[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgoodman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the positive comments. DACport gives you this option because it can play 24/96 files natively. This type of performance is rare and so Windows is not sure if you really want it -- funny how that is... Of course you want it! My recommendation is to leave the settings at 24/96 - you will preserve the entire 24 bits of resolution and keep the noise down. If you are listening to 24/96 material it's especially important. If you are listening to 16/44 material it's still important. Here is why: Resampling (converting) your 24/96 content down to 16/44 by the Windows audio driver will introduce some noise and distortion due to mathematical manipulation of the audio stream as it gets converted "on the fly". Microsoft says that their conversion math is "flawless". I happen to know and respect the people on the Windows audio driver team, but... we all know that nothing is ever "flawless", so better to leave your audio alone Michael

On a PC, if you leave the DACport settings at 24/96, I assume that when you play a 16/44 file that the Windows OS up-samples the audio stream to 24/96 to then pass it out of the USB port that way. Is that correct?

My understanding has always been that the Mac OS combined with iTunes will do a very nice job up-sampling the 16/44 music to 24/96 to send to the optical or USB port if the "Audio MIDI setup" is set for 24/96. I just don't know about the PC. Is all that correct?

Also, I do know in the Mac that every time you unplug a 24/96 optical DAC that the OS will reset it to 16/44 when you plug it back in. So, each time you plug in a 24/96 optical DAC you have to open Audio MIDI setup and change it to 24/96 again, where it will stay till the next time you unplug it. I assume the DACport will be treated the same way.

 

[mgoodman]

Windows does not resample to improve audio quality, it only resamples to maintain compatibility. So there is no upsampling in Windows. If the device can play the file "as is", Windows will leave it alone and not resample. If the device tops out at 48kHz and the file is at 96kHz then Windows would resample so that at least "something" is played. From Windows' standpoint "resampled audio is better than no audio at all". This makes perfect sense if you have to support millions of audio cards. The audiophile world is different and this is why we have to artificially prevent Windows from resampling.

DACport can play the files encoded at 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96kHz and this effectively prevents Windows from ever resampling. All standard resolutions will be played without changes, bit for bit, since the compatibility goal is met.

On Mac, DACport shows up as a 24/96 device when you plug it in. I need to check what Mac OS remembers and if there is any resampling going on. I doubt it, as Mac OS' philosophy is similar to Windows - if it can be played as is, leave it alone and just play it.

 

[eugenius]

With the impending release of the Nuforce ICON HDP that has 24/96 USB in, 24/192 SPDIF in, optical in, SPDIF out, analog in and out and probably better SQ - and it's 400$ - I really don't see how this is a good value or worth the 450-500$.

The only thing that would have made it worth that kind of money was a spdif out so it could also be used as a driverless USB converter for a proper home DAC.

 

[Ham Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif On a PC, if you leave the DACport settings at 24/96, I assume that when you play a 16/44 file that the Windows OS up-samples the audio stream to 24/96 to then pass it out of the USB port that way. Is that correct?

If you're using a bit-perfect playback method like ASIO or WASAPI in exclusive mode the playback software will get the device (like a DACport) to match the sample rate and bit rate of the file being played. If you play a 16/44.1 file and then a 24/96 file the device (like a DACport) should switch from 44.1 to 96 as needed. The tricky part comes if you want to play a file that isn't one of the native sample rates that the device supports. Then it is necessary for the software (Foobar, J River Media Center, or whatever) to be configured to do a sample rate conversion to a sample rate that the device supports. Windows won't do that sample rate conversion for you in this case, it is up to the media player software to do that and implement their own sample rate conversion routines.

Shared mode WASAPI has some different rules about resampling and anything playing over the shared interface needs to be at the same sample rate. Anything at a different sample rate will need to be resampled by the media player software to the agreed upon shared sample rate.

 

[mgoodman]

@ Eugenius - Several people who got their first DACports last week already reported that the sound quality of the internal DAC was totally worth $450 to them, but thank you for your feedback on price and competition. If you want to find out if the internal DAC is "proper" or not, let me know by PM.

