[335guy]

Wanting to move up to hi-res digital audio via my Rega DAC, I have acquired a Peachtree X1 USB to SPDIF adapter (Dell laptop has no SPDIF outputs) and have connected the DAC and the adapter via Toslink.  My test case involves setting up JRiver MC19 and a couple of 96/24 albums as FLAC that I also have the CD of for comparison (Graceland and Oscar Peterson't Night Train).  JRiver shows that it is reading the source as 96/24 and sending the output as 96/24, as well, but the indicator light on the Rega says 44.1 and it sounds exactly the same as the ripped CD files.
 
Is there any Voodoo required to get the Rega to recognize the hi-res input?  Is the X1 (up to 192/24 capable) perhaps suspect?
 
In the meantime, I guess I'll have to borrow a computer that has native SPDIF output to remove one variable...
 
Many thanks!

 

[335guy]

Since this is my first post, I guess I should answer it myself.  Just figured it out.  When I inserted the X1, I inadvertently set it to the Direct Output driver instead of the WASAPI driver, and apparently the Rega doesn't like that.  The initial technical portion is done and now I can sit back and absorb the music.

 

 

[phile1]

You "absord" the music !?
Does it mean 24/96 is far ahead 16/44 on the Rega ?
Could you tell more about "how itts far ahead" (if it is...) ?
tks & rgds

 

[335guy]

I guess I'm pretty good at "absorbing" the music.  That's my own lingo for more than passive listening.  Typing, not so good, especially early on a Saturday morning.
 
The very first impression is that percussion has a bit more crispness and vocals have a bit more of a "right there" feel.  Soundstage seems a little more detailed.
 
The Rega DAC uses (I heard somewhere) Motorola chips on the isolated USB inputs and dual Wolfson circuits on the SPDIF inputs.  Moving to the SPDIF inputs seems to have enhanced even the 44.1 resolution tracks.  Because the USB input is limited to 44.1, I'll never know what the hi-res tracks sound through the Motorola side of the unit.
 
But I'm convinced, I'll be buying more of the hi-res tracks.  The setup supports up to 192/24, but so far, I have not found any source material offered in 192/24 that I can't live without at this stage of the experiment.