Stellar Gain Cell DAC Not Showing DXD file information

Audio Components DACs
1

Just got in a DXD file for an upcoming review project, and while Roon shows it as playing in 32 bit/352.8 kHz, the display on the GCD just flickers on and off, not constantly displaying the file rate. I does display the filter (“1” is the only one that works for me with DXD), but the file rate flickers inconsistently from not there at all mostly to there for a microsecond. I’ve had a few issues with Roon showing a file as playing at one rate, and the GCD showing it at another – it was usually a setting in my Euphony Summus/Endpoint configuration. Anybody have any ideas about what might be going on? Paul? Darren?

Thanks, Tom

2

The GDAC can handle up to 24 bit, so that likely has something to do with it.

3

The file was supplied by a PR firm for a record label – it plays perfectly, and sounds incredible – so if the GCD is limited to 24 bit, is it downsampling the 32 bit file to 24 bits?

4

What does the signal path show in Roon? The GDAC doesn’t have any ability to downsample the files itself.

5

It shows it as a 32 bit, 352.8 kHz DXD WAV file.

6

Is it possible that the source is downsampling it to a 24 bit file before it’s sent to the GDAC?

7

The source would be my Euphony Summus/Endpoint server/player/streamer. And on it’s display, it shows the file as 32 bit, 352.8 kHz DXD.

8

If it’s downsampling it, there’s no indication that it’s happening.

9

I’m not currently at home, I’m at work, so I can’t check any of the equipment to confirm everything. And I only get a millisecond of a display on the GCD to confirm what it shows as the sampling rate. I’ll take another look tonight to try and confirm what it is actually trying to display.

10

And I may need to talk to the Euphony people, but they’re in Croatia, where it’s currently about 1 am. Maybe tomorrow before I get any input from them regarding any downsampling that might be going on.

11

Back home, just checked everything, Roon still shows 32 bit/352.8 kHz, and Euphony shows the same thing. There’s no provision in Euphony for downsampling from whatever the native file rate is, and the sound quality is just off the charts great. And the information that flickers on the GCD display is “PCM 352.8”. It’s baffling, to say the least!

1 Like
12

James,

Just finished with tech support with Euphony in Croatia, and they remoted in to my system while the 32 -bit/352.8 DXD file was playing, and they were able to confirm that the file is not being downconverted, and that it’s playing at 32 bits through the GCD. I know that the ESS 9010 chipset is 32-bit capable, and the sound quality is incredibly good – this is maybe the single best sounding album on my music server! I dunno…

13

Damn, shows what I know… :grimacing: :stuck_out_tongue: I could swear the USB was limited to 24bit. I’ve never really tried because 32bit files aren’t necessarily popular.

14

This is the only one I have – the label rep reached out to me with the review offer, and I didn’t even know if my equipment was capable with the file download they supplied! But, hey – it works! And it sounds great!