@ Ham Sandwich - DACport actually reports to the OS that it can handle the entire range of S/R (continuosly adjustable), so it will render whatever you throw at it. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eugenius /img/forum/go_quote.gif With the impending release of the Nuforce ICON HDP that has 24/96 USB in, 24/192 SPDIF in, optical in, SPDIF out, analog in and out and probably better SQ - and it's 400$ - I really don't see how this is a good value or worth the 450-500$. The only thing that would have made it worth that kind of money was a spdif out so it could also be used as a driverless USB converter for a proper home DAC.

The one advantage I see is that the DACport doesn't need to be plugged into the wall like the HDP, so it is portable. Otherwise, I do love the Nuforce products and think they offer a lot of bang for the buck.

 

[Ham Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgoodman /img/forum/go_quote.gif @ Ham Sandwich - DACport actually reports to the OS that it can handle the entire range of S/R (continuosly adjustable), so it will render whatever you throw at it. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Does the DACport do 32 kHz or any of the lower rates like 24 kHz or 22.05 kHz? Those sample rates aren't used for music but do get used for podcasts and presentations and such. I usually end up needing to enable a resampler to play files like that over anything other than onboard audio.

The 24/96 support using the standard OS supplied USB audio drivers is really really cool. Windows, Mac, and Linux with no custom drivers. That's a big feature and a big convenience. Congratulations on that bit of software magic.

 

[Sasaki]

Thank you all for sharing the info.
This is quite interesting, I have placed my order.
Their responses are fast despite the end of the year.

 

[mgoodman]

@ Sasaki-san: Sleeping is entirely optional. We scream "banzai" and go for it, samurai-do.

@ Ham Sandwich: I checked and have to disappoint you - no 22kHz... Wasn't thinking that anyone would want that. In all fairness however, 10kHz audio, resampled or not, is still 10 kHz audio

@ Eugenius: I checked -- DACport's THD is two orders of magnitude better than the product you reference. When you say "and probably better SQ", you may be making a loose assumption.

 

[leeperry]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgoodman /img/forum/go_quote.gif DACport's THD is two orders of magnitude better than the product you reference. When you say "and probably better SQ", you may be making a loose assumption.

sadly THD and SQ are completely unrelated...the human brain wasn't really meant to listen to pure sine waves, otherwise noone would be using tubes or discrete designs these days.

the op-amps w/ the lowest THD(LME49722MA for instance) are ear piercing and totally unbearable...so THD really doesn't mean much IMVHO, and it's been widely acknowledged on diyaudio.com by many circuit designers too.

I'm only saying that THD and SNR are good to know, but they are not warrants of superior SQ...otherwise everyone would be using LME49720NA/LME49722MA

 

[mgoodman]

Agreed, and appreciated. Being a musician, I am very aware of the imperfections that can make the day (and sometimes a rehearsal mistake can make a hit song).

We think that we have achieved both a good THD spec AND a pleasing sound. The initial customers are all in agreement. PM me if you want to try it for yourself.

 

[leeperry]

.

 

[Sasaki]

I've got mine. Thanks mgoodman for the quick shipment.

In short, DACport is much detailed, 3D like sound staging and very transparent.
Not only compact but this is well comparable to home amps.

　　　　　

I wrote some initial impression on my headfi blog with some more pics.

CEntrance DACport -　high-sampling ready portable USB DAC - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

Have a look and enjoy.

 

[mgoodman]

Thank you for the good comments, Sasaki-san! I added a link to your blog on my blog.

 

[Mr.Shadow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sasaki /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've got mine. Thanks mgoodman for the quick shipment. In short, DACport is much detailed, 3D like sound staging and very transparent. Not only compact but this is well comparable to home amps. I wrote some initial impression on my headfi blog with some more pics. CEntrance DACport -　high-sampling ready portable USB DAC - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio Have a look and enjoy.

Sasaki, what do you think of the DacPort and ESW10JPN combo ?
I am looking for good AMP/DAC to match with my ESW10JPN.

10x.