New Audio-gd R-7, R-7HE R-8, R-27, R-27HE, R-28 Flagship Resistor Ladder DACs and DAC/amps

[FredA]

I can't help with Jriver, but I see you were trying play DSD256 with WASAPI (using DoP). It won't work, it is above specification. DSD256 will only play in a native mode, but WASAPI do not support a native transfers, only DoP. In other words, a maximum supported with WASAPI is DSD128, irrespectively to the player.

To play DSD256 you need to select ASIO driver and activate native transfers (not DoP). How to do it on Jriver, I don't know, as said above. Foobar 2000 with SACD plugin output is also DoP leading to the same limitation. It is possible with a software pseudodriver, called a proxy driver, it must be installed to the windows separately. It will translate Foobar's DSD256 (DoP frames) output to the native DSD256 and forward it to the ASIO driver.

DSD512 playback is not possible with Amanero, sorry.

Audio-gd says dsd512 is possible. Maybe with the latest amanero fw.

 

[sajunky]

DSD512 is possible with firmware CPLD_for_1081, still in beta. I don't think Kingwa recommend this firmware, it can be incompatible with the CPLD you have, I haven't tried. All firmware upgrade tutorials and links on the AGD website refer to CPLD_1080 firmware, but I can be wrong on this.

Whatether is a maximum rate, the same rule applies: The maximum DSD rate is only possible in a native transfer mode.

 

[Preface]

Need urgent

Need an urgent help!

I couldn't play any DSD256 or DSD 512 files. My r8 can only play DSD128 or 64. Whenever I played DSD256, Jriver says something like below:


Here's my setting for Jriver:


If anyone has used any other player that works, please let me know. I've also tried foobar2000, using Wasapi output and SCAD as DSD/PCM, it shows similar message whenever I played DSD256 files.

Please help!

Thanks.

I had the same issue with my R1 2021 but with AISO and Foobar. All that I could do - reinstall drivers, different foobar plugins, installing different players (including Jriver) and nothing helped. I have cursed Amanero and NEVER will use it. XMOS is much stable, I use Singxer SU-2 as DDC and I am happy.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I was not able to get DSD256 to play on foobar2000 nor MusicBee. It did work with HQPlayer, so clearly the stock Amanero and DI-20 firmware do support DSD256. I don't have any DSD512 to test with and I decided not to buy HQPlayer, so I can't get further.

I didn't like JRiver nor Audirvana and didn't try high rate DSD with those when I was looking at them a while back. And I didn't try high rate DSD direct over USB IIRC.

 

[cycchar]

I was not able to get DSD256 to play on foobar2000 nor MusicBee. It did work with HQPlayer, so clearly the stock Amanero and DI-20 firmware do support DSD256. I don't have any DSD512 to test with and I decided not to buy HQPlayer, so I can't get further.

I didn't like JRiver nor Audirvana and didn't try high rate DSD with those when I was looking at them a while back. And I didn't try high rate DSD direct over USB IIRC.

May I ask you for a setup screen shot of HQPlayer?

The reason I switched to Jriver is because I could figure out how to make HQPlayer play music....sorry I'm helpless with all plugins and filter options in HQPlayer that I haven't even successfully played any music in HQPlayer yet.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

May I ask you for a setup screen shot of HQPlayer?

The reason I switched to Jriver is because I could figure out how to make HQPlayer play music....sorry I'm helpless with all plugins and filter options in HQPlayer that I haven't even successfully played any music in HQPlayer yet.

Sorry, I uninstalled it back then. The price is way too high given how unrefined (I'm being charitable here) the UI is. I don't blame you for being confused, it's the poster child for how not to do apps.

Do you have music in DSD256? I have samples but for real music I don't go higher than DSD64 which is what SACD rips are. Foobar2000 and Musicbee are perfectly fine for me for all the music I have and they're not difficult to set up. Musicbee is easier than foobar though.

What is your gear and what are you trying to do?

 

[cycchar]

Sorry, I uninstalled it back then. The price is way too high given how unrefined (I'm being charitable here) the UI is. I don't blame you for being confused, it's the poster child for how not to do apps.

Do you have music in DSD256? I have samples but for real music I don't go higher than DSD64 which is what SACD rips are. Foobar2000 and Musicbee are perfectly fine for me for all the music I have and they're not difficult to set up. Musicbee is easier than foobar though.

What is your gear and what are you trying to do?

Yes, I do have concerto music in DSD256. My gear is Audio gd r8 (not the MKII, but the r8 2021 version). I mainly use foobar as it's been very easy to setup.

My problem is, I couldn't find the right setup for foobar to transmit native DSD to my r8 dac. So far it only works with DSD 64 and 128, but not 256 (unless I set the SCAD output as "PCM"). Do you mind share your setup for foobar?

Some people told me the version of foo_input_scad matters, certainly the 1.4.2 doesn't work. I've tried a few older version such as 0.7.8 which only works with foobar 1.3.1 but not the latest version...so annoying!

Thanks in advance for the help

 

[Currawong]

There's a possibility that higher DSD rates may perform more poorly than lower ones as well. I've only had luck in general with DACs and software if I'm using DoP, rather than native DSD. That doubles the throughput though.

One of the arguable advantages of an Audio-gd DAC over the Schiit models is higher resolution, as well as DSD input. But, DSD in and of itself is arguably a waste of time with the high quality of conversion available with PCM. You're paying for multiple large, complex, R2R ladders only to bypass them using DSD, the majority of which was PCM at some stage, and may have been degraded by conversion. Then there's the messing about with software. DSD512 requires at least 3MB/sec of throughput, which may increase the noise generated by components that have to process it.

