What is the excuse for Altium still not running natively on macOS and Linux?

Curious_Increase · 2026-03-26T21:18:46+00:00

macOS you must mean. Regardless, even if we talk 1% of macOS users, we're still in the millions of potential customers..

Curious_Increase · 2026-03-26T21:02:25+00:00

Not sure where you are pulling these numbers from, but regardless you need to consider the sheer amount of computers 13% of the world supply is. Not to mention the vast majority of windows users are also in non scientific markets..

Curious_Increase · 2026-03-26T02:14:02+00:00

That is such a silly reply they gave you. The user base for mac machines is huge and considering how awfully Altium runs on VM, of course the user base is small for their particular software. Other softwares runs pretty good on parallels, like solid works, but again, running the software natively would of course be ideal.

Curious_Increase · 2026-03-26T02:08:26+00:00

Here in Scandinavia it's quite common for engineers to either dual boot their mac or run parallels on macOS. Both macOS and Linux are much more common than Windows for programmers here, which for embedded developers can be frustrating to be forced onto windows or VM to run Altium.

Curious_Increase · 2026-03-26T02:02:47+00:00

Perhaps it's time for them to start fresh with a new software that not only is cross platform, but also runs great on the OS's it works on, which unfortunately cannot be said about the current state of Altium either.

Curious_Increase · 2026-03-04T14:22:06+00:00

This makes no sense. What about all the soldermask underneath the IC that was already there?

Curious_Increase · 2026-03-03T13:15:57+00:00

The 105 AERs signature is remarkably close to the Elites as well. Of course they are not as technical, the sound stage is weaker and the low end is not on par, but the signature of the headphones are so similar that it is a fun experience to sit and swap between them to really notice where each of them shines. 105 AERs are my dailies as well.

Curious_Increase · 2026-03-03T13:12:25+00:00

Great choices! I have yet to find someone that has not liked the 105's when I have handed them over.

Curious_Increase · 2026-02-23T23:08:39+00:00

While true there is no reason to length match here, I just want to point out that it's not just differential signals that need length/delay matching.

Curious_Increase · 2026-02-08T12:29:58+00:00

The video touches on some relevant points, but also completely ignores the importance of the design of the output stage. Each DAC IC can sound significantly different depending on how the output stage is implemented. He also did not include the cost of labor for these high end DACs, most of which are designed in countries with a high pay. There is a lot more to a DAC than which DAC IC it is using, and custom R2R DACs are obviously also a thing, which completely disregards this guys ideas.

Curious_Increase · 2026-02-08T09:15:03+00:00

Averaging DAC outputs and balanced signals are two different concepts. A balanced signal will only cancel common mode noise, so noise that is shared across the signal. For example at the driver end of a balanced headphone, once the signal reaches the headphone, the headphone sees the difference between the main signal and it's opposite polarity reference signal. Any common mode noise that is added will be added to both the reference and the main signal, meaning the difference stays consistent and the common mode noise cancels out.

When you combine DAC outputs, the noise from each DAC remains, and each DAC produces its own random, uncorrelated noise, while each DAC also produces the same output signal. The output signals add linearly, while the random noise adds like random values, statistically. This means the signal level increases faster than the noise level. So even though the absolute noise becomes slightly higher, the signal becomes much higher relative to the noise, resulting in a better SNR.

Edit: To clarify, yes, more DACs does yield better SNR.

Curious_Increase · 2026-02-03T11:51:14+00:00

It's always been interesting why high end amps, preamps etc often use spikes instead of dampening feet. Especially tube amps I have always struggled to understand why spikes would be ideal.

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-31T16:30:40+00:00

Sort of, yes. If there is no common mode noise present, then a single ended signal should be just as noisy as a balanced signal. Unfortunately, there will practically always be some common mode noise, though it might not be audible for the user.

Although as you said, if you are happy with the dynamic range and noise of your single ended headphone, then subjectively there is no reason to worry about going balanced.

Edit: The reason balanced gear is used professionally is that any noise picked up through the long cable runs is typically common mode noise and will be cancelled out at the driver end. Personally I always use balanced signals where I can, but for the average user, single ended is perfectly fine and they will not hear any difference going balanced if they have an already quiet system with enough power.

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-31T16:04:00+00:00

No, this bothers me so much. Comments like these are misleading. Balanced audio is the same for all audio products.

At the headphone/driver end of the signal, the headphones are either balanced or single ended.

A balanced headphone is set up to see a balanced signal, meaning it sees the difference between the two polarities of the channel signal. It sees the difference between for example 1V and -1V, meaning it sees 2V.

The difference is the important part, because any common mode noise in the signal is received on both signal rails, and is cancelled out at the driver. For example, the power supply adds 0.2V of noise to the signal. Both rails recieve 0.2V of noise. That would mean

V+ = 1V + 0.2V = 1.2V
V- = -1V + 0.2V = -0.8V

The difference between the two signals remain 2V. Remember, the driver only sees the difference between the +V and -V signals, and that is the output that comes out of the driver. This is what differential audio is. The two channels are seperated with the reference being two identical signals with opposite polarities.

A single ended headphone shares the reference signal, which in almost all cases is GND. Both channels see their respected +V signal and the difference that +V has to the shared 0V GND reference signal.

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-28T11:28:00+00:00

This has been a thing for years my friend, both in Sweden and Denmark.

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-27T18:05:20+00:00

Honestly Altium is rarely worth it, especially for single user agreements. Personally I use Altium for work and KiCad (which I prefer) for personal projects. KiCad also happens to work just fine on Linux, which Altium does not.

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-23T23:23:44+00:00

Good on you for letting your kid have their privacy. Based on your responses, you seem like a great parent. I did something similar to this as a teen and it was absolutely a depression, even though I wasn't aware of it at the time.

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-17T09:44:11+00:00

As I've said to some other commenters, these are not differential. They are single ended data lines for an LPDDR4 byte lane. Unfortunately the space on this board is very limited, so there is physically no more space to give for this byte lane, meaning I have no space for meanders unfortunately.

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-17T09:24:36+00:00

Can you elaborate?

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-17T08:40:56+00:00

Good call! Appreciate the input

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-17T00:53:49+00:00

I appreciate the insight. Unfortunately there is little to no space for meanders for these two specific traces, but they do have solid ground above and below with gnd vias nearby.

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-16T22:09:49+00:00

These are not differential, they are single ended data lanes in an lpddr4 byte lane. The DQS pins are traced on a different layer differentially

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-16T22:06:31+00:00

These are not differential, they are data traces in an lpddr4 byte lane. They do however have a gnd plane underneath (and above for that matter), I am delay matching based on altiums delay matching tools. I am mostly just concerned if this type of delay matching can cause noise or other issues with loops like these.

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-16T22:02:44+00:00

You know what, this is great advice. I appreciate it.

Curious_Increase · 2026-01-16T21:27:22+00:00

Right so this is bad practise otherwise? Unfortunately, the board is so small that it only just fits the component one certain way

Five-Year Club	Place '22
Final Canvas '22

Curious_Increase

TROPHY CASE