Thanks!
Managed to get DSD256 to work. Changed bits from default to 20. It skips every so often so perhaps a different filter?
Managed to get DSD256 to work. Changed bits from default to 20. It skips every so often so perhaps a different filter?
plumpudding2
500+ Head-Fier
Gauss-XLA skips for me if I don't have CUDA offload checked and it has to adapt the output rateThanks!
Managed to get DSD256 to work. Changed bits from default to 20. It skips every so often so perhaps a different filter?
Thanks!
Managed to get DSD256 to work. Changed bits from default to 20. It skips every so often so perhaps a different filter?
Experiment with multicore optimisation setting (under advanced tab). Have it either greyed or checked. For me, checked works better with less skipping if the load is on the heavier side.
This is becoming fun. Thanks guys!!
Not skipping anymore either
Just as I typed that my half hour was up and it stopped playback hahah
Not skipping anymore either
Just as I typed that my half hour was up and it stopped playback hahah
It's about time these big reviewers start using HQ Player as an integral component level piece of gear just as they would add a clock or DDC. This reviewer did previously do a comparison of HQP versus the Chord MScaler. And I hope an in depth dive interview with Jussi will undoubtedly follow soon. Then watch out! there will be thousands of new HQ Player users and manufacturers will explode with new NOS direct DACs to take advantage of it.
Laiv Harmony does look intriguing, I do wish it's DSD capabilities went beyond DSD256 as may allow more benefit w/HQ Player. Perhaps firmware upgradable?
plumpudding2
500+ Head-Fier
Haven't heard it but I fail to see what it offers over a Spring 3 or even a Cyan 2 except compactness. For someone who didn't watch the videos, what about it would make it an attractive option?
Doesn’t it convert everything back to PCM? So it’s not true/direct DSD.
Ah, didn't know that, probably thus not the DAC for me.
dericchan1
500+ Head-Fier
Yes it is a pcm only nos dac, not for me as well. I am fine with a dsd only dac tho
This is good advice
.@Chibs I have an M1 16GB too. Got pretty familiar with its limits converting PCM to DSD with the R26. It is possible to do DSD512 but not with the very best modulstors like the 7EC-Super, and only with easier filters. I found the best sound was with DSD256 and better modulators like the 7EC-Super and ECv3, and the ability to at least use/try longer filters like Sinc MGa or L as the mood takes me. Though even on DSD256 the very longest filters (Sinc-L IIRC) would still drop out eventually.
The M1 16GB gives one tantalisingly glimpses (1-2secs - 30 secs depending) of life at DSD512 on some better sounding filter/modulator combos and it is a seductive sound indeed. Some combos just don’t work at all or for fractions of a second so you can get no sense of the sound. It got me looking into getting a more powerful computer with some helpful comments upthread, but got expensive fast.
Ultimately became a moot point with the move to the LAiV which as you know only has PCM ladders so doesn’t do native DSD, the M1 being more than capable of PCM oversampling to its PCM768 max on all filters.
@LoryWiv it does accept DSD512, but converts it, why they don’t officially specify this I’m not sure.
I have the Cyan now which is internally equipped with bot PCM and SDM resistor blocks. I also have the sister A26 and R26 DACs. So I can switch HQ Player back and forth with a click and a volume match on the amp. I prefer PCM for my headphone rig. It is wider, deeper, blacker, with better microdynamics. I have never purchased a DSD file and probably never will. Why throw vast processing power at our PCM files to convert them to SDM now that we have excellent NOS direct PCM DACs? That sound better to me and run at the highest levels on 1/4 the processing power.
Because DSD, used with a proper DAC with a DSD direct support, not only is objectively better but also sounds better.
And yes, NOS PCM can also sound good but for example with Spring 3, which I owned before DAC200, DSD was still better. With DAC200 it’s even clearer.
Your experience with Cyan2 sounds odd though. To me, PCM sounds clearly flatter, less organic and with less 3D soundstage. It also sounds edgier and harsher. Maybe this can sound preferable if the system is otherwise soft/warm sounding, I don’t know.
Nothing on paper or specs would make it automatically more attractive or guaranteed to sound better (but how often is this the case), well OK maybe vs the Cyan there’s a few design elements the doubled parts budget allows for eg. milled aluminium chassis providing internal shielding between DAC stages and LPS.
I haven’t heard any of the Holos so can’t comment on the relative sound. What I can say vs my R26 baseline the LAiV’s midrange is lovely - more rich, palpable and textured but not overly warm and still very resolving.
dericchan1
500+ Head-Fier
That’s been my experience as well with most of the dacs I have owned, that pcm just have that sound characteristic of edgier (boxier), harsher (less coherent). But what do I know, I always shop dacs with direct dsd support only as I build all my systems around hqplayer
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