Difficulty with Mcintosh preamp sync USB out with N10?

[audioextreme]

Hello everybody

I have a c52 preamp and have a high quality USB cable going to it from my N10.

I have recently noticed significant difficulty with the Mac unit playing music from the USB input. The aurender is clearly working as you can see in the display that the song is playing. However on the Mac display, its says "silent" and no sound comes out of the speakers.

I have done the factory reset on the mac, and for the most part, this seems to work. However anytime I disconnect the USB from the N10 to connect to my Macbook it does the same thing. That is, when I try to play something from my macbook pro and send it the Mac, no sound comes out. In fact, when you go to sound output on the macbook pro, it doesn't even show the C52 as an option. Again, when i do a factory reset on the Mcintosh, the laptop is able to sync up. C52 is displayed as an output and i can play stuff from my computer.

If i disconnect the USB from the computer and put it back onto the N10, the mac does not recognize the input.

I'm not sure why this is occurring. I called Mcintosh and they told me that the music streamers don't have drivers to support USB so I am to use coax.

Anyone experience this and have some ideas? Dan I know you run Mcintosh electronics with your N10.

[lschoonaert]

Mcintosh sucks on usb - just don't try to go there... great amps, lousy tech (stay away from anything digital from McIntosh). Had the same with a C2300. Mc support just said "well it works here" , very helpful as they are at McSupport... never got it to work

[j3brow]

I have a D1100. I am running a WW Platinum USB cable between my D1100 and Aurender N10.

I have noticed that my D1100 is sensitive to the timing of how I turn on the Aurender and D1100, ie which on is turned on first.

My 808v6 picks up the coaxial signal every time.

If my D1100 didn't grab onto the USB signal, I power cycle down the DAC and presto it recognizes the N10 every time.

[j3brow]

McIntosh's answer posted above seems like a blanket cop out statement. The N10 runs on Linux and will have no trouble syncing up to McIntosh DACs as many here have that combination.

Btw, this handshake issue is limited to USB in my case. Never had any handshake issue when using coax cable to connect D1100 and N10.

[edward3132]

Using the USB input on any McIntosh DAC can be hit and miss. Fortunately for me, I have had only minimal issues with the D100.

McIntosh support will tell you, like they did me, that devices like the N10 are not supported for use with USB and to use coaxial instead.

That is why I am getting a new non-McIntosh DAC

[audioextreme]

Wow. I wish I had known this before! Can you play DSD over coax?

[j3brow]

Originally Posted by audioextreme

Wow. I wish I had known this before! Can you play DSD over coax?

I haven't tried this with my D1100 yet. The answer is yes with my N10 and Meridian DAC (DSD64).

[edward3132]

The McIntosh C52 can only receive DSD on its USB input. The opitcal/coaxial inputs support 24/192.

However I believe the N10 can convert DSD to PCM and output it on its optical/coaxial.

As stated previously, the big issue is usually timing of turn on. I always make sure my source is on when I turn on my D100. This usually works.

I do not use a computer anymore as I use an Auralic Aries so cannot comment much on that though it is even more strict on turn on timing etc

[audioextreme]

J3brow,

your D1100 can support AES/EBU right? is there a reason you use Coax? isn't AES/EBU supposed to be a better connection? just wondering. i am considering getting a new DAC that will have AES/EBU connection in the next 6-12 months. was wondering if i should get a coax cable now or wait till i get my dac and get the aes

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by audioextreme

I'm not sure why this is occurring. I called Mcintosh and they told me that the music streamers don't have drivers to support USB so I am to use coax.

Anyone experience this and have some ideas? Dan I know you run Mcintosh electronics with your N10.

Daniel.......Although my systems are primarily McIntosh, I do not use any McIntosh DAC's. I use the DAC in my Esoteric K-01X without issue on any input.

About AES/EBU versus coaxial, many people who have made the comparisons tend to favor the coaxial output on the Aurender N10. Furthermore, if you are not using one of the three SPDIF digital outputs on your N10 (coaxial, AES/EBU, Toslink optical), you are not taking advantage of the N10's proprietary digital output and the incredibly accurate oven control crystal oscillator (OCXO) clock. The N10's USB output does not share the OCXO clock, rather its time relies on the clock in whatever DAC you use. The OCXO clock in your N10 is far superior to nearly every DAC available. I suggest you connect your N10 using the coaxial ouput. If DSD playback is necessary, then and only then use the USB output, otherwise stay with the coaxial output for your very best performance.

As for McIntosh's comment that the music streamers don't have drivers to support USB so you are to use coax, that is ridiculous. If the N10 required the McIntosh USB driver to play music into a McIntosh DAC then it would never play no matter what you did. The fact that the Aurender N10 does play through the McIntosh DAC when the connection scheme is properly satisfied or the C52 is reset is proof that the USB driver information the McIntosh customer service rep told you is not accurate.