09.U-0a setup with external USB DAC

[pedal]

Hi Peter,

I am now using an Eximus CD player/DAC. It's USB input automatically detects and accepts signals between 16/44 and up to 24/96.

In your installation note, part 2, you state Rather important: Probably you are used to set your sound card to a certain amount of "buffer". E.g. for the Fireface that would be 48 (samples). Keep in mind that the below requires more of that buffer. E.g. with 96Khz/24 files (for me) that would be 96 (samples). Better higher this buffer at this stage, or *that* may give you crackles. Note that with 16 bits in either rate of upconverting (to e.g. 24 bits) my Fireface again allows for 48 samples. But start with higher anyway!

My PC-knowledge is limited, but as far as I understand, XXHighEnd is feeding the signal DIRECTLY to the USB com-port. So, there is no sound card buffer setting to change. Or what? Can you pls clarify this matter?


I have installed 09.U-0a and it plays music. The digital volume works. (I still use my active linestage for practial reasons BTW). I think it is a slight SQ improvement compared with XXHighEnd 0.9T-5. More fluid and "lighter" character, without loosing dynamic contrast or slam. (It reminds me about the positive SQ results of Q1 = -2, but without it's softening of the transients). I am using Q1 = 14, by the way.

However, I am not able to alter the XXHighEnd settings of "DAC is 16 bits   44.1 KHz". If altering to fex. 24/96 I get error code UNSUPPORTED FORMAT + FAIL (and no music). -I find this strange, considering that I have a 24/96 DAC. Whats happening? Can you pls clarify this matter?

Thanks in advance,

[andy74]

Hi

Just in case...
Did you try to set "32 bits (most often)" radio button on the DAC needs section

[pedal]

Hi

Just in case...
Did you try to set "32 bits (most often)" radio button on the DAC needs section

Yes I did.

[PeterSt]

but as far as I understand, XXHighEnd is feeding the signal DIRECTLY to the USB com-port. So, there is no sound card buffer setting to change. Or what? Can you pls clarify this matter?

True and No ! ... About the Latency settings of your soundcard. From earlier from today ... Last alinea.

However, I am not able to alter the XXHighEnd settings of "DAC is 16 bits   44.1 KHz". If altering to fex. 24/96 I get error code UNSUPPORTED FORMAT + FAIL (and no music). -I find this strange, considering that I have a 24/96 DAC. Whats happening? Can you pls clarify this matter?

The answer to this, I think, lies in here :

Unfortunately, the PCM2704 is like the PCM2903. Limited to 16/48.

I believe this is the inexpensive route for manufacturers implementing USB input on their DACs. This "off-the-shelf" solution enables them to provide USB without having to write drivers or special code for the firmware. (It uses the native OS USB Audio driver) Using the other two chips I mentioned means the manufacturer either has to provide a custom driver to install, or if they want to provide a "driverless" solution, then they have to specially program the firmware (such as Benchmark, Wavelength, and Empirical Audio do).

Or IOW, chances are fairly high that the drivers your USB DAC require do not list in the Audio Device's properties - Advanced tab (with the 96/24 option). Or ?
Btw, don't get confused ... the options in there do nothing for exclusive mode, it will show though what the Vista Exclusive Mode can deal with.
Disclaimer : I'm still learning myself in this area.

Peter

[edward]

However, I am not able to alter the XXHighEnd settings of "DAC is 16 bits   44.1 KHz". If altering to fex. 24/96 I get error code UNSUPPORTED FORMAT + FAIL (and no music).

This is consistent with my situation as well. I cannot play 16/44.1 songs when "DAC needs" is changed to 24 or 32bits. If I change to "DAC is 24bits 96KHz" and "DAC needs 32bits" then all I can play are 24/96 files. (Or if I change my M-Audio control panel setting to 88KHz, then I can play 24/88 files)

Please also read this post for the messages I'm getting:
http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=379.45

edit: I should also note that my M-Audio Device comes with a custom driver (does not use the Vista USB Audio driver) and therefore has it's own control panel. In that control panel I have to manually select 16 or 24 bits and 44.1 or 48 or 88.2 or 96KHz. And this is also where I select latency (the lowest which is 128). So my device is not "auto-switching".

[GerardA]

FWIW The Terratec is consistent with this too.

[PeterSt]

Edward,

edit: I should also note that my M-Audio Device comes with a custom driver (does not use the Vista USB Audio driver) and therefore has it's own control panel. In that control panel I have to manually select 16 or 24 bits and 44.1 or 48 or 88.2 or 96KHz. And this is also where I select latency (the lowest which is 128). So my device is not "auto-switching".

Can you recognize what I was suggesting : that these "custom" settings are not 1:1 with what Vista shows in Properties - Advanced ?
I mean, I can just as well be wrong here, because almost every audio device that's not USB comes with its custom drivers. And they show in Properties - Advanced (as possible settings). Otoh I have the hunch it's kind of generic. For example, my Fireface shows two options in there it will never be able to play (both at 24bit-3byte options, while the Fireface can only use 24bit-4byte). And mind you, I only know this because RME was so kind to tell me. You can't see it (3byte and 4-byte options show the same).

Thanks.

[pedal]

Hello again,

IN SEARCH OF HI-REZ - PART 2:
Continuing my efforts to play Hi-Rez, I have tested a 24/96 WAV file. No music. I tried all the various DAC settings in XX "settings". So whatever settings, I am not able to play WAV 24/96. The error code is "Can't play! - Wrong Stream Status (1)".

