[thrand1]

Here's a link to a free 176.4kHz sample file AGrumpyOldMan: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Complimentary-241764-HRx-Downloads-Courtesy-Reference-Recordings
 
Thanks for checking to see what happens and for your impressions!

 

[TheGrumpyOldMan]

Alas those links are dead... getting an xml page with an "The specified key does not exist." error. Tried all the links in at least 2 browsers, lest any blocking plug-in interferes. (They were from 2009...)

 

[TheGrumpyOldMan]

Digital Head-Fi (mis)adventures continued:
 
I've always been a plug'n'play guy using my iPod Classic with dock & DAC (which switches sampling rates automatically) so only now have I really looked into the computer audio thing, via my Macbook.
 
So far I have for instance found out that it won't automatically switch sampling rates depending on the source, regardless of the player (never noticed it with the Bifrost & D2 since they don't display the incoming sampling rate). The DacMagic 100 never switched, neither via optical in (always at 44.1) or finally USB (always 96): turns out you have to use the Audio Midi Setup app in OS X to manually set things, which then switched the DacMagic 100's incoming sampling rates correctly (both via optical & USB). Easy to use but a bit limited: you'd have to manually switch it everytime you want to match the source sampling rate of the album you're playing, and either way it's limited to 96kHz max. (The D2 actually seems to be limited to 48kHz via USB)
 
I'm dealing with enough computer issues (all OSs) at work all day, so I really don't feel like jumping through the hoops to get Windows with custom drivers going (in Bootcamp for direct hardware access I guess, since virtualization passes through OSX to access the ports)
 
So unless I can get 192kHz support going in OS X in some way, testing 176kHz is pretty much out of the window as well, sorry. If I ever have more time I'll look into it.
 
If somebody else wants to give it a go, I rummaged the interwebs to find some 24/176.4 samples that are available as of this afternoon: http://www.onlythemusic.com/Downloads (Despite the vague blurbs, the downloaded WAV files are really 24/176.4, I played & checked them, just can't output them at the source sampling rate to my DACs)

 

[olegkin]

I just got DacMagic 100 from AA via Amazon.
I did not have much time with it yet. So far I connected it instead of my Beresford to computer running mpd via optical link. DacMagic switches sample rate correctly. I can hear a tiny tiny click in headphones when it need to switch sample rate though.
I did not compare beresford 7520 to dacmagic side to side yet, but dacmagic sounds wonderful. It definitely added something that was missing in beresford. 

 

[olegkin]

Connected macbook air via usb to dacmagic 100.
I can confirm that if you choose dacmagic as output device in system preferences then dacmagic switches to 192Khz and it stays there no matter what is playing in itunes.
 
Dacmagic started to work as expected when I turned on bitperfect. It switched correctly between sampling rates. 
 
Itunes via bitperfect plays 176Khz file as 192Khz; it is a jumpy performance though.
I have to start and stop playing several times before it works properly. Most of the time it plays short pieces of music and then makes a long pauses. 
 
Beresford is not a match to DacMagic. DacMagic just sounds much better.

 

[TheGrumpyOldMan]

Very strange, I assumed before that that's how easy it should be... but when I hook it up on either Macbook (both on OS X Lion), all I get in the Audio MIDI Setup is up to 96:
 

 
What gives? Does yours look the same? Is it an override feature of bitperfect? Which version of OS X are you using?
 
UPDATE: Purchased BitPerfect, same result. It may be related that it seems to mount as an USB1.1 device, which limits the maximum sample rate to 96kHz. olegkin, can you please check in OS X's System Information - Hardware - USB if yours is listed under the USB Bus or the USB High-Speed Bus and/or if the device details for it in the same panel list it as a 12mbit device or a 480mbit one?? Cheers!

 

[cpu8088]

i have looked at this dac and also the freestone iltw and settled for the latter.
 
simply because this item cannot handle 176 file and upsampling.
 
the iltw on the other hand can play all and no upsampling which are what i wanted.
 
good luck guys. this item is not a finished product
 
 

 

[olegkin]

You need to switch to usb2 mode. Turn dacmagic off, press and hold 'select source' button and turn it on. It will switch to usb2 mode and 192Khz will appear in midi utility. Really strange design for 2012, I think you cannot find usb1 in computers anymore.

 

[TheGrumpyOldMan]

Thanks Olegkin,
 
I figured it out after contacting the manufacturer, Cambridge Audio. Same here: Why anybody would even bother with USB1.1 is a bit of mystery to me, maybe for Windows driverless support...
 
Failure to RTFM... embarrassing... In my defence, it is one paragraph in the manual, which you have to download since it's not included in the box... It didn't even occur to me that there may be the need for switching in the first place, so I didn't look for it.
 
But after all this I now know all the ins and outs of USB audio on the Mac, and discovered the affordable BitPerfect app that takes cares of the annoying lack of auto-switching to the matching source sampling rate.
 
And to confirm the original question that sent me down that path: no, the DacMagic100 doesn't support 176.4 playback natively.
 
Personally, I couldn't care less, as matter of fact, the whole 192kHZ was more out of curiosity to see if I could get it to work at all, 96kHz is plenty (and cheaper on HDtracks too) and actually even 48kHz in the iPod Classic does the job just fine, esp. in light of this http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html, as discussed in this Head-Fi thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/599546/link-24-192-music-downloads-and-why-they-make-no-sense

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Any update on this?

 

[TheGrumpyOldMan]

Not much. It works like it should, sounds great for a mid-range DAC esp. for the compact size. The only initial niggle was their default USB setting and awareness of the "trick" to switch it to USB 2 and full performance. The id100 dock that is supposed to be the ideal combo has a few more issues (but any dock with some digital out will work just fine with this DAC anyway).

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Do you think it's better than the V-DAC MKII?

 

[amham]

Let me chime in here...I'm some what of a DAC fanatic.  I own too many including a Benchmark USB, V-DAC, V-DAC II, DacMagic (original), iBasso D10, D6, D7 and just received the DAC Magic 100.  I'm listening to it now via Grado 225's and a Little Dot MK IV SE (not tried it yet on the Woo WA6SE/Senn 650's).  The V-DAC's are somewhat soft while the Benchmark is very detailed and out classes the V-DAC's...but I do like the V-DAC's for the money and can easily listen to them for hours without missing anything.  However, the new DacMagic 100 is very impressive indeed.  I would characterise it with a  larger, deeper soundstage (more holographic) with an exceeding smooth and polished SQ...yet detailed...this through the Grado's smoothing out the entire "Grado sound" while retaining the midrange that I value so much.  Now this is a very early impression with about two hours of use/warm-up.  Very pleased at the moment...    

 

[amham]

Oh yes, forgot to add via USB 2.0

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Please keep us updated. I am looking into adding this to my collection.