There's Linux and then there's OS/X of course.sbgk wrote:I've never come across a linux developer that wasn't of a bits are bits mindset, so imagine there is plenty scope to tidy things up. With MS charging £1400 a year to licence drivers it makes Linux the only way forward.
Linux seems to have a number of drivers for the different chipsets so it's not true that there is a universal Linux driver.
Whatever you think about Apple, they have done their own thing with audio and there are significant developments like Integer Mode, Direct Mode and Exclusive mode. UAC2 device driver is unnecessary.
Direct Mode theoretically is pretty much what you were advocating avoiding DAC device drivers and behaving like DMA straight through to the device at low level.
All this has been implemented in players like Audirvana 2.0+. OS/X is I am sure also amenable to improvement by optimisations like Audiophil's AO. Most users ran it on Mac Minis which again I am sure are able to be optimised as most of us do with our Windows PCs.
But as I said, I bet none of the players render loops approach the quality of Gordon's.
If Gordon thinks Linux is the way to go, I would advocate OS/X, since as nige says plain Linux audio is very disappointing (especially with MPD which most use as the player). Been there and don't want to go back.
Anyone apart from nige compared an MQn rig with an equivalent Audirvana 2.0+ Mac Mini rig for SQ?
