ksalno said
For those having issues with the Bridge, I have a Bridge II and it works fine with JRiver and JRemote. The one thing I noticed is after the initial Torreys load, when I selected the BII as the input, the little network icon was red (I'm not sure if that is muted or inactive). In any case, I had to click on the red icon, which then turned to green and I was able to use the BII for the rest of the evening for my testing. No drop outs or any other issues.
Karl
After the initial load and two reboots, I've gotten my original Bridge to work properly with JR21. Still don't understand why it didn't to begin with but...
Album art is captured correctly and switching to the coax input to watch/listen to Netflix via the Oppo 105D through the DS DAC went without a hitch.
Edit: And DSF files are coming through as DoP. This may be listener bias (but I don’t think so), the sound of the DSF files is sharper, more detailed but not over the top. I’m listening to a solo cello work and if anything, it sounds more real. And yes, I’ve heard solo cello in a live setting and as part of a small ensemble in an excellent acoustic.
Loaded Torrey’s with no issues. Played using USB SonicOrbiter SE/Roon through several songs, no issues. Also switched to Bridge II using Lumin Tidal no issues. SQ is great, agreeing with Joe’s comments above about 3D staging and definely cymbals sounding more metallic. Played some Nora Jones and Sade. Need to run for now, more to follow, anxious for Roon/Bridge.
Got off to a bad start - after I loaded Torreys to my PWT…! I should have waited until the morning instead of the early hours … “How did I mix them up - what an idiot”. Anyway, ‘big thanks’ to Paul and to Dennis for sending me recovery files… I did load Torreys to my DS but my laptop has also died and appears to be a bucket job… While I waited on P S Audio to help out with my bricked PWT…I thought I’d connect my Rega Isis CD player to the DS via TOSLINK - there was still no music to be had…? ( It was as if there was hex on everything I tried ) After trying various things including another make of DAC I ended up rebooting Torreys 4 times until it eventually started to play… I did try switching between inputs but that didn’t do anything to make the DS play… I have now loaded the files from P S Audio to the PWT and I am playing my Cds…
Only been playing 40 mins … But even at this early juncture I can hear an effortlessness to the music, really opened out …it just sounds so darn natural…
I will report back after I’ve had my ‘Hi-Fi exorcised’ and after more listening time…
Ted Smith said
If any of you get the no audio after upgrade problem could you try another input before you reboot and see if another input works or not and whether selecting another input and then selecting back to your first input works? Thanks.
No sound after upgrade, red input button, making it green (on) no music. None of the inputs worked. also going back to the first one didn't work, switch off and on at the back......and music.
Installed the beta software, first no sound at all. After switch off & on music, listen to a part of the new Steven Wilson album switch from I2S to the bridge2 input for some high resolution music, Hotel California Eagles 192khz/24bits no music. Music played from a Mac book pro with Jriver software. Bridge2 was recognized cover presented, and directream indicated 192khz / 24 bits but no music. Switching back to the other inputs and back still no music. Also no music on the other inputs. And back to the bridge 2 no music. DS one more time off and on still no music. So yale back in the DS. I will try later once again. With yale everything works fine. Will be continued… maybe switching software a few times…
After an hour, it still sounds fantastic. I’ve been playing JR 21 and BubbleUPnP to Bridge II with no issues, except that I keep getting caught by the music and apparently not much else is getting done today…
Livingston Taylor “Ink” album at 24/96 has never sounded better. For the first time, I don’t hear the mid-bass “bloom” that seems to afflict most baritone male singers (at least the close-miked ones), and gives them an audibly freakishly large chest measurement. this is the most natural-sounding baritone range on voice and instruments that I’ve heard in a long series of equipment.
Listening to Brian Culbertson Live, fantastic. Attack on the drums and piano just leaping out of my reference Gallo speakers. I want to wait a day then return to Yale. Wonder if I get the sensation the room calapsed when I go Yale.
It installed without issue. The display reads the bits and bit-rate correctly.
I’m using only PCM from an Oppo 105 -- Redbook CDs and some hi-res files.
SOUND QUALITY:
There is a subtle, but noticeable improvement over Yale. It’s not noticeable on every CD or track, but it is there. With a system as refined as the DS DAC with Yale, this is really good. What I hear is a removal of various digital artifacts compared to Yale. This reduces digital glare from the upper midrange and treble and is particularly noticeable on loud piano notes and percussion from early digital recordings.
I hear a little less energy in the upper treble, which may be partly due to this removal of digital artifacts. The upper overtones are better integrated into the music as a whole.
On a few recordings, threshold upper treble detail, like a quiet triangle, is now inaudible (without putting an ear up to the speaker). This triangle is audible using the Oppo 105’s own DAC. But this sort tonal balance issue is system, source, and individual-hearing dependent.
There is greater separation of instruments on the soundstage on some recordings, and curiously, an instrument which was on the far right with Yale moved to center-right with Torreys. There is a little more low-level ambient information as well.
Well-recorded midrange instruments and vocals are now just beautiful. I assume this may be related to the removal of some of these digital artifacts. And there is a little more detail present on some recordings.
In simple words, Torreys is just plain cleaner than Yale.
That’s my report from about 90 minutes of listening.
Second try with Torreys, no problem this time with to beta software except the mute function.
I first tried Bridge 2 and switched to the PWT to listen to my favorite Porcupine Tree album. When I start the cd the bridge 2 music stops because of the play button on the RC. First impression is a very positive one, it sounds more lively. Good deep bass with Russian on ice, voices and drums are good. My webstation 192kb/s sounds even better. With breakaway soundprocessing. Tomorrow I will dig out a few more records.
