Amazon launches Music HD with lossless streaming
May 7, 2021 at 1:28 PM Post #1,606 of 1,996
Does your SMSL SU-8 actually show the correct sample rate that the Amazon app claims it is currently playing at? When you change tracks does the sample rate shown on the SU-8 (not the Amazon app) change accordingly?

I dont disagree with you that toggling "Exclusive Mode" sounds better(i use it too) but I dont think that is evidence that it is bypassing Windows mixer and is bitperfect if the DAC is still receiving resampled data. At least for me, the sample rate the DAC seems to show is whatever you set the sample rate to in Windows Sound Settings. If yours works, maybe I need a new DAC. I have tested using an Aurender Flow, Dragonfly Cobalt and Grace Design m900 with a Windows desktop PC and a Dell XPS 13 9310 and Exclusive Mode does not work as you described. Worked perfectly on Qobuz.

I do get the correct sample rate when using my Node 2i instead of a Windows 10 PC or laptop to my Aurender Flow or Grace m900.
Doesn't seem to; it always displays 48k, which is the default Windows setting for it. Like I said, I don't know why it sounds so different, the bypassing the mixer was just me spitballing, but the difference is drastic.
 
May 7, 2021 at 1:30 PM Post #1,607 of 1,996
Doesn't seem to; it always displays 48k, which is the default Windows setting for it. Like I said, I don't know why it sounds so different, the bypassing the mixer was just me spitballing, but the difference is drastic.
And I cannot reliably hear any difference. I guess it shall remain a mystery.
 
May 7, 2021 at 1:41 PM Post #1,608 of 1,996
Can you set you audio device to 96k or 192k if it can handle it? but i doubt most people can tell the diff between 48k vs 96k vs 192k; i know to me they all sound great...

Screenshot 2021-04-20 100612.png
 
May 7, 2021 at 1:46 PM Post #1,609 of 1,996
Can you set you audio device to 96k or 192k if it can handle it? but i doubt most people can tell the diff between 48k vs 96k vs 192k; i know to me they all sound great...

That is what I was doing.
For example, Amazon HD Windows app will show currently playing at 48khz and my DAC will report 96khz or 192khz received depending on what I set it to in Windows Sound Settings.
 
May 7, 2021 at 1:48 PM Post #1,610 of 1,996
Can you set you audio device to 96k or 192k if it can handle it? but i doubt most people can tell the diff between 48k vs 96k vs 192k; i know to me they all sound great...

I can probably convince myself I hear a difference, but at first blush... it would take some convincing. Strangely, my Windows settings won't let me choose a bit depth other than 32-bit.

Edit: It does change the display on the DAC, so that's reacting correctly.
 
May 7, 2021 at 1:51 PM Post #1,612 of 1,996
I wonder if my odd behavior is due to my setting up the SMSL with Microsoft's plug-and-play drivers...
 
May 7, 2021 at 1:52 PM Post #1,613 of 1,996
I can probably convince myself I hear a difference, but at first blush... it would take some convincing. Strangely, my Windows settings won't let me choose a bit depth other than 32-bit.

Edit: It does change the display on the DAC, so that's reacting correctly.
If you don't see anything other than 32bit then it's a driver issue... see if there's any updated drivers for you dac. mine was like that too until i installed the drivers.
 
May 7, 2021 at 2:00 PM Post #1,614 of 1,996
For me the Amazon app shows 192k if I set it to 192k in settings...
That would probably be the Device Capability line, which should show what you set it to in Windows. The currently playing line below it should be limited to the track quality (48khz in my previous example). Of course if the sample rate of the track is 192khz then the app would show currently playing at 192khz.

If one did not look at what the DAC is actually reporting, such person might believe what they are hearing is bitperfect when it probably is not. In my opinion, this is very misleading. I was merely trying to point out that the behavior we are still seeing (was an issue since launch) seems to indicate the Amazon's Windows app is not bypassing Windows mixer, although it may be doing something else.
 
May 7, 2021 at 2:07 PM Post #1,615 of 1,996
If you don't see anything other than 32bit then it's a driver issue... see if there's any updated drivers for you dac. mine was like that too until i installed the drivers.
Turns out, yup. That's also apparently why Exclusive Mode was making such a big difference. Uninstalled the DAC, deleted the drivers, installed SMSL's XMOS drivers, set Windows default to 24-192k, and now I don't hear any real difference toggling Exclusive Mode on and off.

Mystery solved (sort of).
 
May 7, 2021 at 2:21 PM Post #1,616 of 1,996
Turns out, yup. That's also apparently why Exclusive Mode was making such a big difference. Uninstalled the DAC, deleted the drivers, installed SMSL's XMOS drivers, set Windows default to 24-192k, and now I don't hear any real difference toggling Exclusive Mode on and off.

Mystery solved (sort of).
so does it now sound better or worse than before the driver change?
 
May 7, 2021 at 2:23 PM Post #1,617 of 1,996
so does it now sound better or worse than before the driver change?
Sounds basically the same as exclusive mode sounded before.
 
May 7, 2021 at 2:30 PM Post #1,618 of 1,996
I don't have anything that will tell me the sample rate coming out of my computer, otherwise I would love to test out if it's actually switching per-track—or if the app just resamples everything to the Windows set rate. The pops I mentioned earlier, mainly only happen when I start or stop playing music. I have never noticed one while the app finishes playing a 44.1kHz track then starts playing a 96kHz one. (I had a Fiio player that would do exactly that in that same situation.)
 
May 7, 2021 at 2:37 PM Post #1,619 of 1,996
I don't have anything that will tell me the sample rate coming out of my computer, otherwise I would love to test out if it's actually switching per-track—or if the app just resamples everything to the Windows set rate. The pops I mentioned earlier, mainly only happen when I start or stop playing music. I have never noticed one while the app finishes playing a 44.1kHz track then starts playing a 96kHz one. (I had a Fiio player that would do exactly that in that same situation.)
One of my dacs shows sample rate, and it always shows the rate that is set in windows, regardless of the sample rate that the Amazon app says the file is. The setting in windows is also the sample rate the app says my device is capable of playing, regardless of the actual capabilities of the dac.
 
May 7, 2021 at 6:21 PM Post #1,620 of 1,996
One of my dacs shows sample rate, and it always shows the rate that is set in windows, regardless of the sample rate that the Amazon app says the file is. The setting in windows is also the sample rate the app says my device is capable of playing, regardless of the actual capabilities of the dac.
Agreed. So, if your dac is to be trusted, we can conclude that the Amazon music app does some form of resampling to match whatever Windows is set to. (I am assuming that your dac correctly displays different sample rates while playing files in other music player apps.)
 

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