[AlterSack]

 
Did you set DACport to be your default device?  Installation does not make changes to default device assignment, so the sound would still be routed to your original sound card, until you make this change.

Yes - it has been set as Default device. But also see my other post. I have to unplug the cable, let the sound come through the PC Soundcard and plug the cable in again - then voila - it works for the current song (ONLY the current song).

 

[MilhouseV]

  Yes - it has been set as Default device. But also see my other post. I have to unplug the cable, let the sound come through the PC Soundcard and plug the cable in again - then voila - it works for the current song (ONLY the current song).

This could be attributed to the way VLC captures Windows audio devices.  Did you try any other application, Windows Media player? Do you see similar behavior there?

 

[AlterSack]

  This could be attributed to the way VLC captures Windows audio devices.  Did you try any other application, Windows Media player? Do you see similar behavior there?

Yes - just tried Windows Media Player again.
It hadn't worked before, but does so now  and seems to Play all songs that  were picked. I don't have to do the plug/unplug thing.
I also have constant dropouts with WMP. 

 

[doublea71]

Are you guys happy with the sound so far? Hopefully any driver issues will be taken care of quickly. Mine should arrive tomorrow or Thursday.

 

[MilhouseV]

  I also have constant dropouts with WMP. 

The dropouts might be an indication of either a heavily taxed / underperforming system, or of another process or application interfering / attempting to grab control of audio / USB device.  In a corporate environment there can be a few security tool which have such aggressive behavior.
You might be better off using your personal Mac.
I also tried DACport on a Chromebook, and it works perfectly.

 

[MilhouseV]

  Are you guys happy with the sound so far? Hopefully any driver issues will be taken care of quickly. Mine should arrive tomorrow or Thursday.

At high gain level, sound quality is quite alright, but it's difficult to control volume, as it needs to be at the lowest steps (and there appears to be some "shakiness" of volume in the low range).  At low gain with some of my headphones the device sounds muffled and muddy.  No issues when using line out (high gain + max volume) - sound is detailed, clear, good scene.

 

[AlterSack]

  At high gain level, sound quality is quite alright, but it's difficult to control volume, as it needs to be at the lowest steps (and there appears to be some "shakiness" of volume in the low range).  At low gain with some of my headphones the device sounds muffled and muddy.  No issues when using line out (high gain + max volume) - sound is detailed, clear, good scene.

Are You using Line Out on High gain?  The instructions say that "low gain" should be  used for Line out functionality. Do/did You encounter any  Sound Quality differences when using high / low gain for this?
 
@doublea71 
On your question as to the Sound - I am not using the Audeo PF-121 much as a headphone apart from using it to speak on the Blackberry. Therefore I can't really say anything yet.
I will have to check with my home System.
From what I could listen to till now I am not overly impressed, but that may change.

 

[MilhouseV]

  Are You using Line Out on High gain?  The instructions say that "low gain" should be  used for Line out functionality. Do/did You encounter any  Sound Quality differences when using high / low gain for this?

Signal level on low gain with max volume is quite a bit lower than what I was getting from line out of Meridian Explorer into the same headphone amp; at high gain it is directly comparable.
As far as sound quality differences between low gain and high gain when used as line out, those are definitely less significant compared to being used as a headphone amp.

 

[AlterSack]

I just tried the DacPort HD with my Standard Home Setup:
MacBook Pro -> Audirvana Plus (1.0) -> DacPort / GeekOut V1 450  -> HE 1000
 
No problems of the kind I described above whatsoever - seems to have been an issue of my work PC.   I connected the DacPort with a standard USB cable to the USB slot and it was recognized instantly.  I am on Yosemite 10.10.5. Audirvana  recognized it instantly as well. In Audirvana I chose to regulate the volume level both on the DAC and on the Software. I turned the volume fully up on DacPort and use -15dB  to - 18db on Audirvana on high gain with the HE 1000. This gives way enough volume (and sometimes is even  too loud for my taste)
When comparing to the GO450 (using the left - higher ohm - exit) I had to turn the volume up to - 9dB to -6dB  to get (subjectively) equal volume. 
 
I must say the DacPort sounds very pleasurable to my ears. I am just listening to Cassandra Wilson's "Love is Blindness" (FLAC, 16/44). There is definitely enough bass there - I cannot really hear  a difference in the bass to the GO450. Where I believe they differ most is that the GO450 brings the mids a little mot to the front. In this song for example the guitar picking in the middle of the song becomes a little more bright and prominent.
When listening to "So What" from Candy Dulfer (FLAC, 16/44) I feel a little difference in the punch of the drums - Here the GO450 feels to have just a tiny bit more, the drum beats are just a tad bit shorter and more pointed (At least that's what I hear) - but the difference is really subtle. 
The DacPort also recognized HiRes (24/96 and 24/192) files with no problem. I do not have
DSD Files at the moment  - so I couldn't check that.
 
