Need help with DAC optical setup

Hello all.

I am completely new to DAC, and I just bought Aune X1 DAC.

The problem is this DAC perfectly works fine with the USB but not with optical.

The setup I used to have and works fine

PC USB ----> DAC USB ----> Headphone

The setup I am having problem with

PC optical out ----> DAC optical in ----> Headphone

The question is, the optical indicator at the front is red when I connect the devices together, Is this normal? or should it turn green once I feed in the digital streams of music?

By the way, I have changed the default playback devices to Realtek Digital Output, and when I play DVDs I can clearly see the bars going up and down.

I have also tested this DAC with Xtreamer pro, and still no luck. Hence, I am suspecting that the DAC is faulty (Can't be cable because I have tested it with two different cables).

Is there any other verification I can do to verify that the DAC arrived faulty or am I just doing it wrong...?

All the comments appreciated :)

Thank you very much for the reply.

How do I check if my digital output it set to a bit rate? Is it the one where I can tick Dolby Digital encoding? I have ticked Dolby DIgital, and nothing else. (Also tested it with "DTS Audio")

I have checked "Supported Format" tab under Realtek Digital Output Properties and I believe I have set it correctly. Since this DAC supports 192kHz, I can set any range up to 192kHz right?

Also tested it as if it only supports 192kHz, so I don't think I made wrong settings there.

By the way, is my setup suppose to work? Since it is my first DAC and it does not work, I keep believing I am just trying to do something that's not possible.

No, nothing at all when I press "Test" button. I hate to think that I got a faulty unit, but it turns out to be it is a faulty :( Guess I will just return it... Or just use USB connection. Read somewhere USB is better than optical as it's "jitter-free", but in the end, I don't get what I paid for so guess I will just return it...

Thanks for the reply by the way. Really appreciated!

I think I already have mentioned above that I have set the default playback as Digital output...

Anyways, thanks for the input.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roseval 

Quote:

No.

The DAC , the chip doing the DA conversion can do 24 / 192 max.

This says nothing about the capabilities of the inputs.

The Toslink standard allows officially for 24/96 max.

Lots of USB inputs are limited to 16/48.

Etc.

Oh okay. Thanks!

Well, I have tested it with all the available ranges, and none of them worked... so only conclusion I can draw is it is faulty...

I just keep hoping that I am doing something wrong here as I hate to return it back as that's gonna cost me a lot.

By the way, can you please explain more on quote "The chip doing the DA conversion can do 24/192 max, and Toslink input max is 24/96"??

then what is the point of 24/192?

Does this mean it just upscales from 24/96 input to 24/192 and outputs it???

Thank you for the reply. very interesting!

Quote:

Originally Posted by sterling1 

I've got an X-FI HD. It is sometimes used as a DAC. When configured as such the PC/Driver. through Windows Audio Management. allows me to set the interface to the bit rate and depth which is appropriate. What I'm thinking right now is that perhaps even though you've set this you may not have applied it in Windows. I remember when I first installed my X-FI it too did not get any signal to my preamp until I finally worked out a sync arrangement and checked the apply box/

I am just completely lost here. I have been thinking that setting up optical would be no hassle just like USB. The Aune x1 DAC did not come with any software/utilities or any extra settings I am allowed to tweak with, just windows basic sound manager, and that's all, and of course Realtek settings.

Anyways, I will be getting a replacment, so guess this is my last hope.