iFi Audio Nano iDSD discussion + impression
Jun 6, 2014 at 10:37 AM Post #586 of 2,063
Thank you for the reply, Brother in Arms (Stax Lambda) .
 
It is USB 2.0 - next Esprimo had 3.0. I will check up the USB setting in BIOS - but would be surprised if I overlooked that one. Normally, I would be using one audio playback software for playback. Nano is on its own USB port from the first moment. I have unchecked LOTS in JRiver, keeping basically only audio - and will keep on till I get only what is needed. DSP is something I try to avoid at all costs - as it means PCM.
 
Prime interest is in playback of DSD only, mostly DSD128; can JRiver also play DSD256 files ?
 
Jun 6, 2014 at 1:32 PM Post #587 of 2,063
Hey fellas,
 
wondering if I could get some help with setting up the nano with Foobar2000?
 
I'm trying to get DSD to play natively without converting to PCM first, but I seem to be having problems
 
I've installed the 'foo_dsd_asio ASIO proxy driver' but I don't seem to be getting ASIO options in my output devices
 
Where might I be going wrong here?
 
Cheers
 
EDIT:
 
Ok, so I got ASIO working (I'd forgotten to add the ASIO Foobar plugin when I reinstalled)
 
Is there any way to categorically know the audio is hitting the nano as untouched DSD and not being converted to PCM? The reason I ask is I already had a plugin that would convert DSD and SACDs to PCM, so I'm not 100% which process is occurring?
 
Jun 6, 2014 at 2:54 PM Post #588 of 2,063
Another couple of quick questions for you chaps;
 
is there a recommended burn in time for this little baby?
 
and when using this connected to another amp (mine's connected to the iCAN) does having the volume at 100% guarantee a line level output?
 
EDIT:
 
So to answer my own question, a little research revealed yes, 100% on the volume pot gives a line level :)
 
Jun 6, 2014 at 3:06 PM Post #589 of 2,063
  Thank you for the reply, Brother in Arms (Stax Lambda) .
 
It is USB 2.0 - next Esprimo had 3.0. I will check up the USB setting in BIOS - but would be surprised if I overlooked that one. Normally, I would be using one audio playback software for playback. Nano is on its own USB port from the first moment. I have unchecked LOTS in JRiver, keeping basically only audio - and will keep on till I get only what is needed. DSP is something I try to avoid at all costs - as it means PCM.
 
Prime interest is in playback of DSD only, mostly DSD128; can JRiver also play DSD256 files ?

Yes J.River can playback my DSD256 files just fine! My benchmark score is along the lines of yours, meaning it can be done!  However J.River does not have a setting to convert PCM to DSD256 at this time. There will be a far greater number of computers that will lack the HP to do this in real time but off line or batch processing to DSD256 should still be possible. Enjoy!
 

 
Jun 6, 2014 at 8:47 PM Post #590 of 2,063
  Yes J.River can playback my DSD256 files just fine! My benchmark score is along the lines of yours, meaning it can be done!  However J.River does not have a setting to convert PCM to DSD256 at this time. There will be a far greater number of computers that will lack the HP to do this in real time but off line or batch processing to DSD256 should still be possible. Enjoy!
 


Right.  I'm using JRiver here with Windows 8.1 to playback the free DSD256 Stereo files on the Just Listen section of NativeDSD.Com.  Nice !
 
Jun 7, 2014 at 4:28 AM Post #591 of 2,063
  Yes J.River can playback my DSD256 files just fine! My benchmark score is along the lines of yours, meaning it can be done!  However J.River does not have a setting to convert PCM to DSD256 at this time. There will be a far greater number of computers that will lack the HP to do this in real time but off line or batch processing to DSD256 should still be possible. Enjoy!
 

How on earth did you arrive at this screen - what I get looks totally different ?
 
Current standing: it will still not play DSD128 in HQplayer. It will not play DXD in JRiver 19 - only 176/192. It is extremely unstable with foobar - an attempt to search for a spot within a file when playing DSD128 produced LOUD static - and it would no longer play DSD128. Numerous restarts, changing ASIO for DoP and vice versa etc etc still did not resume normal operation. JRiver would not play DSD256, displaying 176.4 kHz format is not supported ? Foobar also does not play DSD256, of course HQPlayer also not. 
 
Hmmmmm...
 