So - without doing a real A/B demo for which I am not really the right guy I would say that soundwise there is not really much difference between both DACs. Considering the Price Point I daresay that the DacPort is definitely a very good option if you are in the market for a small portable DAC/amp (especially if You could get it on Indiegogo).

 

[sheldaze]

I'm starting my listening with the easiest setup I could think of, plug-and-play and on an easy load while in low gain:
 
MacBook > Audirvana+ > AmazonBasics USB > CEntrance DACport HD > Denon AH-D2000
 
You guys are going to have to bear with me, as I am now realizing I need to listen to this first setup for a few days before I can grasp the sound characteristics. This thing has its own distinctive sound, and at the same time it shares much of its sonic nature with each of the USB DAC/AMP I currently own. In short, this is the first CEntrance that I've heard - so I'm first needing to adjust to the "house" sound before I can continue to comment on its character.

 

[MilhouseV]

You guys are going to have to bear with me, as I am now realizing I need to listen to this first setup for a few days before I can grasp the sound characteristics. This thing has its own distinctive sound, and at the same time it shares much of its sonic nature with each of the USB DAC/AMP I currently own. In short, this is the first CEntrance that I've heard - so I'm first needing to adjust to the "house" sound before I can continue to comment on its character.

 

That's the right way to do this. Unfortunately for me, I won't be able to stay on the same set up for an extended period of time - and because of this haphazard way of testing, please take my comments with a grain of salt.

 

[sheldaze]

That's the right way to do this. Unfortunately for me, I won't be able to stay on the same set up for an extended period of time - and because of this haphazard way of testing, please take my comments with a grain of salt.

Trust me - I feel ya! In fact, after a long listen, I may just start jumping through headphones when I get a chance to listen today. There's something very different about the sound, and I'm having trouble placing my finger on it. Strong bass, and lots-o-detail without fatigue, which is a plus. The placement of instruments is etched in stone. But somehow, I seem to still be listening to the music on a cognitive level and I am trying to get down into the emotional, physical, body level of listening.

 

[riverlethe]

Trust me - I feel ya! In fact, after a long listen, I may just start jumping through headphones when I get a chance to listen today. There's something very different about the sound, and I'm having trouble placing my finger on it. Strong bass, and lots-o-detail without fatigue, which is a plus. The placement of instruments is etched in stone. But somehow, I seem to still be listening to the music on a cognitive level and I am trying to get down into the emotional, physical, body level of listening.

Have you tried speakers with a subwoofer?

 

[sheldaze]

Have you tried speakers with a subwoofer?

I'm going to draw a line in the sand on that regard - for me this is strictly for headphone use. The most I might do is connect it to an external headphone amplifier and use it as a DAC-only.
 
As much as I tout the capability of these small DAC/AMP, there does come a point when you simply need precision that only a wall power source can provide. If you read my posts in other threads, I'll tell anyone how enamored I am with the Meridian Explorer2 as just a DAC. But I did try it once in my stereo speaker system, and it sounded "thin" like paper, with not enough detail and resolution for me to get excited about it in the stereo speaker realm. I did fall in love with the sound of the Meridian Director for a while too, and used it as the DAC in my speaker system. It was lush but had a nice balance of detail. Now it too sounds like paper. I mean it no disrespect, but I know, now that I have heard a higher end DAC, I can appreciate their value. Specifically in my listening experience, the Schiit Bifrost Uber and Arcam irDAC are no longer above the cut line. They're both on the way out, pending a personal review of the sound of the Bifrost with R2R upgrades. If I am unhappy with the upgraded Bifrost sound, I'd probably sell them both and get an Audio-GD DAC-19. Based upon reviews I have read, my guess is I may still be excited to hear a Chord 2Qute or Hugo. But those DAC cost around $2,000, so I'm not interested due to cost.
 
Sorry for getting off topic 

 
I'll keep tooting the horn with regards to small DAC/AMP options, if I find I like them with headphones. I think people need to try these before stepping up to the larger DAC and separate headphone AMP boxes, or simply leave it as-is, a simple way to enjoy fantastic sound. A USB-powered DAC/AMP could be end game to some. But once you enter my speaker world, it unfortunately gets a little costly 

 

 

[MilhouseV]

Just received a reply regarding DSD support:
 

[color=rgb(68, 68, 68)] Windows support of DSD is not available in UD v7.4.17, but an updated  version will be available within the next day or two, if not later today. Note: In the UD Control Panel, with HD plugged in, you will need to set  the bit depth to 32-bit in order to get DSD to work.[/color]