[etroze86]

i guess because Windows sucks

Have you played around with your output device properties? Right click volume icon-> click device-> brings up properties-> Advanced tab-> select default format.

 

[shysteve40]

Have you played around with your output device properties? Right click volume icon-> click device-> brings up properties-> Advanced tab-> select default format.

Yes sound probities only gives me 24/192 that's the higest

 

[etroze86]

Yes sound probities only gives me 24/192 that's the higest

I wonder if that is a windows limitation then.

 

[stimuz]

I wonder if that is a windows limitation then.

mines at 24/352 not that i can tell a difference

 

[starmartyr]

Has anyone had luck hooking this up to ps4 via usb?

I read previous to buying that most DACs and dac/amps had no problem working driverless on the ps4. This one does not seem to at all. I can go dig up an old optical cable if I have to but was hoping not to have to if possible...

 

[starmartyr]

Mine was double boxed and arrived fine. For the price I doubt you can beat this amp/dac combo, especially if you make use of its features. Dirac is quite nice for 70s stuff and I use the shelf EQ pretty much daily. I personally see no difference in audio quality between balanced and SE, other than my HE-560 not needing to be cranked up with balanced.

But yea, the hype train on this amp was crippled by ASR's half assed rage review, which he corrected later.

This really does seem to be the case, this one got a bit of a bad shake at first due to that. The value in this is pretty much incredible but the measurement nazis jumped on a tiny spec of noise (only possibly detectable with super low impedance IEMs, but who would be cranking those to the point of noise showing up anyway?) and the beta firmware issue ‐ quickly resolved, mind you - when otherwise this is a hell of a unit with amazing accuracy and noise figures that still are so low to be blacker than black for 99% of users.

Also yes dirac is an interesting effect that doesnt seem to spoil anything but helps with extremely panned mixes like in 1960-70s songs, and adds a great deal to some types of music and from what I've heard is great for gaming too.

My only gripe is that it doesnt seem to do driverless operation with anything other than a computer... PS4 for example, and just waiting on my android OTG cable to test that too. I cant figure out why this is the case with PS4 though...

 

[Monstieur]

Has anyone had luck hooking this up to ps4 via usb?

I read previous to buying that most DACs and dac/amps had no problem working driverless on the ps4. This one does not seem to at all. I can go dig up an old optical cable if I have to but was hoping not to have to if possible...

It supports only 32-bit 192 kHz or something without the driver so it won't work on most devices.

 

[ra990]

Just got it from Amazon as a temporary solution (it came only in it's original box, no tape over anything, but brand new, strange!). I'm on Windows 10 and 1.04 firmware. No drivers needed and I'm getting full resolution over WASAPI. Roon detected 32bit/384khz playback capability. Everything seems great, using it with my new Aeon 2 Opens. I've owned this before when it was just released and thought it was a great product. I feel the same way a year later. Very good value - great sounding DAC, powerful amp, balanced, preamp for my powered desktop speakers, inputs, lots of options I'll probably never play with and around $470 now on Amazon, so priced right compared to separate components. I've had a lot of gear go across my desk and I'd say this is definitely one that I'd recommend to anyone looking for a decent all-in-one solution.

 

[starmartyr]

Wanted to get this but shipping cost a bomb to my country.

Just curious - what country? And have you checked Amazon either locally or nearby?

It supports only 32-bit 192 kHz or something without the driver so it won't work on most devices.

Ah, maybe that's it. Although it's funny the display shows 44.100 when plugged into the ps4. But no sound whatsoever. That's a bit disappointing but at least there's optical to fall back on, and no cable switching that way I guess. But if I had a ps4 slim I'd have to get an hdmi extractor or something, which is a bother. Wish it just worked over usb out of the box.

 

[stimuz]

This really does seem to be the case, this one got a bit of a bad shake at first due to that. The value in this is pretty much incredible but the measurement nazis jumped on a tiny spec of noise (only possibly detectable with super low impedance IEMs, but who would be cranking those to the point of noise showing up anyway?) and the beta firmware issue ‐ quickly resolved, mind you - when otherwise this is a hell of a unit with amazing accuracy and noise figures that still are so low to be blacker than black for 99% of users.

Also yes dirac is an interesting effect that doesnt seem to spoil anything but helps with extremely panned mixes like in 1960-70s songs, and adds a great deal to some types of music and from what I've heard is great for gaming too.

My only gripe is that it doesnt seem to do driverless operation with anything other than a computer... PS4 for example, and just waiting on my android OTG cable to test that too. I cant figure out why this is the case with PS4 though...

He didn't even review it at the time, he just released a partial review complaining about Monoprice. Turns out its pretty good.

