[newtophones07]

My LGX just arrived. Unpacked, connected, haven't yet turned it on.

Question: where would I get the driver for the DAC? There's no mention of it in the manual or on the website. I know from experience with Windows 7 Professional that a driver will be required.

?

(thanks)

So wait if there are no Win 7 drivers and only UAC2 drivers for Win10, how so you deal with DSD direct? Do you have to do DSD to PCM? Seems odd, kinda Schiit like not to come with a driver. No manual, no driver, no remote for $1,000 seems a bit much.....but I sure am itching to buy one lol

 

[ruinedx]

So wait if there are no Win 7 drivers and only UAC2 drivers for Win10, how so you deal with DSD direct? Do you have to do DSD to PCM? Seems odd, kinda Schiit like not to come with a driver. No manual, no driver, no remote for $1,000 seems a bit much.....but I sure am itching to buy one lol

Using jriver for my dac (MX DAC ) it does native DSD64/128 via uac2 by packeting dsd bitstream (not decoding to pcm) in the pcm stream (DoP) and does not require drivers beyond Microsoft's win10 uac2 for this. It's similar to how dts cd was digitally transmitted in the late 90s.

 

[newtophones07]

Using jriver for my dac (MX DAC ) it does native DSD64/128 via uac2 by packeting dsd bitstream (not decoding to pcm) in the pcm stream (DoP) and does not require drivers beyond Microsoft's win10 uac2 for this. It's similar to how dts cd was digitally transmitted in the late 90s.

But that is not native DSD. Oh well at least you have some options to get it to work. They would should develop ASIO drivers. If SMSL and Topping can provide them, I would really expect an American company to so the same at these prices.

 

[ruinedx]

But that is not native DSD. Oh well at least you have some options to get it to work. They would should develop ASIO drivers. If SMSL and Topping can provide them, I would really expect an American company to so the same at these prices.

Incorrect, its native DSD bitstream - the bitstream is simply being transmitted in a PCM container and is not decoded until it hits the DAC. It is bit for bit identical to a DSD bitstream transmitted otherwise, its just another way of transmitting native DSD. Using DoP also does not require ASIO and can be accomplished via WASAPI.

Can read more here if interested: https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DSD#DSD_over_PCM_.28DoP.29

 

[newtophones07]

Incorrect, its native DSD bitstream - the bitstream is simply being transmitted in a PCM container it is not decoded until it hits the DAC. It is bit for bit identical to a DSD bitstream transmitted otherwise, its just another way of transmitting native DSD.

Id rather not have the additional wrapper, and requires unpacking, but as long as it works, thumbs up.

 

[ruinedx]

Id rather not have the additional wrapper, and requires unpacking, but as long as it works, thumbs up.

Yup its been around a long time, its a standard since 2012: https://dsd-guide.com/dop-open-standard#.X25GYz-Sn-g

The additional wrapper has zero impact on the bitstream, so not much to worry about. One advantage of DoP is that it works with WASAPI which tends to be less finicky than ASIO, and ASIO generally needed to transmit DSD otherwise.

Remember also for PCM playback, ASIO main purpose is low latency not necessarily quality, and quality may be sacrificed to maintain low latency via ASIO; while WASAPI exclusive is bit-perfect. A lot easier to just use WASAPI for everything if possible as a result.

 

[Rattle]

The whole dsd thing is dumb IMO. almost all the recordings are in the PCM domain and just get changed to sony's format so it's on a disc or file. Choosing a dac because it does or doesn't do DSD is foolish. The actual mastering is what matters not format. I don't care about DSD, I rip any worthy SACD to 24/88.2 or 176.4 and just play them. IF the mastering is even worthy that is. Why even lose sleep. Sorry I'll see myself out now.

 

[ruinedx]

The whole dsd thing is dumb IMO. almost all the recordings are in the PCM domain and just get changed to sony's format so it's on a disc or file. Choosing a dac because it does or doesn't do DSD is foolish. The actual mastering is what matters not format. I don't care about DSD, I rip any worthy SACD to 24/88.2 or 176.4 and just play them. IF the mastering is even worthy that is. Why even lose sleep. Sorry I'll see myself out now.

This is correct. It is best to prioritize for PCM. Hence why I use WASAPI Exclusive, it is the best for PCM. There are less than ten digital .DSF (dsd) albums worth owning IMO, & ripping SACD is a PITA.

HOWEVER, if you have the means to do native DSD and there are no side effects that impact PCM, you might as well use it as there are some masters that are only digitally available in DSF/DSD format. Yeah you could convert them but why not use the dac functionality if you have it and it won't impact PCM quality?

 

[Rattle]

This is correct. It is best to prioritize for PCM. Hence why I use WASAPI Exclusive, it is the best for PCM. There are less than ten digital .DSF (dsd) albums worth owning IMO, & ripping SACD is a PITA.

HOWEVER, if you have the means to do native DSD and there are no side effects that impact PCM, you might as well use it as there are some masters that are only digitally available in DSF/DSD format. Yeah you could convert them but why not use the dac functionality if you have it and it won't impact PCM quality?

