Audiophile DACs

[MacDaddyPanda]

So with the New Apple Silicon, is External USB DAC pretty much incompatible? Or will DAC makers make compatible Drivers through USBc?

 

[Erehy Dobon]

My guess is that it will depend on the individual DAC makers and their individual products.

Most likely they may write updated Apple Silicon drivers for recent products as well as upcoming products but may decide it's not worth it to write drivers for legacy products.

Apple announced Apple Silicon at WWDC in June and these DAC manufacturers could have applied for a Desktop Transition Kit to help them with their driver development. Today, they can just order an M1 Mac mini like you or I.

Considering that Apple is developing Logic, Mainstage, Garageband, etc. for M1/Big Sur and beyond, it would seem likely that external DACs aren't going away but the ball is in the DAC maker's court.

 

[theluggage]

So with the New Apple Silicon, is External USB DAC pretty much incompatible? Or will DAC makers make compatible Drivers through USBc?

Plenty of class-compliant USB audio interfaces out there that don't need drivers and should Just Work.

 

[D.T.]

Since it's just a USB device/port, seems like the hardware side of the port would be pretty abstracted, i.e., if the OS handles a USB DAC, the hardware will. You know, in cases where there's no additional driver needed (which has been the case with a number of external DACs I've used/tested/currently own).

FWIW, I've taken my external DAC, and connected it to my Mini USB-A to MicroUSB (that's the DAC side, also has Coax, TOSLink), a simple, $5 USB-C to USB-A pigtail (then a standard A to micro cable), and I've also connected it via a USB-C hub (A port on the hub, C on the Mini). Also, that same USB-C hub, works on our iPadPro to drive the DAC as well (provides charging, concurrently), that's actually where I use it day-to-day (bonus, it functions as a Nintendo Switch "dock" )

I'll try it when we get our M1 MBA, which may be late December <sad_face>

 

[D.T.]

Finally following up on this thread, so I picked up a base MBA for a new machine for the wife, I won't spend a bunch of time with a review, only that it's spectacular so far.

So I took a microUSB_to_USB-C cable, plugged in my Modi 3 DAC, changed the output source on the Mac (it was listed by device name), *boom*, beautiful audio through the DAC/AMP

 

[phrehdd]

Late to the game but curious - has anyone used a USB DAC plugged into a dock or hub attached to either an Intel or

M1 Mac or iPad? If you do or tried, which dock/hub worked for you and which DAC are you using?

 

[quynhtrang]

Even the old Apogee Duet FireWire is supposed to work with the M1 according to this post (#131).

https://www.gearspace.com/board/music-computers/1132995-apogee-duet-firewire-obsolete-5.html

I loved the sound from this audio interface.

 

[Mac... nificent]

So with the New Apple Silicon, is External USB DAC pretty much incompatible? Or will DAC makers make compatible Drivers through USBc?

???

I'm using a Topping 10Ds with no issues;

D10s PCM384&DSD256 USB DAC-TOPPING

www.tpdz.net

 

[MacDaddyPanda]

???

I'm using a Topping 10Ds with no issues;

D10s PCM384&DSD256 USB DAC-TOPPING

www.tpdz.net

lol, yes hence my question marks. So I take it works fine. Question answered. Thanks for those that replied in the affirmative.