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What signal rate outputs my PC thru USB port to HeadRoom DACs?

post #1 of 9
11/22/09 at 2:09pm
Thread Starter 
I have a PC with a SoundMax Integrated Digital HD Audio (ASUS mother) and Win7 OS. I´ve got high rez flac files (24/96), so I play them with Winamp and the signal passes to the HeadRoom Ultra thru an USB port. What signal rate recieves the dac? The original 24/96 or the usual 16/44. Please some of you coul help me because I´m confused. Of course I want the hi rez signal to pass to the Ultra DAC, not the CD type one. I checked the SoundMax software but it didn´t help me.

Thanks in advance
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post #2 of 9
11/23/09 at 10:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by guguplex View Post
I have a PC with a SoundMax Integrated Digital HD Audio (ASUS mother) and Win7 OS. I´ve got high rez flac files (24/96), so I play them with Winamp and the signal passes to the HeadRoom Ultra thru an USB port. What signal rate recieves the dac? The original 24/96 or the usual 16/44.
It's sending 16/44 because it knows the USB port on the Ultra can only take that. If you want to get high res I suggest the M-Audio Transit as an inexpensive solution, or the Bel Canto USB Link for the expensive solution.
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post #3 of 9
11/23/09 at 1:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyll Hertsens View Post
It's sending 16/44 because it knows the USB port on the Ultra can only take that. If you want to get high res I suggest the M-Audio Transit as an inexpensive solution, or the Bel Canto USB Link for the expensive solution.
Ok Tyll, this is what it happens using the USB port, but what if I use the optical or the coaxial ports . The ASUS motherboard has both for digital audio out. Happens the same (16/44)?? or this way I can finally have the original 24/96 signal decoded by the Ultra DAC?

Keep awaiting for your response

Thanks a lot Tyll!!!
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post #4 of 9
11/23/09 at 4:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by guguplex View Post
Ok Tyll, this is what it happens using the USB port, but what if I use the optical or the coaxial ports . The ASUS motherboard has both for digital audio out. Happens the same (16/44)?? or this way I can finally have the original 24/96 signal decoded by the Ultra DAC?

Keep awaiting for your response

Thanks a lot Tyll!!!
tyll would probably give the decisive answer,but i think that if you use an optical or coaxial connection to your UM it will get the original 24/96, unlike with usb.
but now I am interested to know this: what does it matter what the resolution is, if the UM will upsample to 24/192 anyway?
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post #5 of 9
11/23/09 at 10:41pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by plonter View Post
tyll would probably give the decisive answer,but i think that if you use an optical or coaxial connection to your UM it will get the original 24/96, unlike with usb.
but now I am interested to know this: what does it matter what the resolution is, if the UM will upsample to 24/192 anyway?
Hi Plonter , thanks for your replay. Yes I know that Ultra Dacs upsample to 24/192 but I believe that it´s better if you feed the DAC with an original 24/96 signal; the final result should be better ; .... well unless that´s my thought

The best for you
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post #6 of 9
11/23/09 at 11:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyll Hertsens View Post
It's sending 16/44 because it knows the USB port on the Ultra can only take that. If you want to get high res I suggest the M-Audio Transit as an inexpensive solution, or the Bel Canto USB Link for the expensive solution.
What does the Bel Canto USB link go for? Where can you get one of them gizmo's to buy? Yes, I see the loooooooong list of potential sellers, but I'm hoping to hear about one of the often mentioned dealers around here, including HeadRoom, of course.
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post #7 of 9
11/24/09 at 11:19am
Thread Starter 
Hi aimlink, I don`t think you need the Bel Canto USB link if you use a HR Ultra Dac. I think Plonter is right when he says that the Ultra DAC makes his own job in this field, and you know, less connections is usually better. If you want to go for a Bel Canto, google the Stereophile review , they conclude that the M-Audio Transit is the same and costs 5 times less. More convenient : you can get the M-Transit thru HeadRoom
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post #8 of 9
11/24/09 at 11:59am
Well, you can't get either through us actually.

The biggest difference is that I believe with the Bel Canto you can have a playlist of tracks with multiple bit rates and the driver will automatically switch bitrates; with the Transit you have to manually switch bitrates between songs of differing resolution.

And, yes, it's better to play the files in thier native resolution. Up sampling 16/44 will interpolate to make nice smooth 24/96 resolution files, but playing the file in 24/96 will use actual music data instead of computer interpolation (guessing).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Plonter
but i think that if you use an optical or coaxial connection to your UM it will get the original 24/96
Yupper, if you can get an optical or coax digital signal off your soundcard, that's the way to go for sure.
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post #9 of 9
11/24/09 at 7:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by guguplex View Post
Hi aimlink, I don`t think you need the Bel Canto USB link if you use a HR Ultra Dac. I think Plonter is right when he says that the Ultra DAC makes his own job in this field, and you know, less connections is usually better. If you want to go for a Bel Canto, google the Stereophile review , they conclude that the M-Audio Transit is the same and costs 5 times less. More convenient : you can get the M-Transit thru HeadRoom
I'm using optical out so I wasn't personally interested in the Bel Canto. Just wanted to know for my own edification where it was available and the cost.
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