[Ripper2860]

I use a Win10 PC with JRiver Media Center, Foobar, Windows Media Player, Tidal and Spotify. Both PC's have external DACs (Cambridge Audio via ASIO and Schiit via WASAPI) and never have an issue with switching. The CA DAC has lights indicating input sampling rate and the light and input switches automatically as required. I can confirm rate to the Schiit DAC via JRMC on my other system. I suspect the issue might be more related to sound card drivers or the actual sound card, as opposed to the Windows audio stack. I really think that a USB DAC will solve the headaches you are experiencing with the above stated caveat.

 

[ronross]

Two of my Roon endpoints are PCs running Win 10, connected via USB to a DAC. Both of them switch resolution automatically (because the DAC does) and the Roon player doesn't care what source it is. YMMV depending on how your playback software might effect your system.

With respect, and I may be wrong, but it is Roon doing the switching, not the DAC. And given that it is almost certainly operating in exclusive mode, switching to another app is not guaranteed to be glitch free. I gave Roon a trial and I'm pretty sure I had the same problems. The $64,000 question is whether a USB DAC will behave any differently and I'm inclined to agree with Alcophone that to Windows there is no difference between a sound card and a USB device.

 

[ronross]

I use a Win10 PC with JRiver Media Center, Foobar, Windows Media Player, Tidal and Spotify. Both PC's have external DACs (Cambridge Audio via ASIO and Schiit via WASAPI) and never have an issue with switching. The CA DAC has lights indicating input sampling rate and the light and input switches automatically as required. I can confirm rate to the Schiit DAC via JRMC on my other system. I suspect the issue might be more related to sound card drivers or the actual sound card, as opposed to the Windows audio stack. I really think that a USB DAC will solve the headaches you are experiencing with the above stated caveat.

Thanks for the feedback and you may well be right. I have no experience with USB DACs since for years the audiophile card has served me well. But my set up is more demanding and complicated now and the card has probably seen its day. Since I have nothing to lose I will almost certainly try a Modi.

 

[Ableza]

With respect, and I may be wrong, but it is Roon doing the switching, not the DAC. And given that it is almost certainly operating in exclusive mode, switching to another app is not guaranteed to be glitch free. I gave Roon a trial and I'm pretty sure I had the same problems. The $64,000 question is whether a USB DAC will behave any differently and I'm inclined to agree with Alcophone that to Windows there is no difference between a sound card and a USB device.

No, Roon does not switch the sample rate of the source file, it simply serves what's there. The DAC responds to the input and switches to match the incoming signal. Roon does not use the Windows control panel: you do not set up the USB connected DAC as a sound output device in Windows when using Roon.

 

[Ableza]

Thanks for the feedback and you may well be right. I have no experience with USB DACs since for years the audiophile card has served me well. But my set up is more demanding and complicated now and the card has probably seen its day. Since I have nothing to lose I will almost certainly try a Modi.

ANY setup that relies on the Windows sound control panel will be suspect in my opinion.

 

[Paladin79]

Another Jazz Recommendation...

Album: 5000 Miles
Artists: Nils Landgren

Who got da Funk?! We got da Funk!! Nils Landgren (Trombonist) and his 'Funk Unit' do about as good a job of melding Funk and Jazz as anyone. A mellow and funky ride that will certainly bring about a toe-tap and head-nod (especially on Sisters of Arequipa). A very well recorded studio album that is certainly worth a listen.

Available on Tidal and Spotify.

Ok on Tidal, artist Bobby Lounge (that is the stage name for a middle school teacher from Alabama I believe), the album " I Remember the Night Your Trailer Burned Down". I am not sure this artist is still performing but he had to be amazing live. Some of the content is a little bizarre and not for everyone. Along the lines of Jerry Lee Lewis in playing style? That would be my best guess anyway.
This is probably a very obscure album and I only point it out because it is amazing what you can find on Tidal

 

[HumanFly]

ANY setup that relies on the Windows sound control panel will be suspect in my opinion.