As I have rather specific use for DSD DAC, that is to say playing large unedited DSD128 files recorded on Korg MR 1000, it is beginning to dawn on me I would be best served by a Korg DSD DAC which is capable of playing natively DSD64 and DSD128 using Audiogate. Audiogate does support what I miss the most with either nonAudioGate player - markers within DSD file. During recording, I will of course make markers - and they are make or break with my use. Musicians would like to hear a specific "song" or any other particular spot - with markers I can get pretty close to what is required, searching for this on other players with a cursor is next to Mission Impossible. Has anyone tried to play DSD 64 and DSD128 with  AudioGate with non Korg DAC - in native DSD ? Of course AudioGate will convert DSD to PCM (up to 192/24 ) on the fly - but that is not what I am after. Yet of current standing, it is still the only game in (my specific) town.
 
Jun 7, 2014 at 10:37 AM Post #592 of 2,063
  How on earth did you arrive at this screen - what I get looks totally different ?
 
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Path
 
 
Current standing: it will still not play DSD128 in HQplayer. It will not play DXD in JRiver 19 - only 176/192. It is extremely unstable with foobar - an attempt to search for a spot within a file when playing DSD128 produced LOUD static - and it would no longer play DSD128. Numerous restarts, changing ASIO for DoP and vice versa etc etc still did not resume normal operation. JRiver would not play DSD256, displaying 176.4 kHz format is not supported ? Foobar also does not play DSD256, of course HQPlayer also not. 
 
Sounds like something else is hogging up all the resources on your computer. It could be a limitation of your system but your basic specs as listed should work. I can jump to any spot without skipping or noise on my setup, LOUD static sounds like something is overtaxing on your setup.  Sounds like J.River is saying that 176/192 is the maximum it can play at and without DSD Studio turn on to downsample to 176 J.River will fail to playback the DXD file. For recording I use a separate OS partition on my computer to maximize resources just only for my pro audio recording applications. It is my understanding that AudioGate version 3 or higher will only work with Korg equipment for the full use of the software. You may run into the same situation with Audiogate. I would try to run some speed tests and make sure your USB is running 2.0 or higher not 1.1 along with other things. What does your windows task manager is saying?
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Jun 7, 2014 at 12:02 PM Post #593 of 2,063
  How on earth did you arrive at this screen - what I get looks totally different ?
 
Current standing: it will still not play DSD128 in HQplayer. It will not play DXD in JRiver 19 - only 176/192. It is extremely unstable with foobar - an attempt to search for a spot within a file when playing DSD128 produced LOUD static - and it would no longer play DSD128. Numerous restarts, changing ASIO for DoP and vice versa etc etc still did not resume normal operation. JRiver would not play DSD256, displaying 176.4 kHz format is not supported ? Foobar also does not play DSD256, of course HQPlayer also not. 
 
Hmmmmm...
 
As I have rather specific use for DSD DAC, that is to say playing large unedited DSD128 files recorded on Korg MR 1000, it is beginning to dawn on me I would be best served by a Korg DSD DAC which is capable of playing natively DSD64 and DSD128 using Audiogate. Audiogate does support what I miss the most with either nonAudioGate player - markers within DSD file. During recording, I will of course make markers - and they are make or break with my use. Musicians would like to hear a specific "song" or any other particular spot - with markers I can get pretty close to what is required, searching for this on other players with a cursor is next to Mission Impossible. Has anyone tried to play DSD 64 and DSD128 with  AudioGate with non Korg DAC - in native DSD ? Of course AudioGate will convert DSD to PCM (up to 192/24 ) on the fly - but that is not what I am after. Yet of current standing, it is still the only game in (my specific) town.

(image missing)Make sure you have the right driver selected from the Audio Device menu.....
 
Jun 7, 2014 at 1:14 PM Post #595 of 2,063
yep, that looks right...
 
Jun 7, 2014 at 1:25 PM Post #596 of 2,063
  Normally, I do not give up easily - but after failures to download over a weekend's time it was a bit of dissapointment. I am eager to hear how much better DSD256
sounds compared to DSD128. As DSD files, specially DSD256 files are large ( 1 GB = 5.5 minutes of audio ), I will wait with the downloads till the time I have unlimited data transfer from my IP - from midnight to 6 AM . Hopefully, my setup will be able to play them .


I finally landed the DSD256 files from Japan via the listing iFi had and by using the DownloadThemAll add-in for Firefox.  Very well done - a must have for all Firefox users.
 
On the other hand, no problems here with the Free DSD256 files from NativeDSD.Com.  Downloaded perfectly on the first try!  :)
The two Classical Guitar recordings natively recorded in DSD256 Stereo and 5 Channel are quite good.  Recommended !
 
Jun 7, 2014 at 1:58 PM Post #597 of 2,063
 
I finally landed the DSD256 files from Japan via the listing iFi had and by using the DownloadThemAll add-in for Firefox.  Very well done - a must have for all Firefox users.
 