Agreed 100% I wasn't calling you out on anything. Just see people asking why certain american DAC makers don't support sacd/dsd and how this chi fi dac does it... when they don't even know what they are talking about... Gets OLD quick. Pick a DAC based on sound quality always not useless features. Also WASAPI FTW

 

[ruinedx]

Agreed 100% I wasn't calling you out on anything. Just see people asking why certain american DAC makers don't support sacd/dsd and how this chi fi dac does it... when they don't even know what they are talking about... Gets OLD quick. Pick a DAC based on sound quality always not useless features. Also WASAPI FTW

Haha yes

"More American DAC makers should force me to install questionable 3rd party drivers and use an inferior quality transmission interface to enable features of my DAC, this is surely a superior solution to using bit-perfect WASAPI with bulletproof native Microsoft drivers while accomplishing the same thing. CAUSE ITS NOT REAL DSD [it is]"

 

[Pharmaboy]

The whole dsd thing is dumb IMO. almost all the recordings are in the PCM domain and just get changed to sony's format so it's on a disc or file. Choosing a dac because it does or doesn't do DSD is foolish. The actual mastering is what matters not format. I don't care about DSD, I rip any worthy SACD to 24/88.2 or 176.4 and just play them. IF the mastering is even worthy that is. Why even lose sleep. Sorry I'll see myself out now.

For those love the sound of DSD files and have made all the system changes required to make it happen--my hat is off to you.

As for me, I prioritized a digital technology that doesn't easily do native DSD (multibit, especially NOS digital), have no DSD files, and really have little curiosity about DSD. I have ~225 GB of .wav & .flac files, including a number of 24/192 recordings, and am happy with it, at least so far. Just personal decisions.

And for that matter, choice of O.S. is another personal decision. I tend to stick with things that absolutely work for my business objectives (3 computers in home office, all Win7Pro). I don't run the latest software for O.S. or apps, but I mastered what I use to the above-average or, in some cases, lights-out user level: it's predictable and reliable for anything I do for business.

 

[ruinedx]

And for that matter, choice of O.S. is another personal decision. I tend to stick with things that absolutely work for my business objectives (3 computers in home office, all Win7Pro). I don't run the latest software for O.S. or apps, but I mastered what I use to the above-average or, in some cases, lights-out user level: it's predictable and reliable for anything I do for business.

TBH I would say even for a strict business use case Windows 7 is not a good choice anymore since security updates were halted on 1/14/2020. You are putting the security of the data for your business at risk as a result: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-7-end-of-life-support-information

 

[Pharmaboy]

TBH I would say even for a strict business use case Windows 7 is not a good choice anymore since security updates were halted on 1/14/2020. You are putting the security of the data for your business at risk as a result: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-7-end-of-life-support-information

It's easy to be judgmental when you don't know the particulars. I'm well aware of the status of Win7, but have taken steps to mitigate that risk:

• I have multiple levels of robust anti-virus/malware protection here
• And external file storage (local & cloud)
• And separately stored images of critical disks in each computer, allowing me to overcome ransomware attacks, for example
• And multiple computers, any of which is a hot back-up of any other.

This doesn't make me impervious to threats (no one is that); but it does make me as least as well protected as the average Win10 user.

I actually see more risk in O.S. "updates" of unknown complexity which I cannot manage, schedule, or opt out of--all part of the baggage w/Win10. I hear a new update will introduce some user control for those issues, but that doesn't remedy the crashes and other issues some Win10 users have suffered through from time to time.

 

[Odin412]

It's easy to be judgmental when you don't know the particulars. I'm well aware of the status of Win7, but have taken steps to mitigate that risk:

• I have multiple levels of robust anti-virus/malware protection here
• And external file storage (local & cloud)
• And separately stored images of critical disks in each computer, allowing me to overcome ransomware attacks, for example
• And multiple computers, any of which is a hot back-up of any other.

This doesn't make me impervious to threats (no one is that); but it does make me as least as well protected as the average Win10 user.

I actually see more risk in O.S. "updates" of unknown complexity which I cannot manage, schedule, or opt out of--all part of the baggage w/Win10. I hear a new update will introduce some user control for those issues, but that doesn't remedy the crashes and other issues some Win10 users have suffered through from time to time.

Windows 7 was a great operating system that endures beyond what Microsoft (I suspect) expected when they introduced it. You should be able to manually install a driver for the DAC if Monoprice can give you a download. If you know what USB chip the DAC uses

(and I don't - sorry) ​

you may even be able to find a 3rd party driver. On Windows 10 there was nothing to install (or the install happened automatically behind the scenes) - I just plugged it in and Windows 10 configured the DAC as an audio output device.

 

[Odin412]

One of the things about the Liquid Gold X that I'm really enjoying is how it seems to bring out the best in my headphones. I just tried it with my Dan Clark Audio Aeon Flow Closed. The bass is deep and juicy, the midrange is open and natural and the treble is smooth and resolving without being overly analytical - excellent synergy!