Then I asked VISTA to update my drivers, but they reply that my drivers was the last versions. See below.

So what can I do? -Is it possible to test out alternative USB drivers? Mayby it will work with USB drivers sourced from other companies?

---------------

I purchased the €5.000,- Eximus 24/96 USB CD/DAC in order to play hi-rez files.
Now I realize it doesn't work.
Will there be more developements in this field, Peter St.? 

After all there must be many users with hardware of same technical category as me.

[PeterSt]

I purchased the €5.000,- Eximus 24/96 USB CD/DAC in order to play hi-rez files.
Now I realize it doesn't work.
Will there be more developements in this field, Peter St.? 

Until it works for you. But wait a minute ...

I am not able to play WAV 24/96. The error code is "Can't play! - Wrong Stream Status (1)".

This says the file isn't correctly organized. In the near future that will be attacked by me, but for now ... this just is so. IOW, try another (from another site !).

Peter

[edward]

I am now using an Eximus CD player/DAC. It's USB input automatically detects and accepts signals between 16/44 and up to 24/96.

Who told you this? I would double check with your dealer.

I purchased the €5.000,- Eximus 24/96 USB CD/DAC in order to play hi-rez files.

I looked on the April Music website and no where does it imply that you can play hi-rez files. The CD player only plays CDs (not SACD). Right? The only thing they are touting about hi-rez is that their player/DAC upsamples everything to 24/96 or 192. That does not mean it can natively accept those formats. Dave (SeVeReD) has the Stello DA100 that uses the PCM2704 (USB input receiver chip) and I suspect yours is probably the same or similar. That is limited to 16/48.

[Terje]

Quote from edward:

I looked on the April Music website and no where does it imply that you can play hi-rez files. The CD player only plays CDs (not SACD). Right? The only thing they are touting about hi-rez is that their player/DAC upsamples everything to 24/96 or 192. That does not mean it can natively accept those formats. Dave (SeVeReD) has the Stello DA100 that uses the PCM2704 (USB input receiver chip) and I suspect yours is probably the same or similar. That is limited to 16/48.

All April Music D/A´s and Eximus CD10 can play 24/96 through the usb input.
This is Stello DA100, DA100Signature, DA220MK2 and Eximus CD10.
I am actually playing 24/96 with Foobar and a DA100S at this moment, but xxhighend does not work with 24/96.

I think the reason for your misunderstanding regarding this is that the usb receiverchip used in these units also contains a lowquality built in 16 bit dac.
This built in dac is not in use in any of these units.
The signal from the usb receiver is led directly to highend dac´s from AKM or  Burr Brown (CD10), and all the units can therefor play hi-rez.

[PeterSt]

Thank you for helping Terje.

but xxhighend does not work with 24/96.

Can you please try to indicate why this is ? it just should ... (but as you have seen things are rather confusing at this stage of time).
Also :

The picture from this post in this topic shows the normal USB Audio driver. Do you use a different one ?

Thanks,
Peter

[Terje]

I am afraid I can not tell you why, but I get the following error messages.
When trying to play wav24/96: Wrong stream status(1)
When trying to play flac24/96: Length error in flac file. (this error message also occures when placing flac files in playlist)

I use the same drivers as pedal. These drivers are automatically used when connecting Eximus/Stello products with usb.

As Norwegian importer of April Music´s products, I am really waiting for Xxhighend to be able to play hi-rez with our products.
I dont feel ready to recommend Xxhighend to our customers before it is a complete solution with the ability to play hi-rez formats.

Best Terje

[PeterSt]

Hi Terje,

Again thank you for your input. Also, a (late) warm welcome here !

Then, the both errors you mention, really have the file format as the cause. Both coincidentally different (WAV vs. FLAC), but anyway. BUT : I must tell you that at this moment I did not check FLAC 96/24, so that could be my bad. But I will check later today.

As I said earlier, please try to get a WAV from another source, no matter it plays in other players. The format in the file you use *is* wrong, but I could tweak it (and so far I did not spend time on that).

But if the format appears not to be wrong at all afterwards, I'm very sorry in advance, ok ?
Peter

[edward]

All April Music D/A´s and Eximus CD10 can play 24/96 through the usb input.
This is Stello DA100, DA100Signature, DA220MK2 and Eximus CD10.
I am actually playing 24/96 with Foobar and a DA100S at this moment, but xxhighend does not work with 24/96.

I think the reason for your misunderstanding regarding this is that the usb receiverchip used in these units also contains a lowquality built in 16 bit dac.
This built in dac is not in use in any of these units.
The signal from the usb receiver is led directly to highend dac´s from AKM or  Burr Brown (CD10), and all the units can therefor play hi-rez.

OK, I apologize if my information was incorrect. Indeed the datasheet indicates a maximum of 16/48, but I did not realize this to be only pertaining to the DAC. I did not mean for my comments to be "definitive". I was just offering a "possible" conclusion. I hope you are right and you all get 24/96 working (with XXHighEnd)!

I am actually playing 24/96 with Foobar and a DA100S at this moment

Sorry, I don't mean to overstate the obvious, but can I assume you are using ASIO or KS (with foobar)? Because otherwise, I think, Windows is just downsampling back to 16/48 before it goes out to the DAC.