Question about the quality of iRiver H120 player's optical output...
Sep 21, 2008 at 5:06 AM Post #16 of 34
I bought iRiver 120 off Lad27 and I cannot be happier. I use Stell DA100 as a source. I compared iRiver's optical output to NAD C521BEE digital output and to USB from my computer, I cannot see any difference at all. I cannot understand now, why people buy expensive transports...
 
Sep 22, 2010 at 9:25 AM Post #20 of 34


Quote:
If you have the iRiver, you can check for yourself. If not, why does that matter to you? 


I don't have the 3.5mm to toslink adapter. And I wanted to know if it worked before I bought a separate amp/dac for a few hundred bucks, if that's OK with you? If you don't have anything to contribute to the discussion, then please, let the people that actually CAN help me, do so. Thanks in advance.
 
Sep 22, 2010 at 9:38 AM Post #21 of 34
Of course it works. The thread has been all about how it works with DAC's. There are hints that the optical signal bypasses the internal DAC, so we could assume that the EQ is bypassed also. Unfortunately, no one ever posts proof here, just what they hear, so nothing can be settled for sure. That is the reason I suggest checking for yourself. Since you've been here for a couple of years, I can assume that you've noticed that there is very little proof given for opinions here, so I was suggesting only that you help yourself so you can know for sure whether the EQ affects the LO for sure.
 
If my last sentence of mine sounded tart to you, it wasn't meant to. I only meant: would the EQ passing onto the signal be a problem to you? And if so, for what reason?
 
In other words, I wanted to know if you had a specific use for the player that would would be hampered by just turning off the EQ - that is, if the EQ does indeed pass on. I just couldn't figure out how to say it!
 
Sep 22, 2010 at 10:53 AM Post #22 of 34


Quote:
I don't have the 3.5mm to toslink adapter. And I wanted to know if it worked before I bought a separate amp/dac for a few hundred bucks, if that's OK with you? If you don't have anything to contribute to the discussion, then please, let the people that actually CAN help me, do so. Thanks in advance.


Yes it works with the eq.
 
Sep 22, 2010 at 11:32 AM Post #23 of 34


Quote:
Of course it works. The thread has been all about how it works with DAC's. There are hints that the optical signal bypasses the internal DAC, so we could assume that the EQ is bypassed also. Unfortunately, no one ever posts proof here, just what they hear, so nothing can be settled for sure. That is the reason I suggest checking for yourself. Since you've been here for a couple of years, I can assume that you've noticed that there is very little proof given for opinions here, so I was suggesting only that you help yourself so you can know for sure whether the EQ affects the LO for sure.
 
If my last sentence of mine sounded tart to you, it wasn't meant to. I only meant: would the EQ passing onto the signal be a problem to you? And if so, for what reason?
 
In other words, I wanted to know if you had a specific use for the player that would would be hampered by just turning off the EQ - that is, if the EQ does indeed pass on. I just couldn't figure out how to say it!


Ok, sorry that I missunderstood you. No problem then
smily_headphones1.gif

Yes, I know that it works with a dac, the thing I was not sure about was the EQ-part with optical out.
It should be really easy to try and be 100% sure. Connect optically and set bass/treble to MIN/MAX-level?
smily_headphones1.gif

 
Bypassing EQ would be a problem to me, IF I'm not 100% satisfied with the sound as-is with the dac/amp/iem's combined. I want to have the ability to do 100% bitperfect (EQ off) and also be able to change the sound with EQ (EQ on, not bitperfect from source), still using the optical out.
 
Quote:
Yes it works with the eq.

Thanks
smily_headphones1.gif
So all the EQ-settings works? (Bass/Treble/Equalizer/Other?) WITH optical out?
 
 
Sep 22, 2010 at 5:46 PM Post #24 of 34
If I am not mistaken, EQ and volume in iRiver do not affect its optical output. I have this player.
 
 
Sep 22, 2010 at 6:32 PM Post #27 of 34
Quote:
 
But no separate DAC with Optical in, so no knowledge, yet you make an answer here?
 
Equalization, Sound Modes does change the sound through an external Optical DAC from the HP1x0.
Volume or Balance does not.

 
La Brat, as my signature says, I have Stello DA100 which has 2 optical inputs. 
 
When I come back home, I will check again if EQ in my rockboxed iRiver IHP-120  affects the optical output or not.
 
However, I should note, EQ in iRiver is of subpar quality (compared to hi-end software equalizers). Another consideration is that, ideally, dithering should be used after any EQ (or any other sound modifications, especially if the sound comes out with 16 bit resolution) and I am not sure that the dithering feature in iRiver is applied to its optical output.
 
Sep 22, 2010 at 7:03 PM Post #28 of 34
I didn't write "I am 100% sure that EQ affects the optical output", did I? What I wrote was "If I am not mistaken, EQ and volume in iRiver do not affect its optical output."
 
When people begin their phrase with words "If I am not mistaken", it means they freely admit they are not 100% certain and they want the addressee of their speech to be aware of that.
 
May be you should use these introductory words more often yourself, especially when you say such things as "But no separate DAC with Optical in, so no knowledge" (it's not true) or "but you have obviously not ever tried setting this thing up" (it's not true).
 
iRiver had been connected to my dac for several months in the past and I did test how his features (EQ, volume and balance) affected the optical output.  But I cannot remember exactly now which features are bypassed and which are not. Maybe you are right when you say "Equalization, Sound Modes does change the sound through an external Optical DAC from the HP1x0. Volume or Balance does not." When I come home, I'll test it.
 
Sep 27, 2010 at 4:00 AM Post #29 of 34
Iriver's output is bit-perfect IF you configure it so (rockbox settings). ironmine, in your case using iriver is senseless. Get a Squeezebox Touch - it plays flacs etc from USB drive, does not require a separate server (although can use one), has a nice UI and in general is quite descent as a source. If I wouldn't already have Squeezebox Duet and a server, I would definitely go the Touch way.
 
Sep 27, 2010 at 8:12 PM Post #30 of 34
Quote:
Iriver's output is bit-perfect IF you configure it so (rockbox settings). ironmine, in your case using iriver is senseless. Get a Squeezebox Touch - it plays flacs etc from USB drive, does not require a separate server (although can use one), has a nice UI and in general is quite descent as a source. If I wouldn't already have Squeezebox Duet and a server, I would definitely go the Touch way.


Hello abyrvalg
 
Is there any way to do digital room correction while using Squeezebox Touch?
 

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