[Edwood]

I am running Foobar with APE files. 44.1 and SLock light up for me.

But if I run say, Windows Media Player movie, 48 lights up.

-Ed

 

[Wodgy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood I am running Foobar with APE files. 44.1 and SLock light up for me. But if I run say, Windows Media Player movie, 48 lights up.

This is caused by Kmixer, which resamples everything to 48kHz in many situations. It's one of the major reasons to use Foobar, or another music player capable of ASIO or Kernel Streaming, rather than Windows Media Player.

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wodgy This is caused by Kmixer, which resamples everything to 48kHz in many situations. It's one of the major reasons to use Foobar, or another music player capable of ASIO or Kernel Streaming, rather than Windows Media Player.

That's why I love Foobar.

-Ed

 

[Zoide]

Can Wave Out bypass kmixer or can only kernel streaming and ASIO do it? When I use kernel streaming I sometimes get tiny pops in the sound, kind of like you'd get with vinyl. I believe I don't hear any pops if I use Direct Sound, but then I'm not bypassing Kmixer.

 

[Wodgy]

No, WaveOut does not generally bypass Kmixer on Win2k/XP. There are a few soundcards with old style VxD-wrapped drivers that always bypass kMixer, even with WaveOut, but these are in the minority. If you want to bypass kMixer you need to use ASIO or kernel streaming. If you're getting pops with kernel streaming, use ASIO and increase the buffer size.

 

[lan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood But if I run say, Windows Media Player movie, 48 lights up.

Weird. If you're using RME they should be bitperfect in everything.

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wodgy No, WaveOut does not generally bypass Kmixer on Win2k/XP. There are a few soundcards with old style VxD-wrapped drivers that always bypass kMixer, even with WaveOut, but these are in the minority. If you want to bypass kMixer you need to use ASIO or kernel streaming. If you're getting pops with kernel streaming, use ASIO and increase the buffer size.

Ah, but AFAIK the Sonica only supports Kernel Streaming, not ASIO. Maybe I need to get a Transit... thanks.

 

[dcguy73]

This whole USB-m902 thing is really more complicated than it should be. Too bad the Grace couldn't come with software (PC/Mac compatible -- some kind of iTunes/Foobar hybrid) that would automatically put out 48-bit perfect audio. I realize there are limitations on USB and associated hardware and there is interference from the Windows/Mac OS, but wouldn't it be nice if as soon as you plugged in the USB cable, the Graceeasy(TM) software popped up and played bit-perfect music? Plus, the remote that controls the Grace m902 could also control the software!

If not now, maybe for the Grace m903?

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lan Weird. If you're using RME they should be bitperfect in everything.

No, this is for the USB input. There are no windows sounds coming from the RME, of course.

-Ed

 

[lan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood No, this is for the USB input. There are no windows sounds coming from the RME, of course.

ah ok. thought you were using windows media player

have you compared usb and the other digital inputs?

 

[dstroot]

Does this baby have enough juice to power a couple small, efficient desktop speakers in a nearfield configuration? (i.e. 3 ft from each ear?)

Anybody try it?

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dstroot Does this baby have enough juice to power a couple small, efficient desktop speakers in a nearfield configuration? (i.e. 3 ft from each ear?) Anybody try it?

on a side note, i had a good read on nearfield configurations due to your post -

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Jun0...s/monitors.asp

bah it preferred B&W over Wharfedale.

 

[MartinB]

Nice pics! The Grace looks sweet!
Anyone have pics of the optional remote for this amp/dac?

 

[gerG]

dstroot, I have tried it. It sounds good, but very limited in volume capability and dynamics. You also have to deal with the ugly headphone to speaker cable adapter coming out of the front. I would recommend the Grace as a preamp, with either a power amp or powered monitors.


gerG

 

[Edwood]

Oh, man. I built a nice switchbox to compare two different amps. I think perhaps my cold is screwing with my hearing, I built the switchbox wrong (checked continuity many many times, it's all good), or amps really aren't as different as I thought.

I'm having a hard time telling the difference between a Mint and the m902. Likewise having a hard time telling the difference between RME Analog out -> 901 vs. RME Optical out -> m902 Toslink input.

I will have some other SoCal head-fiers have a listen next week hopefully.

Argh!

-Ed