Loaded Torrey with no problems. Using Bridge II as input. Correctly recognized.
No sound after initializing. Solution: change volume or switch to another input (optical) that had an input and then back to Bridge II.
Using Jriver 21 as Media Library with transcode to PCM 24 setting.
44.1/16 material shows as PCM 44.1 16 bit on the Bridge II display - it should show as 24 bit but plays OK.
88.2/24 correctly shows as 88.2 24 bit and plays ok
192/24 correctly shows as 192 24 bit and plays ok
Single .dsf files did not play. They showed up as 176 / 24 looked as they would play on the display but no sound. Switching inputs or changing volume did not help. Rebooted played a redbook file and played an sacd ISO. Showed up as DOP and played. After the ISO played the single .dsf file was also recognized as DOP and played OK.
Left the system alone for 2.5 hrs came back an realized that the display was frozen. Switched the DS off with a big “bang” (forgot to turn off the amp - Arrrrgh).
Realized that after turning the power swich off and on the left switch started blinking again indiacting a firmware update. This happens every time I use the power switch.
After reboot NO ABILITY to play any DSD files - single .dsf or ISOs. Loaded YALE and everything is working fine.
Changed back to Torreys and DSDs (.dsf and ISOs) don’t play at all - Display shows 176 / 24 and play bar and time indicators move as normal but no sound. Still the strange problem with transcoded 44.1 24 bit input showing as 16 bit but playing OK. YALE correctly shows 44.1 / 24 bit.
No comments on sound yet as I started from a “cold” system - both DS and BHK 250.
kckuepper said
Using Jriver 21 as Media Library with transcode to PCM 24 setting.
44.1/16 material shows as PCM 44.1 16 bit on the Bridge II display - it should show as 24 bit but plays OK.
Torreys may know that the file is just padded with zeros.
kckuepper said
Loaded Torrey with no problems. Using Bridge II as input. Correctly recognized.
No sound after initializing. Solution: change volume or switch to another input (optical) that had an input and then back to Bridge II.
Using Jriver 21 as Media Library with transcode to PCM 24 setting.
44.1/16 material shows as PCM 44.1 16 bit on the Bridge II display - it should show as 24 bit but plays OK.
88.2/24 correctly shows as 88.2 24 bit and plays ok
192/24 correctly shows as 192 24 bit and plays ok
Single .dsf files did not play. They showed up as 176 / 24 looked as they would play on the display but no sound. Switching inputs or changing volume did not help. Rebooted played a redbook file and played an sacd ISO. Showed up as DOP and played. After the ISO played the single .dsf file was also recognized as DOP and played OK.
Left the system alone for 2.5 hrs came back an realized that the display was frozen. Switched the DS off with a big “bang” (forgot to turn off the amp - Arrrrgh).
Realized that after turning the power swich off and on the left switch started blinking again indiacting a firmware update. This happens every time I use the power switch.
After reboot NO ABILITY to play any DSD files - single .dsf or ISOs. Loaded YALE and everything is working fine.
Changed back to Torreys and DSDs (.dsf and ISOs) don’t play at all - Display shows 176 / 24 and play bar and time indicators move as normal but no sound. Still the strange problem with transcoded 44.1 24 bit input showing as 16 bit but playing OK. YALE correctly shows 44.1 / 24 bit.
No comments on sound yet as I started from a “cold” system - both DS and BHK 250.
More to come …
We decided not to add the native DSD over USB feature so DSD will still only play with DoP as before. Not sure why Yale would act any different. DSD files using DoP play fine here.
I’ll have to ask Ted about the display not showing correctly.
As Elk mentioned the FPGA shows how many bits are changing. If it shows 16 bits then the bottom 8 bits are 0’s - very common with most 44.1k sources - but if something upstream has a non-unity volume setting it will probably change to 24 bits - you can try changing the volume a little to see if something upstream is truncating to 16 bits or if it’s merely that the source has 0’s on the bottom.
When the display shows 176.4/24 bits for a DSD file the root of the problem is almost always a non-unity volume setting somewhere upstream.
Loaded Torreys tonight. Everything went well because I have been through this process multiple times before. I noticed that the files were prepared on a Mac because it contains an extra folder that may confuse Windows users when unzipping. As previously commented the package could be accompanied with an MD5# but this extra file may also confuse people (?). The checksum could be mentioned, though. The loading was very slow during the initialization compared with Yale.
I toggled the red button in the display and selected the USB input with the IR remote.
First impression:
I support those who says that the metallic shimmering of cymbals sounds more realistic and stands out. Also I find the stereo perspective broaden, not only with ambiance but also with musical instruments. It is slightly weird to hear drums shiftet to one side with approx 1-2 ft. compared with Yale. I guess it will be an impossible task to find out what is correct except for the Mastering Engineer. I will look out for holes in the frequency reproduction because you easily miss the big picture when focusing on specifics, e.g. cymbals.
Paul McGowan said
Be sure and remove the SD card once it's loaded.
Why is that, Paul? Won't that prevent album art from loading when listening to the Bridge/Bridge II ?
I’ve been trying to watch the news tonight (fed through the Oppo 105D and the DS DAC as I always do when watching TV), but keep switching back to movies such as The Chronicles of Riddick and Point of No Return (also on TV) because the sound stage is so engaging/three dimensional. This seems to be the area where the Torreys Beta OS particularly shines.