 

[Sanctuary]

Got my 788 today, and so far I like it. I got it to be used for more than simply a desktop amp, but for that at least it does a really good job and can adequately power headphones that my Essence STX just can't. I'm also not sure if it's just a placebo, but the DAC seems like it's better than what's in the soundcard, but I couldn't exactly point out how other than maybe making things sound just so slightly fuller. I'll have to do a lot more critical A/B listens, but the STX sounds maybe slightly more congested too. I get similar listening experience simply playing my Cowon J3 through my Lyr, but that has a limited battery and storage space.

Anyway, with all of the talk of the DIRAC feature, I was expecting something different than what I am hearing. While listening to rock, metal, and classical it just sounds like it's trying to do what Dolby Headphone already does, but much worse. Instead of hearing a "center" speaker with two mains as some reviews have said, it just sounds like the left and right converge somewhat and then become a virtual center that is floating right above my forehead. Similarly as with Dolby Headphone, it also seems to add a noticeable amount of reverb, but also seems to make everything sound very anemic. Maybe the results are just headphone dependent, but I am already using semi-open to open headphones. Maybe that feature will sound better with my (closed) Alpha Dogs. I'll try them later.

 

[starmartyr]

Got my 788 today, and so far I like it. I got it to be used for more than simply a desktop amp, but for that at least it does a really good job and can adequately power headphones that my Essence STX just can't. I'm also not sure if it's just a placebo, but the DAC seems like it's better than what's in the soundcard, but I couldn't exactly point out how other than maybe making things sound just so slightly fuller. I'll have to do a lot more critical A/B listens, but the STX sounds maybe slightly more congested too. I get similar listening experience simply playing my Cowon J3 through my Lyr, but that has a limited battery and storage space.

Anyway, with all of the talk of the DIRAC feature, I was expecting something different than what I am hearing. While listening to rock, metal, and classical it just sounds like it's trying to do what Dolby Headphone already does, but much worse. Instead of hearing a "center" speaker with two mains as some reviews have said, it just sounds like the left and right converge somewhat and then become a virtual center that is floating right above my forehead. Similarly as with Dolby Headphone, it also seems to add a noticeable amount of reverb, but also seems to make everything sound very anemic. Maybe the results are just headphone dependent, but I am already using semi-open to open headphones. Maybe that feature will sound better with my (closed) Alpha Dogs. I'll try them later.

Keep listening to Dirac with games, movies and early stereo recordings I would say. It absolutely corrects badly mixed stereo recordings and adds soundstage/correct placement to games and movies I find. Essential to have some cross feed with these sources I'm finding. I never did much critical listening with headphones until I got this unit as I'm very used to speakers but I find this feature invaluable.

Either way it's subjective and a software crossfeed could achieve much of the same results (like Meier crossfeed in foobar) but I like that you can just apply it on any source on the fly without messing about with settings.

 

[stimuz]

Keep listening to Dirac with games, movies and early stereo recordings I would say. It absolutely corrects badly mixed stereo recordings and adds soundstage/correct placement to games and movies I find. Essential to have some cross feed with these sources I'm finding. I never did much critical listening with headphones until I got this unit as I'm very used to speakers but I find this feature invaluable.

Either way it's subjective and a software crossfeed could achieve much of the same results (like Meier crossfeed in foobar) but I like that you can just apply it on any source on the fly without messing about with settings.

100% on early stereo recordings. Anything in the 70s when stereo was the cool new gimmick makes listening with headphones pretty uncomfortable and dirac does a great job emulating speakers for that imo. Dirac shouldn't be the selling point of the 788 though, but its useful.

 

[RoyGB]

Anyone try the balanced output mod yet? If I go through with building a OTC tube amp, I am thinking about converting those balanced inputs to outputs.

I am assuming that balanced output would still work. Hopefully there is no weird issues with parallel wiring and that it treats the XLR as an open circuit when the tube amp is not outputting. I guess that would all come down to the design of the tube amp.

 

[starmartyr]

One thing that's a bit frustrating to me on this unit is where the eq starts and stops. It starts at 50hz so eqing below that isn't possible... sure if the q factor is really low it will extend a bit in both directions but the boost is still centered at 50hz. My hd600s feel like they need a boost below this. They already have a strong response at 50hz so adding to this just muddys up the sound.

If manufacturers report such crazy wide "useable" frequency response numbers like 5hz to 40hz or even just the usual 20hz to 20khz why not make the eq settings closer to the actual full fr? Is this some no no I'm missing? Aren't there many other built in eqs with a wider range or is this pretty typical? I know generally on software eqs you can go pretty wide, surely many basic ones will get down to like 32hz and some are whatever you choose. Seems like an odd decision on a well engineered unit that's made to show off excellent sq at the price..