On the other hand, no problems here with the Free DSD256 files from NativeDSD.Com.  Downloaded perfectly on the first try!  :)
The two Classical Guitar recordings natively recorded in DSD256 Stereo and 5 Channel are quite good.  Recommended !

Have you tried the DSD64 version and compare it to the DSD256?
 
Jun 7, 2014 at 2:01 PM Post #598 of 2,063
 
I finally landed the DSD256 files from Japan via the listing iFi had and by using the DownloadThemAll add-in for Firefox.  Very well done - a must have for all Firefox users.
 
On the other hand, no problems here with the Free DSD256 files from NativeDSD.Com.  Downloaded perfectly on the first try!  :)
The two Classical Guitar recordings natively recorded in DSD256 Stereo and 5 Channel are quite good.  Recommended !


some of the best DSD files I have heard...   :wink:  The dynamic range is great....
 
Jun 7, 2014 at 6:01 PM Post #599 of 2,063

Good suggestions - will test them out tomorrow.  Empirically I found out DSD up to 256 on foobar would "resume" only by:
- stopping the playback ( it can be loud static, but can also be mute - time and small spectrum analyzer window in Fooobar running as usual...
- switching the nano iDSD off
-physically disconecting and reconnecting the USB cable
-power up nano iDSD - (can also be powered prior to connecting USB for better sonics ) - then native DSD plays normally ( save for some stuttering at the begining and if and when cursor is used ).
 
Today, I had a bigger fish to fry - two, to be exact. Recording a live concert in the tiniest of chapels imaginable, french horn and organ played by two young ladies.
There is extremely little repertoire written for this combination, so quite a few were arrangements. All I can say, two extremely courageous "fishes" - one does not hear Krenek performed on regular basis. This is the fifth season running of the festival called Orgle & ( Organ & ) with 3-4 concerts each year - all the better ones were recorded by yours truly to DSD64 and later DSD128. Here a YT vid made without the public a day after the concert ( sound from camera, not mine ) - the opening picture is worth a thousand words:
 

 

The above vid - here the sound is from the concert, recorded by me. The sound of the bellows can not be supressed more in so smal chapel. Remember, sound on YT is MP3 - only lately uncompressed uploads were made possible.
 
There is a place for 2 performers, 30-35 people seated, some 5 or so standing; now usually concerts are held with open door and additional people seating on 
benches in front of the chapel. As the small festival is held over May and June, there is inevitable Crickettando Continuo - and believe it or not, we grew accustomed to this inexclusable addition of nature - bringing "2 extra degrees of warmth when listening to the recordings in winter time " 
bigsmile_face.gif
.
 
Jun 8, 2014 at 3:25 AM Post #600 of 2,063
  Good suggestions - will test them out tomorrow.  Empirically I found out DSD up to 256 on foobar would "resume" only by:
- stopping the playback ( it can be loud static, but can also be mute - time and small spectrum analyzer window in Fooobar running as usual...
- switching the nano iDSD off
-physically disconecting and reconnecting the USB cable
-power up nano iDSD - (can also be powered prior to connecting USB for better sonics ) - then native DSD plays normally ( save for some stuttering at the begining and if and when cursor is used ).
 
Today, I had a bigger fish to fry - two, to be exact. Recording a live concert in the tiniest of chapels imaginable, french horn and organ played by two young ladies.
There is extremely little repertoire written for this combination, so quite a few were arrangements. All I can say, two extremely courageous "fishes" - one does not hear Krenek performed on regular basis. This is the fifth season running of the festival called Orgle & ( Organ & ) with 3-4 concerts each year - all the better ones were recorded by yours truly to DSD64 and later DSD128. Here a YT vid made without the public a day after the concert ( sound from camera, not mine ) - the opening picture is worth a thousand words:
 

 

The above vid - here the sound is from the concert, recorded by me. The sound of the bellows can not be supressed more in so smal chapel. Remember, sound on YT is MP3 - only lately uncompressed uploads were made possible.
 
There is a place for 2 performers, 30-35 people seated, some 5 or so standing; now usually concerts are held with open door and additional people seating on 
benches in front of the chapel. As the small festival is held over May and June, there is inevitable Crickettando Continuo - and believe it or not, we grew accustomed to this inexclusable addition of nature - bringing "2 extra degrees of warmth when listening to the recordings in winter time " 
bigsmile_face.gif
.


 
Two words. "Holy" and "Cow."
 
Your mention of the crickets and continuo reminds us of the "Chasing the Dragon" album by Michael Valentine which has birds tweeting in the background for the outdoor recorded track.
 
ADC on DSD and DAC on DSD. Neat, very neat.
 
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