[Hooster]

  Tidal Hifi 99% of the time here. CD quality 44100 from what I understand, but what bit rate (depth?)?
 
I've always wondered this....
 
 
Thanks

 
Use Tidal in exclusive mode, force the volume to max if you have an external attenuator (do NOT do this if you have headphones directly plugged into the computer, you risk blowing up your ears and headphones), disable MQA and you are good.

 

[jodokus]

Bit depth isn't as important as the sampling rate, set it to 24 if you use system volume control at a setting less than 100%, if the volume is maxed 16 should be ok if it's even an option. The bummer with the Windows Spotify app and maybe Tidal as well they cannot bypass Windows mixer which is known to do some nasty resampling. Google ASIO Bridge, if your DAC doesn't have an ASIO driver there's ASIO4All.

I use the JRiver wdm ASIO driver (default soundcard) with Equalify in Spotify. Makes every playback bitperfect, no mixer in the way. 

 

[gvl2016]

Does Equalify work well? I thought it was a hack that breaks every time Spotify releases a new version.

 

[jodokus]

Does Equalify work well? I thought it was a hack that breaks every time Spotify releases a new version.

Minor problems in the beginning, but the later Equalify Pro works flawlessly with every version.

 

[gvl2016]

  Minor problems in the beginning, but the later Equalify Pro works flawlessly with every version.

 
Good to know thanks. Are you sure it is bit-accurate? All I can see you can choose a device but not clear if you actually bypass Windows audio stack. ASIO bridge implements a kernel-level driver to do just that.

 

[jodokus]

You have to use the jriver asio wdm driver to make it bit perfect. During playback, JRiver is the "soundcard" and creates a direct signal.

 

[gvl2016]

You have to use the jriver asio wdm driver to make it bit perfect. During playback, JRiver is the "soundcard" and creates a direct signal.

 
Ok, that makes sense. So jriver then forwards to the actual Asio driver? ASIO Bridge does just that.

 

[jodokus]

Thats it!

 

[TurbOSquiD67]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the help. 
 
Long story short.... I received my NOS19 (Amanero) a couple days ago, and I've been experiencing a sharp pop/tick/clip in my audio at random.
This issue does not happen with my Modi MB - same cables, computer, 2 different amplifiers, and I'm running a tripp lite conditioner at the pc and isolator for my amps/dacs.
I've reimaged my pc, reinstalled drivers twice, and tried all sample rates.
The NOS19 with Amanero pops at random (every 20 seconds or so, sometimes more often) and the Modi MB doesnt.
Pop isn't super loud, but just very sharp and fast, like clipping.
I verified the Amanero is using their latest driver from their website - next I will try the old driver.
Disabled all Windows sounds, enhancements, and gave the Amanero exclusive control mode.
 
I also cannot seem to use spdif with either the Modi MB or NOS19. It pops and clips aggressively! All sample rates....etc. 
 
I'm running a Gigabyte G1 gaming mobo, corsair water cooler, Corsair HX860i psu, tripp lite conditioner, Jitterbug....etc. Still getting some USB noise, other than the pops from the NOS19. 
 
Maybe time for a digital to digital converter? More money....ugh. Shouldn't need more things to make this pop go away. 
 
 
I will try the implementations mentioned above, but don't see why a great USB card such as the Amanero would do this. 
 
Thanks everyone.
 
S19 on the way Reviews to come. 

 

[gunwale]

  Thanks everyone, I appreciate the help. 
 
Long story short.... I received my NOS19 (Amanero) a couple days ago, and I've been experiencing a sharp pop/tick/clip in my audio at random.
This issue does not happen with my Modi MB - same cables, computer, 2 different amplifiers, and I'm running a tripp lite conditioner at the pc and isolator for my amps/dacs.
I've reimaged my pc, reinstalled drivers twice, and tried all sample rates.
The NOS19 with Amanero pops at random (every 20 seconds or so, sometimes more often) and the Modi MB doesnt.
Pop isn't super loud, but just very sharp and fast, like clipping.
I verified the Amanero is using their latest driver from their website - next I will try the old driver.
Disabled all Windows sounds, enhancements, and gave the Amanero exclusive control mode.
 
I also cannot seem to use spdif with either the Modi MB or NOS19. It pops and clips aggressively! All sample rates....etc. 
 
I'm running a Gigabyte G1 gaming mobo, corsair water cooler, Corsair HX860i psu, tripp lite conditioner, Jitterbug....etc. Still getting some USB noise, other than the pops from the NOS19. 
 
Maybe time for a digital to digital converter? More money....ugh. Shouldn't need more things to make this pop go away. 
 
 
I will try the implementations mentioned above, but don't see why a great USB card such as the Amanero would do this. 
 
Thanks everyone.
 
S19 on the way Reviews to come. 

did u email audio gd?

 

[TurbOSquiD67]

  did u email audio gd?

Sure did, were working on a resolution. They've been very responsive  
I just don't want to ship it back it sounds so damn GOOD!
 
On a side note, I hear that spdif (RCA type connection) sounds better on Audio-gd dacs. True?
 
Anyone running a Singxer SU-1 or F-1? iSilencer, iPurifier, or the like?
 
More to come on my USB/computer noise filtering experiences. 

 

[exsomnis]

  Sure did, were working on a resolution. They've been very responsive  
I just don't want to ship it back it sounds so damn GOOD!
 
On a side note, I hear that spdif (RCA type connection) sounds better on Audio-gd dacs. True?
 
Anyone running a Singxer SU-1 or F-1? iSilencer, iPurifier, or the like?
 
More to come on my USB/computer noise filtering experiences. 

 
Since my laptop music source was re-purposed for its role, that meant having to use pretty crappy USB ports that had degraded with use over time. Before this, I'd had quirky effects on the sound with my DAC-19, from popping to weird and intermittent changes in sound signature.
 
With my current setup, all is good - ASIO Bridge software (redirects any sound from Windows to the Amanero ASIO driver at the right bitrate and bypasses any potential oversampling by Windows - this produced a more natural sound for me with Tidal), Supra 2.0 USB cable (I didn't think it would make a difference, but it noticeably improved soundstage and clarity for whatever reason) and a Wyred 4 Sound Recovery USB reclocker.
 
The USB reclocker didn't have an audible effect on the SQ in the end and given that the Amanero USB interface is asynchronous and does its own reclocking already (I realised this only after the fact), it made sense. 
 
I also considered using a powered USB hub but with the sound that I'm getting now, I don't feel a need for it at all.
 
In fact, I have only come to this point recently and had been considering getting the S-19 before but it looks like I'll be sticking with my DAC-19 for a while longer. 

 

[TurbOSquiD67]

Thank you, your input is much appreciated. 
 
I will try the ASIO Bridge software and see how it performs!
 

 

[heliosphann]

I tried hooking up my S19 via usb with my computer and there was all sorts of nastiness coming through. Good thing there's an optical out on my mobo.

 

[ciphercomplete]

Seriously, if you have no need for DSD and you have the space in your pc get a pci express pro sound card like the Lynx e22, RME HDSPe or Digigram vx222e.  Better sound and no usb related nervosa. I dumped usb last year (and a bunch of stuff like the wyrd, regen, Singzer f-1 etc) and I couldn't be happier.  I am not sure why it is not discussed more but computer to computer, laptop to laptop etc, usb computer output quality is way too variable.  USB dac input cards also vary in quality.  That's why some folks go on and on about how great a wyrd or regen are while others don't think they help.