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BitHeads and Bit Rates

post #1 of 5
4/14/09 at 9:06pm
Thread Starter 
Based on the recommendation in one of the Ultra DAC threads, I thought I would download the 24/96 sample tracks from HDtracks and see how they sounded. Since they're FLAC files, I also downloaded Songbird in order to play them on my PC. It was my understanding that the BitHead's DAC could only handle 16/48 resolutions, so I thought I had a fair chance of hearing nothing at all via USB.

As it turns out, I did get sound in the headphones, so I'm curious what's happening here. Any ideas? Does Songbird detect the BitHead's capabilities and downsample to 16/48? I kind of doubt the BitHead itself does it, but maybe it does. If the PC is handling the downsample via the Songbird software or another mechanism, what might the effects on sound quality be? Worse than just downloading a 16/48 version? Or potentially better, due to better "source" material?

Either way, the tracks seem very well recorded, and I like them a lot, I'm just wondering what the FLAC file to headphone process is in this case. If anyone can explain, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
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post #2 of 5
4/15/09 at 9:49am
I think your PC downsamples prior to sending it. At least, that's what happens on my mac if I play very-high-bitrate files through USB.
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post #3 of 5
4/15/09 at 9:51am
Dont know, but the music sure is sweet though dont you think!!!
Kevin
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post #4 of 5
4/15/09 at 12:25pm
The standard audio path in Windows (DirectSound or waveOut) the OS will do sample rate conversion if necessary to match what the output device supports. The sample rate conversion is done in software by the OS.

If you use a player like Foobar that can support ASIO or WASAPI you can bypass the sample rate conversion by the OS. In the case of ASIO or WASAPI playback if you try to play a sample rate and bitrate that the device doesn't support you will get no sound and an error (Foobar will pop up an error telling you it can't play that sample rate). In Foobar you can add in the Resampler DSP to get sample rate conversion to be able to play that file with ASIO or WASAPI.
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post #5 of 5
4/15/09 at 3:15pm
Thread Starter 
After looking up DirectSound, I think I see the big picture now. Thanks man! As I said, I doubted the BitHead was doing the downsample. I did a little A/B listening between the (apparently downsampled) 24/96 version and the 16/44 versions of the files. At first, I thought there was a huge difference in quality but then I realized I had left the EQ turned on in iTunes. Big mistake for preserving audio quality.

After correcting that, the differences seemed very small to non-existent with my gear. Perhaps a little bit more soundstage and "sparkle" in the downsampled 24/96 FLAC files, but pretty hard to tell. At that point, the differences might have been some software implementation in iTunes vs Songbird or even in how the HDtracks folks did their downsample from the original files to the 16/44 version.

Either way, the tracks seem to be of very high quality. I imagine that I'll use them along with the Stereophile Jerome Harris Quintet CD and various other tunes to audition new gear. Also had to add Chubb Sub after watching Tyll bebop to it for his Sen 800 testing.
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