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iTunes for Mac Setup Guide
by Benchmark Media Systems October 03, 2014
Benchmark's Guide for Audio Playback using Mac
A Simple Guide to Configure Your Mac for Optimal Audio Quality
Overview
Set the correct sample-rate and set word-length to 24 bit
These are set in the ’Audio MIDI Setup' control interface, which is in the 'Utilities' folder:
(Applications -> Utilities -> Audio MIDI Setup).
In the drop-down menu titled "Properties for:", select the output device which you are using
Under "Audio Output", the "Format" should be set to the appropriate sample rate and '2ch - 24 bit’.
For iTunes versions earlier then 7, we recommend setting the sample rate to match the sample rate of the media (music) being played
For iTunes versions later then 7, we recommend setting the sample rate to the highest sample rate that your device is capable of
For iTunes versions later then 7, iTunes must be launched after the sample rate is set in AudioMIDI. Any sample rate changes made in AudioMIDI while iTunes is open will not change the sample rate of iTunes until iTunes is re-launched. Consequently, it will cause CoreAudio to sample-rate convert the audio coming from iTunes. The result of CoreAudio sample-rate conversion is significant distortion.
Set iTunes volume to "Full"
Volume settings below "full" may cause severe distortion, especially on version 6 and earlier.
The volume controls in iTunes versions 7.X and 8.X will not cause significant distortion. The user should not hesitate to use the volume control in iTunes v7.x and 8.X
This does not refer to the track-specific "Volume Adjustment" settings found in the "Get Info" menu. The "Volume Adjustment" setting should always be set to "None" for all tracks.
Read more about how digital volume controls affects audio
Bypass all audio DSP and plug-ins (EQ and any other audio 'enhancer')
For iTunes, disable 'Sound Enhancer' and 'Sound Check'
These settings can be found in iTunes by going to:
iTunes->Preferences->Playback
Also in Wiki
Bit Transparency
by Benchmark Media Systems October 03, 2014
Introduction
A digital audio device achieves bit-transparency if it passes digital audio data without affecting the data in any way. This device may be hardware, software, or a combination of both.
Testing for Bit Transparency
To determine if a device is bit-transparent, it can be tested by sending a pseudo-random bit sequence through it and monitoring the digital output. We typically generate the pseudo-random sequence using an Audio Precision digital signal generator. The Audio Precision includes a digital analyzer that is programmed to detect the pseudo-random sequence produced by the generator. The analyzer detects any differences between the generated sequence and the received sequence. The number of differences is tallied by a counter. A digital channel that is bit transparent will show no differences between the transmitted and received pseudo-random sequences.
Dither
by Benchmark Media Systems October 03, 2014
Definition
Dither is a type of intentional variation (noise) which is added to a digital audio signal to avoid distortion caused by quantization errors.
Dithering in audio
Dither is often used when an analog signal is being quantized into a finite number of digital levels. It is also often used when a digital signal is being quantized into a fewer number of bits per sample corresponding to a fewer number of digital levels.
Dither randomizes the errors ...