Windows 8 USB audio: is 24-bit possible?

[wordfool]

I'm currently running a USB DAC (Styleaudio Emerald) on the USB3.0 port of a Windows 8.1 Pro x64 machine and using MediaMonkey's WASAPI output plugin, but there is no option anywhere for 24-bit sample rate, either in the WASAPI settings or Windows settings. The best I can choose is 16-bit, 48kHz. I presume this is down to the USB DAC's driver (or lack thereof since it's using the generic Microsoft USB audio driver).
 
Is there an easy way to get the option for 24-bit output? With no custom driver for the DAC I presume the only option is ASIO4ALL, which unfortunately is still in Beta for Windows 8, or am I missing something?

 

[jiiteepee]

  I'm currently running a USB DAC (Styleaudio Emerald) on the USB3.0 port of a Windows 8.1 Pro x64 machine and using MediaMonkey's WASAPI output plugin, but there is no option anywhere for 24-bit sample rate, either in the WASAPI settings or Windows settings. The best I can choose is 16-bit, 48kHz. I presume this is down to the USB DAC's driver (or lack thereof since it's using the generic Microsoft USB audio driver).
 
Is there an easy way to get the option for 24-bit output? With no custom driver for the DAC I presume the only option is ASIO4ALL, which unfortunately is still in Beta for Windows 8, or am I missing something?

 
By specs for your DAC the max resolution is 16-bit through USB.
 
Just wondering who designed that device?
 
Quote:

And, the "goodness" continues into the DAC section. Utilizing the TI PCM1793 24bit/192Khz DA converter, this DAC is capable of an astounding dynamic range of 113dB with a negligible THD+N of 0.001%. The USB input is controlled by the proven TI PCM2707 USB controller, allowing use of up to 48Khz files via USB.

Quote:

Digital Chipset specification
- DA converter : Texas Instruments PCM1793 : 24bit / 192Khz sampling, 8x oversampling digital filter, Dynamic range : 113dB, THD+N : 0.001%
 
- USB controller : Texas Instruments PCM2707 / Full speed tranciever (Real audio 1.1) / I2S, 32, 44.1, 48KHz / 16Bit Delta-Sigma stereo

 

[wordfool]

Wow... y'know I never really checked the specs beyond the DA converter, but since the only input to this particular DAC is USB I do have to wonder why on earth they decided to use only a 16-bit USB controller. Maybe it's simply because this was designed in the USB 1.0 era? 
 
So if a DAC did support 24-bit formats, would I see the 24bit sample rate option in Windows or would I still need to install ASIO or specific DAC drivers?

 

[StudioSound]

So if a DAC did support 24-bit formats, would I see the 24bit sample rate option in Windows or would I still need to install ASIO or specific DAC drivers?

 
Windows supports up to 24/96 "driverless" with USB Audio Class 1 devices.
If you have a UAC2 device, you will need a driver to use it on Windows. OS X has native UAC2 support and does not require you to install a driver.