That is some wonky shizzle, someone should measure it
All kinds of vaguery going on within windows audio, so (unless you can do your settings once and keep em like that for everything you do on that system) migrate to another OS.
A raspberry with a good transport running Rune or Volumio (even runs Roon these days) sounds better than most pc`s in my (humble) opinion.

Edit: This is coming from a windows fanboy btw.

 

[Ableza]

No, Roon does not switch the sample rate of the source file, it simply serves what's there. The DAC responds to the input and switches to match the incoming signal.

That is some wonky shizzle, someone should measure it
All kinds of vaguery going on within windows audio, so (unless you can do your settings once and keep em like that for everything you do on that system) migrate to another OS.
A raspberry with a good transport running Rune or Volumio (even runs Roon these days) sounds better than most pc`s in my (humble) opinion.

I believe it was @Baldr who first said that one needs to keep all wonky shizzle out of the audio signal path.

 

[Alcophone]

No, Roon does not switch the sample rate of the source file, it simply serves what's there. The DAC responds to the input and switches to match the incoming signal. Roon does not use the Windows control panel: you do not set up the USB connected DAC as a sound output device in Windows when using Roon.

Roon sets the sample rate of the DAC, like foobar2000 would, like Tidal would in exclusive mode, so that nothing gets downsampled or upsampled. So Roon knows the sample rate of the source and sets the sample rate of the DAC to match.

 

[Alcophone]

From https://kb.roonlabs.com/Exclusive_Mode:

The Exclusive Mode setting tells Roon to take exclusive control of your audio device.

During this time, it can't be shared with other applications. This allows Roon to precisely control every aspect of the playback without any interference from the operating system. This is a basic requirement for achieving audiophile grade playback.

The audiophiles in the room are nodding their heads.

This concept only applies to connected outputs--i.e. USB DACs, sound cards, or built-in outputs connected to Roon, Roon Server, Roon Remote, or Roon Bridge. If you are using a networked output (AirPlay, Squeezebox, Meridian, or Roon Ready), then the device takes care of this implementation detail internally.

Like many overpriced audiophile solutions, there's more marketing than precise details here, but I'm very sure that by "precisely control every aspect of the playback without any interference from the operating system" they mean setting the bit rate and sample rate. Roon can freely do that in exclusive mode because it wouldn't upset any other software trying to use the same audio output device.

 

[Ableza]

Roon sets the sample rate of the DAC, like foobar2000 would, like Tidal would in exclusive mode, so that nothing gets downsampled or upsampled. So Roon knows the sample rate of the source and sets the sample rate of the DAC to match.

Actually that is not right, Roon does not "set the sample rate of the DAC." The DAC senses the incoming sample rate and self-selects to the correct bit rate. Or at least my Schiit Yggdrasil and Gungnir MB do.

 

[Alcophone]

That's right, and does so automatically with no user intervention and none of the sample rate madness or Windows intervention being described by the OP of this question. And your point is?

That it's the software making the difference, not the DAC. Buying a USB DAC will not fix his problem. The DAC doesn't magically set itself to any sample rate. The software does, if it's written that way. The software he's trying to use isn't.

 

[Ableza]

That it's the software making the difference, not the DAC. Buying a USB DAC will not fix his problem. The DAC doesn't magically set itself to any sample rate. The software does, if it's written that way. The software he's trying to use isn't.

see next post

 

[Ableza]

I mis spoke when I initially posted the above and you quoted me too quickly. Roon does NOT control the sample rate of the DAC. The DAC does. Yes, it "magically" sets itself to match the incoming sample rate, although there is nothing magical about it. It simply senses the incoming rate and locks in to whatever is required.

 

[Ableza]

My Schiit DACs require no external software control to select the correct sample rate. In fact, neither do my Wavelength nor my Ayre DACs either.