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MAC vs PC: actually that’s quite easy to check.

Posted by hfavandepas on October 31, 2010 at 12:21:29

In Reply to: MAC VS P C Sound differences. posted by jtube on October 30, 2010 at 21:41:17:

Hi Jtube,

Although highly illegal: a MAC vs PC soundcheck is quite easy to do. Especially if one uses an Gigabyte based cMP setup with an RME digital interface / soundcard or an Lynx AES digitale interface / soundcard.

Simply install OSX Snow Leopard as described here: http://osx86.sojugarden.com.
Any one can do this. The most difficult part would be that you need a MAC that is running OS X 10.4 or above (Tiger, Leopard or Snow Leopard) to prepare the 8Gb USB-instalment-stick. You also need the OS X ‘disk utility program’ on that MAC to restore an official OS X SL install DVD onto that USB-instalment-stick. But other than that: installing OS X on an Gigabyte based cMP setup is really, very, very simple.

This way the used hardware is exactly the same. After this only the OS’s, the drivers and the used players differ.

I did this test too see which OS sounded better. I don’t give a s***t (beep) which is better MAC or PC. I just wanted to know which OS sounded the best for my next laptop to buy in spring 2010. Sorry for the strong language, but the dogmatic and religion-style discussions on which one is better, are really childish and annoying. On my cMP hardware I compared: OS X SL <-> Windows: XP Pro, XP Pro x64, 7 Home x64.

As I wrote here before with both OS’es one can get excellent results that are indistinguable from each other. But both OS’es do need fine tuning.

Here’s what I found.

* It’s a myth that the combo OS X + iTunes sounds very good, right out of the box.
Right out of the box OSX + iTunes indeed does sound better than WIN + Foobar right out of the box.
But by absolute standards both OS’es do sound rather poor out right of the box IMHO. Both OS’es need fine tuning.
For both OS’es Benchmark has written excellent audio wiki’s how to get the best from your MAC of your PC.

* When using WIN + Foobar + (either) ASIO or Kernel Streaming or WASAPI, the Windows OS takes a really big jump forward in sound quality leaving FAR behind a standard OS X + iTunes combo

* Fine tuning iTunes and the Midi configuration in OS X according the Benchmark audio wiki, preventing unwanted re-, up- or downsampling, betters the OS X sound somewhat.
But still is no way close too an WIN instalment using: Foobar + (either) ASIO or Kernel Streaming or WASAPI.

* Using i-Tunes with Amarra (mini) almost bridges the gap.
Standard iTunes uses the Quicktime audio-engine. But with Amarra, Amarra’s own sound-engine is used. (same applies to Pure Music)
A Windows machine now only can keep ahead on sound quality if some simple light weight fine tuning is applied too the Windows OS. Most pro audio resellers and pro-audio stores can give you a list with these simple fine tuning tips.

* But…… right out of the box: OS X with Logic (or Logic express) sounds absolutely top notch. Just as good as (or may be better than) a windows machine with some fine tuning + ASIO (or Kernel Streaming, or WASAPI).
Also OS X + iTunes with Pure Music on top, sounds absolutely top notch right out of the box. In my setup I can’t hear any difference between Logic (express) or Pure Music.

* Only a fully tuned cMP setup with cPlay can keep ahead of OS X + Pure Music. But only by a very small (but clear) margin IMHO.


* Résumé:
So if one is on a budget: by a windows PC containing good hardware inside from respectable manufacturers. Install Foobar + either ASIO or Kernel Streaming or WASAPI and do some light weight tuning as recommended by pro audio resellers / pro-audio brands. This will give you top notch sound quality (provided the rest of your audio chain is also top notch)

If money is no object than buy this absolutely stunning and gorgeous looking http://www.apple.com/macbookair/ (sorry for the drooling) and buy Pure Music and you are done. Don’t forget too connect a really nice DAC from makes like Prism, Metric Halo or an Apogee Symphony and you will be very, very happy ever after.

If you are on a budget?
You will have some extra work too do: some light weight tuning of the windows OS.
Installing ASIO or Kernel Streaming or WASAPI in Windows equals installing Pure Music in OS X. Both are simple, but have to be done once:
- OSX -> Pure Music
- Windows -> ASIO (or Kernel streaming or Wasapi).

* So what did I buy after all? MAC or PC?
I bought an core i3 windows based labtop.
Why?
I don’t mind the few simple extra tuning steps needed on a windows machine because I want to direct the rest of my budget to an Prism, Metric Halo or Apogee Symphony DAC. I already auditioned them all 3. But when choosing the Metric Halo or Apogee Symphony, I will have too move over to a MAC. So it will be the Prism. Although I think the Apogee Symphony is the better of these 3. But only a teenie, weenie, little bit. I could only hear the differences when ATC SCM 100 ASL Pro speakers where hooked up.

Hope this helps somewhat.

Mark

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