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2021 Macbook Pro M1 better than RME Babyface Pro (alien.top)

submitted 1 year ago by Brick_Chemical@alien.top to c/headphones@hi-fi.community

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I've been looking for a audiophile DAC, specifically was researching the Mojo2 when I came across a video talking about the mac dongle being better than it, total prick of a review and in the comments too.
But that got me thinking and so I plugged in my HD800 into the headphone out, apple music lossless stock. Soundstage and timbre is much better, the hardness has gone away, much more musical, I've been switching back and forth on the same passages over and over again, this is nuts.

I have a Lehmann BCL that I run with the RME, it can't compete with the power of the BCL but that's to be seen tomorrow when I find my leads to hook it up the MBP. I auditioned it via the BLC and the RME directly, going round robin.

The MBP sounds best. I need the RME for recording duties etc but I'm rather surprised, in a good way, I've had the mac for a year, a free upgrade!

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[–] guesswhochickenpoo@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's either placebo or there is something different in the chain effecting the sound. There is no reason whatsoever that the dongle and RME should sound any different. Amps and DACs simply don't effect soundstage, timbre, etc unless there's something esoteric or weird in the chain or it's a tube amp, but even then the differences are extremely minor.

Did you make sure they were precisely volume matched and have you done blind A/B testing (after removing any variables between the two setups)?

[–] Brick_Chemical@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Wow, I thing that's not been my personal life experience, though I have met tone deaf people.