Magic happens when one’s wife offers to walk the dog without him, so that he can work on his audio “affliction.”
I believe I have it solved, and it is a driver conflict. My thinking about using an add in card coupled with the fact that drivers are the root of all evil in Windows machines lead to the discovery.
The SOtM card works fine with Windows drivers. However, I had been using different Texas Instruments drivers from SOtM’s website presuming that these were in some way superior. Upon deleting these drivers and using the native Windows ones, the DS behaves normally on complete shutdown and cold restart after my 3 to 4 attempts now. And I’ll be darned if it doesn’t seem to sound better as well.
Food for thought for the individual who started this thread.
stevem2 said
Gordon, two questions: what file format are you using and have you compared Audirvana Plus to iTunes with BitPerfect?
Mostly FLAC, hi res and a dozen or so DSD.
I have not the patience to set up iTunes so using A+ by dropping files in a playlist. Not sexy but sounds AMAzing.
I have to agree with you on the A+. I’m giving it a trail run and am loving the sound! Playing apple lossless, FLAC, AIFF and DSD ISO files. JRiver with JRemote has a much better user interface experience, but A+ is killing it in SQ on my system!
i have not set iTunes up but heard it drops the SQ . I use A+ simple interface and just make a play list OR I use JRMC via the bridge for more convenient interface and non critical house tunes.
Right now I’m using it only by itself with no iTune integration and only through USB…my (mis)adventures with DS and bridge are for another post. So besides the bridge it looks like we’re both utilizing JRiver and A+ in a similar fashion… A+ for sit down listening sessions and JRMC for ease of use throughout the day.
I will certainly test with iTune integration before my 15 day trial is through.
Thanks Troy. Please keep us posted. I have iTunes set up on my Mini (without file importation or management so it doesn’t mess with my folders) but am mostly using JRMC via USB (foobar2000 to the Bridge). I haven’t tried Audirvana but am curious. BitPerfect works reasonably well but for some reason with this install my hybrid DSD-PCM files created by BitPerfect’s DSDMaster play as PCM, with noise, rather than DSD (and yes, I checked the box for DSD in BitPerfect’s preferences). The same files worked properly on another Mini that’s too far from DS to use. This stuff does not seem to get a lot easier over time.
I also use a late "09 Mini with Maverics and all plays well. I have not loaded Bitperfect but I will as soon as the firmware testing settles down for a while. I have to re-install itunes and have yet to find the courage for the chore.
Right now I’m using it only by itself with no iTune integration and only through USB…my (mis)adventures with DS and bridge are for another post. So besides the bridge it looks like we’re both utilizing JRiver and A+ in a similar fashion… A+ for sit down listening sessions and JRMC for ease of use throughout the day.
I will certainly test with iTune integration before my 15 day trial is through.
For me JMRC on the Mac with JRemote on the iPad is a fantastic combination for user experience and ease of use. It takes me back to my days of the Logitech Transporter, LMS and iPeng. This setup allows me to have my friends over, keep the iPad open to the JRemote app and any of them can search for and play anything they want with ease, have fun doing it and hear great sound from the DS. It also allows my 9 and 10 year old girls to quickly and easily play Emblem 3, Selena Gomez, One Direction and Miley Cyrus. Which reminds me…I have to change my iPad password again!!!
I’ve been a PWD MKII user for 2 years and never had any issues using it with USB or Bridge. I recently installed the DS upgrade on it so now I have the DS PWD now. When I try to install the USB I kept getting the message to connect the USB even when it’s already connected.
After many reboot of laptop, DAC and USB Port swapping, I did manage to install driver once successfully and I was able to use the DS USB 2.0 driver to work on one of my laptop. However, the next day when I booted up again, my computer can’t see the DS Dac through the USB and it didn’t work any more.
I try re-installing the driver again, but now I get the connection problem again. What happen with the USB drivers for DS?
Now I have to use my USB thru my Bel Canto ULink which takes USB and outputs through a RCA digital out. So I’m playing my DS with this combo through the COAX input.
When I had to set up the USB for the PWD, it was a snap. I’m running win 7.0 with Foobar 2000 as my player.
I ran into a similar thing when I first installed the DS. I don’t know i this was ever formally discussed here, but I believe that the current USB driver is a different version from that which was introduced with the PWD.
After reading an earlier posting on this thread, I power down the DS DAC and just like that my PC was able to detect the DS DAC’s USB connection when the DS was booted up.
My DS DAC was just upgraded like 2 wks ago and it’s still in the burn in mode; so it’s only been power down once or twice.
crabby said
Three times now, the DS has lost USB lock the my computer. Rebooting the computer and switching cables don't fix only rebooting the DS. Anyone else experience? Is it possible the digital board is damaged?
Hi, May be a clue which worked well for me :).
I just got my DS upgrade yesterday. In the past for tests purpose, I de-activated an option in Windows (8/64bits) and forgot to reset it to the normal position. This changed nothing with my PWDII but while playing with my new DS, it loosed at several times the USB link. No sound after a while (few tracks) and the only solution to restaure the USB connection is to reboot the DS.
While reading the “How-to-run-a-bit-perfect-test-with-directstream” article which mention “in the enhancements tab click Disable all enhancements”, I remarked this checkbox was deactivated in my case. So I checked it and now I ran the DS night and day and the USB is rock stable.
Hope this help.
UPDATE: I observed the pb. with the FW coming with the DS (12-061-99-1 Release 02 which was a 54) and the last one (DS 6115). I did not tried to return back to the 54 version, I’m happy with the 6115, sounds very good
My DS DAC was just upgraded like 2 wks ago and it’s still in the burn in mode; so it’s only been power down once or twice.
When burning in any component it's a good idea to power the unit down from time to time, rather than letting it just play non-stop. Shutting the unit off and letting it cool down can speed the break-in, because the cooling down and warming up of the circuit exercises the components further.
The DirectStream appears to be very finicky with USB cables. It would not work with a Corning Optical USB, which was not surprising, but it also would not work with my Entreq Konstantain cable, which has always worked with my other DACs. Trying the Entreq started an hour long exercise of restarting the computer, powering off the DS and reinstalling the driver before I could get the original generic USB working again. Unplugging the unit for a few seconds seemed to be of value.
I’m still keen on trying some things to see if a cable with disconnected power will work and if so, will it sound better. I might try the SOtM cable without the power lines.
I tried upgrading from a generic USB cable to an audiophile grade, all silver wiring and gold-plated pins. Can’t get the expensive cable to work, although the USB indicator turns green on the DAC.