Gordon, I thought Wavestream did not transcode (at least in that sense). As I understood it, if your player software could play a file, Wavestream would take the output and stream it as wav rather than the computer sending the output to its sound card. (My understanding of Wavestream is admittedly quite primitive and I invite correction.) I recall there being issues with high-res ALAC but I would hope iTunes could play them, if anything could. Otherwise, I would think the high-res ALAC files could just be converted to AIFF (bigger files but we know those work).
Stevem, you have it right. I think that Gordon does understand but perhaps got himself turned around with that post. 
J.P.
@wingsounds13
I think you are right.
Someone who uses WS [I have not] posted that it transcodes everything it gets to WAV.
I knoweth not the truth.
ALAC hi res would need to be converted to AIFF or transcoded by the player? [I also do not use ALAC hi-res.]
iTunes plays smoothly alac high res, though wavestream should be
able to transcode it and send everything out in wav.
I hope so…
F.
fabio060673 said: though wavestream should be
able to transcode it and send everything out in wav
I was not aware that WS would be transcoding.
Is this a fact?
I think it just streams what it gets?
That’s my understanding (but then I’m often wrong). Wavestream takes whatever would otherwise have gone to the computer’s sound card (i.e., the computer’s DAC) and streams that (I believe, as wav) to the PWD. I would think iTunes would be doing the transcoding from ALAC to LPCM.
Just to clarify: WaveStream does not transcode. The only thing that it does is to take a PCM audio data stream that the player program is producing (and thinks is going to a sound card) and directs that data stream out the Ethernet network connection to a UPnP renderer.
All of the audio file playback processing - fetching the audio file, decoding it from whatever format it is stored as and rendering a PCM audio data stream including any DSP is handled by the Player program such as iTunes, Winamp, eLyric, J River, Foobar2000, or any source of audio such as a web browser. Playback level adjustment could be done by the source program or by the Windoze or Mac audio handling processes.
WaveStream is nothing more than a conduit that appears to the computer and audio source software to be a sound card. It accepts the same PCM audio data stream that a sound card would and sends it to a network connected DAC rather than a DAC on a physical sound card in the computer. Extremely simple in concept, but apparently not so simple in actual execution.
J.P.
wingsounds13 said: WaveStream is nothing more than a conduit that appears to the computer and audio source software to be a sound card.
This is right - it is a direct software pipeline to ethernet rather than having a soundcard involved.
Will one be able to listen to MOG via Wavestream?
Soundcards receive audio data as linear PCM, not Wave. I assume the Bridge similarly receives LPCM from WaveStream.
WaveStream will allow ANY audio from any source on the computer to be played through any UPnP compliant renderer such as the PWD/Bridge combo. This includes your web browser and MOG. If the sound can come out of your computer speakers then it can be played by any UPnP renderer via WaveStream.
Yes, the Bridge accepts wav or LPCM formats when being used as a UPnP streaming target.
J.P.
Time to say goodbye… after wait for quite a long time (20 month?), i decide to give up waiting . Too much excuse from PSA, just sold my PWD2+bridge last week…
But , indeed , PWD2 is really a good dac i’ve ever had.But for a network player (bridge with psa software )is not a good solution… Acctually this is the reason that make me spend money to buy .I never expect that a production canbe put into market with semi-finished… So disappoint on this.
But have to say still looking forward to see PWD3 with Reliable and usable bridge 2 if it will have .
Good luck for all…
Understandable, but we are sad to see you go.
What are using as a replacement?
Understandable, but we are sad to see you go.
What are using as a replacement?
And does it sound better???
To me it would seem that the better solution today would be to get the Sonore Rendu or Orbiter to replace the Bridge function. While they might not match the sonic qualities of the Bridge, both seem to be high quality, stable and fully functional network audio devices.
I already have Foobar2000 feeding the Bridge wonderful gapless audio, but if I had the funds I would be tempted to add a Rendu to my setup. It is very much what I wished the SilentServer to be… Alas, solid network audio seems still to be beyond PS Audio’s grasp.
J.P.
That’s what I did…but went with the Orbiter, I think USB makes more sense…
Eric, can’t wait to hear you think of the orbiter
Can’t wait to get it! I did ask Jesus to make mine with a black face plate, hope that doesn’t hold things up too much… I’m waiting on a USB cable also, so if it showed up today I’d still have to wait…
Eric, keep us posted please. Everything we read says the orbiters sound great andare solid as a rock.
Quick question, is the orbiter the same as or superior to the new Sotm sms-100 miniserver with battery ps??
They seem identical to each other in how they work with LMS, the only difference in specs seems to be the linear PS in orbiter vs the battery PS in the SOTM? And I noticed Jesus has taken the orbiter off his Website? and has left the high end Rendu and the SOTM product.
Hey yeah… I hope the orbiter isn’t gone for good.