio to be an excellent DAC, on par with any other DAC in my collection. But since sending my adio in for a proper update I have acquired a Mola Mola Tambaqui. And I have a Grimm MU2 a week or so away from arriving. I have lots of inputs on my Preamp so I am thinking of getting one or two more pairs of Stealth Sakra V17 Balanced Interconnects. 1.5 meters please. One pair at least so I can switch between DACs from my chair.
The bad news:
Two pairs list for more than a decent electric car.
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You are my hero!
My system was based on a PSA environment. Now is based on a MSB environment. Soon it will be based on a MSB + STEALTH combination: at the point that I’m struggling with the idea of moving the DAC on the front wall just to use a STEALTh XLR cable from DAC to Amp.
It is an easy solution due to the fiber module USB Pro, digital is done.
As for analog my plan is upgrading the DAC from Premiere to Reference that has an analog preamp. It’s my medium term goal!
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Your hero is a fool.
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This is why he’s my hero!
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I’ve been listening to uBacch and not very impressed. I like the sound stage increased width but at the expense of emotion in the vocal and singers pushed further back into the stage. I wonder how different Bacch4mac will be but am a bit sceptical at the hype atm.
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I thought the MSB DAC’s, when coupled with their own amps, did not require an additional gain stage that a preamp supplied. I tried an MSB DAC directly into PSA amps and thought it did pretty well but favored the preamp in the chain. Also, the DAC in the Adio is strikingly similar in looks to the guts in an MSB DAC. I would ask Al if that checks out our if that info is even pertinent to your investigation. Edgar is quiet on this matter.
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Sorry Greg, I wrote something not clear.
I confirm that in an all MSB environment, you don’t need a Preamp in between, no questions! Digital is well done as it is.
The Premier DAC can easily manage a large variety of digital inputs, I prefer USB with the external box and proprietary fiber connection from my servers/streamer but also the AES/EBU from CD transport sounds really nice.
The problem is analog. If I want to play vinyls, then a preamp is needed, it means that I have to swap the XLR cables from DAC to BHK Pre.
The Reference MSB DAC is a huge leap forward (as per all the people who tried it, I haven’t tried it personally yet) compared to other “entry level” models like Discrete and Premiere. The Reference sports also an all analog pre module internally (optional). In that case you can play vinyls within a complete MSB environment, no preamp needed anymore. It’s not the main reason that justifies a crazy expensive upgrade like that, but it’s a good option available for analog guys!
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I accept your findings and encourage you to pass judgement on all of us.
A $400 software add-on has to tell you everything you need to know about $5,000 to $50,000 hardware devices. You seriously dodged a bullet!
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Understood. I think that even in a fully digital system, the best systems can reap the benefits of a well designed analogue preamp section. That is the hope with my soon to be delivered Grimm MU2. I envy your MSB Premier acquisition and the possibility that you are moving on to the Reference.
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Congrats, great news! Al strikes again.
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MSB makes the case for the BACCH-SP adio and dio and Grand versions. I believe they also make the power supplies. I have been told they absolutely do not make the internal DAC. It is not an RME DAC either although there is an RME board inside that is used for format conversions.
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Oh oh oh, this could explain a lot!
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Not really, he went there all on his own.
I like his choices though, and I really hope he enjoys it completely when it arrives. I believe he will use the MU2 Preamp function which I am excited about.
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Roger that. The gospel according to BAACH as told buy his First Disciple.
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