[emoosemaster]

I recently purchased my first DAC (a peachtree audio dac-itx) and the fact that I can still control the volume using the OSX built in volume control is bothering me.  I tested this on bootcamped windows 7 and got the same result.  The slider on the bottom right corner still has control over the volume.  From my knowledge, this isn't suppose to happen.  Am I doing something wrong?  
 
I'm running:
Macbook air usb -> DAC usb in -> amp -> headphones

 

[Everrr]

Are you using the Line Out or Headphone socket on the Peachtree?

 

[emoosemaster]

I'm using line out

 

[Rogwp]

Using Lion on my MacBook Pro with a Dac stills allows access to the computer volume control. However Audirvana + takes over the computer volume control. AFAIK you are supposed to set the computer volume to 100% if it is still active.

 

[emoosemaster]

I read that I should just keep the volume max but was unsure.  I'm using OSX mavericks.  Can anyone else confirm that this is the case?  I can also control the volume when using bootcamp which makes me suspicious.     

 

[jiiteepee]

  I recently purchased my first DAC (a peachtree audio dac-itx) and the fact that I can still control the volume using the OSX built in volume control is bothering me.  I tested this on bootcamped windows 7 and got the same result.  The slider on the bottom right corner still has control over the volume.  From my knowledge, this isn't suppose to happen.  Am I doing something wrong?  
 
I'm running:
Macbook air usb -> DAC usb in -> amp -> headphones

 
On Windows, you need to set the output to use WDM/KS, WASAPI Exclusive mode or ASIO to get the master volume control bypassed ... better situation is with, lets say, ESI DuaFire, a FW audio interface, which always bypasses that control.

 

[emoosemaster]

   
On Windows, you need to set the output to use WDM/KS, WASAPI Exclusive mode or ASIO to get the master volume control bypassed ... better situation is with, lets say, ESI DuaFire, a FW audio interface, which always bypasses that control.

Would this doing this improve the sound quality?  I might have just been uninformed in that dacs bypass the master volume control.  I was just afraid I didn't set things up correctly.

 

[jiiteepee]

  Would this doing this improve the sound quality?  I might have just been uninformed in that dacs bypass the master volume control.  I was just afraid I didn't set things up correctly.

 
As you noticed I told how it's on Windows world ... and you have OSX there ... which one I don't know anything about ... .
 
If the bootcamped Windows 7 runs as a native OS (i.e. not in a virtual enviroment on top of the OSX) then you could try asio4all (http://www.asio4all.com/) or WASAPI in Exclusive mode (WDM/KS is older API used before WASAPI) ... ofcourse your playback software needs to have support for selected model (ASIO/WASAPI). Asio4All probably works in any case on W7 installation.
 
There are some advantages in using these kernel mode drivers ... (especially in recording tasks). These driver modes give data the shortest path from software to hardware.