Has anyone tried or been able to play the studio master quality FLAC files? I was looking at them on the Linn Records website. You can download 24-bit 96KHz (or 88.2KHz) files of the music. I downloaded a test file and could convert and store it in iTunes as a 24bit 88.2KHz aiff file although it won't load onto my iPod. It appears then my iMac and deal with a 24bit source but not the iPod. If the BL5 can take digital inputs and the iMac has optical digital outputs, is there a way to play these files direct to the speakers then?  Maybe this does eliminate the need for a SACD player.

 

In general, music produced and edited at higher bitrates and resolution, even when converted down to 16-bit, sounds a lot better.

Yes you can connect the iMac directly to the BL5´s via the Beo digital Spdif Y-link cable..

The BL5´s can handle samplerates up to 24Bit/96Khz..( 24Bit/192Khz DVD-Audio = No sound...)

 

Regards    

How would you adjust volume? To the BL5's respond directly to the remote? Or does the computer scale the amplitude on output depending what the computer's volume is set at?

The Beo4 controls the volume of the speakers. The BL5s can be set for different option versions for non-B&O equipment. What you want is a good conversion from Toslink optical to coax s/pdif. There are converters, soundcards and even receivers that will do that for you.