I have just received a Direct Stream DAC and am setting it up to demonstrate for our audio society at our next meeting… Since there are no instructions in the box I have been doing this by trial and error. I still have a few questions & comments for others. This is a windows 8.1 laptop with J-River Media Center, version 19. I found out the hard way version 18 simply does not have most of the DSD setups that are needed and does not sound good. You need version 19. This took me quite a while to figure out. It would help if your instructions specified J-River 18 or later for those of us who already have it on our machines. However, I am still unclear as to the correct settings. Ted posted that DSD over DOP should be chosen, which I have done. However, my Direct Stream DAC display screen shows PCM 352.8, not DSD 3452.8. Is this correct? I saw in another posting Ted mentioned it should say DSD 64 or 128. Does this mean I am not getting proper native DSD?
Anyway, if someone could post the optimum settings for J-River Media Center /Windows 8.1 to use with the DAC I would appreciate the info. I don’t have time to read all of the posts to pick up each kernel of information.
The unit sounds good out of the box but Im hoping it will improve. Im suspicious I may not have it set up properly due to the difficulties with computer audio, too many devices, different options etc. The USB driver from PSAudio did download properly so thats not an issue.
Godzilla63 said
I have just received a Direct Stream DAC and am setting it up to demonstrate for our audio society at our next meeting.. Since there are no instructions in the box I have been doing this by trial and error. I still have a few questions & comments for others. This is a windows 8.1 laptop with J-River Media Center, version 19. I found out the hard way version 18 simply does not have most of the DSD setups that are needed and does not sound good. You need version 19. This took me quite a while to figure out. It would help if your instructions specified J-River 18 or later for those of us who already have it on our machines. However, I am still unclear as to the correct settings. Ted posted that DSD over DOP should be chosen, which I have done. However, my Direct Stream DAC display screen shows PCM 352.8, not DSD 3452.8. Is this correct? I saw in another posting Ted mentioned it should say DSD 64 or 128. Does this mean I am not getting proper native DSD?
Anyway, if someone could post the optimum settings for J-River Media Center /Windows 8.1 to use with the DAC I would appreciate the info. I don’t have time to read all of the posts to pick up each kernel of information.
The unit sounds good out of the box but Im hoping it will improve. Im suspicious I may not have it set up properly due to the difficulties with computer audio, too many devices, different options etc. The USB driver from PSAudio did download properly so thats not an issue.
Thanks.
You don’t have bit perfect play back if you are playing DSD but not seeing DSD in the display of the DS.
Godzilla63, check the other threads for JRMC 19 setup for the DS; they may help. Also, I would advise that you give the DS sufficient time to burn in before doing a demo in front of an audio society. Reported burn in times vary, but in general I think it’s fair to say burn in improves the sound of the DS. With any luck your next get together isn’t in the next day or two. Also, if the DS is going to be powered off and moved to the site of the meeting, be aware the output transformers will need time to settle out once the DS is powered back on. Figure anywhere up to 30 minutes for that.
Thank you for the timely responses. I followed the instructions for setup and it has fixed the problem. I am now seeing DSD on the Direct Stream DAC display….and the sound quality has taken a jump. It sounds munch better now.
I appreciate forums like this that provide quick answers to computer problems for those of us who are not “experts” in computer audio.
Now is the time to do some more critical listening since the unit is finally set up properly. Thanks again Ted & Tony 22.
tony22 said
... Also, I would advise that you give the DS sufficient time to burn in before doing a demo in front of an audio society. ...
+1 I was prepared to that because I experienced the same burn in evolution with the PWD, but it is only now at more than 300 hours I begin to really appreciate the sound of the DS. Several qualities are coming from start or quickly but the emotion is only reachable right now (my thoughts of course).