On the begining get R8Mk2. Even though the lowest in the range R2R-11 will give an improvement over BF2, but it is NOS-only. For EDM, oversampling mode is generally prefered. R1 2021 would give great sonic improvements having both, but is still not upgraded to Mk2, having no isolation on USB port, it is why I would chose R8Mk2. It will reduce an urgency for adding DDC to the chain, it can be done incrementally.

Really? And you haven't ever owned a Bifrost 2. As we know, you only own the old R2R-11. Please stop giving false advice about products you have never had in your possession. In my experience with a variety of Audio-gd and Schiit products they are roughly comparable price-wise vs. sound quality, though they have subtle differences in their house sound, and Schiit doesn't do combo units like the R28, etc, making it hard to compare. Some variance is obviously to be had with different configurations and how they are set up, but the old R2R-11 is equivalent to a Modi Multibit + Magni set-up, and cost the same.

 

[sajunky]

I like this post, but the amount of anger give me indication that a reason had been developed for a while. Can you point us to the origin?

 

[sajunky]

For those who want a native DSD native with Foobar 2000, this guide is the best source. Part 2 covers various options for playing DSD files. Mode 2 use the latest DSDTranscoder. I didn't mention that, as it had number of issues, but software is updated frequently, possibly problems are fixed already. I used Mode 4 with the proxy driver. It worked OK, but further updates to the SACD plugin or Foobar broke functionality, I uninstalled a driver having no music in DSD256 format, except some samples from 2L.

Some impressions comparing to a Topping D30 with XMOS drivers. There were the same transition problems when switching between PCM and DSD source and a similar driver stability issues when using noisy source PC on a long USB cable. So I gather that all problems were attributed to the bugs in a proxy driver, while both (XMOS an Amanero) ASIO driver implementations are solid without proxy.

 

[FredA]

There's a possibility that higher DSD rates may perform more poorly than lower ones as well. I've only had luck in general with DACs and software if I'm using DoP, rather than native DSD. That doubles the throughput though.

One of the arguable advantages of an Audio-gd DAC over the Schiit models is higher resolution, as well as DSD input. But, DSD in and of itself is arguably a waste of time with the high quality of conversion available with PCM. You're paying for multiple large, complex, R2R ladders only to bypass them using DSD, the majority of which was PCM at some stage, and may have been degraded by conversion. Then there's the messing about with software. DSD512 requires at least 3MB/sec of throughput, which may increase the noise generated by components that have to process it.



Really? And you haven't ever owned a Bifrost 2. As we know, you only own the old R2R-11. Please stop giving false advice about products you have never had in your possession. In my experience with a variety of Audio-gd and Schiit products they are roughly comparable price-wise vs. sound quality, though they have subtle differences in their house sound, and Schiit doesn't do combo units like the R28, etc, making it hard to compare. Some variance is obviously to be had with different configurations and how they are set up, but the old R2R-11 is equivalent to a Modi Multibit + Magni set-up, and cost the same.

I like that you put "old" in bold. Because the new r2r 11, given 500h of burn-in, is just phenonenal. You just want to enjoy it for what it is. It makes you like NOS and realize how close to the recording the sound can be by not doing DSP.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Yes, I do have concerto music in DSD256. My gear is Audio gd r8 (not the MKII, but the r8 2021 version). I mainly use foobar as it's been very easy to setup.

My problem is, I couldn't find the right setup for foobar to transmit native DSD to my r8 dac. So far it only works with DSD 64 and 128, but not 256 (unless I set the SCAD output as "PCM"). Do you mind share your setup for foobar?

As I mentioned above (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new...hip-resistor-ladder-dacs.853902/post-16755169) I was not able to get foobar nor musicbee to play DSD256. And I'm using the R8 MK2 and a DI-20, which is not the same as your setup anyway.

I can't remember whether I had better luck with higher rates on other DACs out of foobar, but it feels like 128 might be the highest foobar can do.

Some people told me the version of foo_input_scad matters, certainly the 1.4.2 doesn't work. I've tried a few older version such as 0.7.8 which only works with foobar 1.3.1 but not the latest version...so annoying!

Thanks in advance for the help

I most definitely had to fiddle with mixing and matching versions of plugins but as I said, foobar did not play DSD higher than 128 and neither did musicbee. Therefore if your goal is to play DSD256 I think you'll need to find a player which is expected to work at that rate and go from there.

 

[FredA]

As I mentioned above (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new...hip-resistor-ladder-dacs.853902/post-16755169) I was not able to get foobar nor musicbee to play DSD256. And I'm using the R8 MK2 and a DI-20, which is not the same as your setup anyway.

I can't remember whether I had better luck with higher rates on other DACs out of foobar, but it feels like 128 might be the highest foobar can do.


I most definitely had to fiddle with mixing and matching versions of plugins but as I said, foobar did not play DSD higher than 128 and neither did musicbee. Therefore if your goal is to play DSD256 I think you'll need to find a player which is expected to work at that rate and go from there.

My usbridge signature will play dsd256. Haven't tried 512 however, no file.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

My usbridge signature will play dsd256. Haven't tried 512 however, no file.

But that is not using foobar, right? Since the usbridge doesn't run windows.

I have gotten DSD 256 to play on my R8, but it was via HQPlayer. In my mind the R8 MK2 clearly supports 256 (and I'm sure 512 as stated on Kingwa's site) but the problem is finding a player and the right combination of plugins etc.

 

[FredA]

But that is not using foobar, right? Since the usbridge doesn't run windows.

I have gotten DSD 256 to play on my R8, but it was via HQPlayer. In my mind the R8 MK2 clearly supports 256 (and I'm sure 512 as stated on Kingwa's site) but the problem is finding a player and the right combination of plugins etc.

You are correct. I run Volumio (linux-based). I gave up upsampling quite a while ago. A silent usb transport with low jitter brings a better sound upgrade than upsampling, if one needs to choose between these two options.