Cant get weiss dac 2 to work with 96khz on optical input

[thequietman]

Hi guys, the weiss dac 2 arrived today for an audition. My firewire cable has yet to arrive so in the meantime I am using the optical input.

I can only get the dac 2 to lock with 44.1 rate selected in audio midi ( new mac mini). When I select 96khz there is silence and blinking optical button on dac 2.

These are the weiss demo files and other 24/96khz files.

 

What am I doing wrong?

thequietman

 

 

 

[markr]

Hey thequietman,

 

I haven't used the DAC2, but have read the manual. You do not mention using the Weiss Firewire Control Panel here. If you didn't get a manual with the trial unit, here it is:

 

http://www.weiss.ch/dac2/documents/DAC2Manual-2.pdf

 

Page 7 of the manual under "Software Setup" is where you need to be: The last sentence says: "Note that most settings controllable from the control panel are available only in firewire mode." It looks like you might need that Firewire cable! Hope this helps.

 

markr

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Nice catch markr! I've contacted Daniel Weiss as well to help incase there is something else to try.

 

[thequietman]

Hi guys, the firewire dialogue box is greyed out because i have no firewire connection.

This is probably the problem , because as you point out i cant access the menu!!!!

 

 

Hope the cable arrives soon.

 

thequietman

 

[markr]

.. I do what I can. I'm kind of interested to see what Mr. Weiss has to say.

 

markr

 

[markr]

Hi thequietman!

 

I was worried that you might not have gotten the drivers/sw disc with the demo unit as well. I see that you have installed the software though, so that is good. I'd be kind of surprised if Mr. Weiss responds now, it is early morning in Switzerland. He has been quite quick to respond to issues here before though, so hang in there. Enjoy some 16/44.1 coolness in the meantime!

 

markr

 

[thequietman]

Hi I contacted daniel Weiss, he had no immediate solutions but did send me the link for the new driver.

I may not have made it clear that I had only optical connection. The dac is not recognised i think.

 

The ps audio dac however recognises the 96khz files no problem.

 

 

 

Dumbfounded.

 

thequietman

 

[markr]

So, is the Dac2 able to play back 16/44.1 files right now?

 

- markr

 

[thequietman]

Hi markr,

 

thanks for trying to help.

The 44.1 files are wonderful, and richness of texture are the most obvious improvements.

 

thequietman

 

[thequietman]

I think 96khz is now working, no idea why, i selected and restarted itunes as I have 50 time before, I heard a click from the dac and bingo, the 96 khz files are playing!

 

[markr]

... somebody wake up Daniel Weiss and tell him to go back to sleep 8^)

 

Enjoy!

 

[markr]

Were you changing AudioMidi resolution settings with the iTunes application open? If so, THAT would be the reason why you were having issues: all playback applications have to be closed when you change audio resolution - won't work otherweiss (sic). If that isn't it, I am in the dark as to why it just started working after a 50th restart....

 

markr

 

[weiss2496]

Sometimes it seems to be good not to step in too early - the problems vanish all by themselves....

Thanks!

Daniel

 

 

 

[markr]

... you're just waking up, right? How is that first cup of coffee going?

 

regards,

- markr

 

EDIT: I think that I mentioned earlier that Mr. Weiss responds rather quickly to 'issues'. Case in point here.

 

[thequietman]

Hi guys, when I switched back to 44.1 files last night to listen to some sinatra, I was unable to return to the 96khz files . Yes i do close itunes between selecting the sample rate in audio midi settings.

 

Im beginning to wonder if the optical input is faulty?

 

Thanks for all the help, i will keep you updated.

 

thequietman

 

 

 

[weiss2496]

What length is your Toslink cable?

 

Daniel

 

 

[thequietman]

Hi Daniel, the cable is one of those mini optical ones from monster, I think it is about seven feet.

 

 

Thanks,

thequietman

 

[weiss2496]

Seven feet is long for a Toslink and for that data rate. Do you have any shorter cable at hand?

I guess that is plastic fiber, right? Not one of the highend glassfiber Toslinks?

Daniel

 

 

[davidR]

thequietman, what firewire cable did you go with just out of curiosity? Let us know more about how it sounds compared to your PS Audio !

 

[thequietman]

Now playing 96khz files via firewire( From wiebetech).

Software looks different from minerva, dont see settings for daw but normal and safe mode level 1,2,3.

 

No icon in system prefernces but icon in dock and control panel under applications.

 

Any dac 2 owners who can help explain what these mean?

 

thanks

thequietman

 

Ps. when I get all this set up properly I will compare to the modded ps audio dac.

 

 

 

 

[thequietman]

I am seeing the global settings box but not the firewire io choices under system preferences ( Mac).

 

Any help appreciated. I really want to make sure the situation is optimal as I have to decide whether to keep the dac or return it.

 

 

Thanks

thequietman

 

 

 

 

[markr]

... what the 'Safe Mode' 1,2 and 3 are about (your previous post). Unless I am mistaken, you won't see anything in System Preferences except for when you choose 'Sound' - the little speaker icon. The DAC should show up there as a choice along with your Built-In Output and Input (this is an ADC as well as a DAC - you can record with it). I have a firewire DAC, and that is all that is in System Preferences. There is nothing to optimize there though. Everything else is done using a combination of AudioMidi Setup and the application in the Dock that was installed from the manufacturer's software. These only will show up on the computer if the DAC is powered on however. I'm afraid that there probably isn't much to optimize anyway. This is pretty simple.

 

Try this: open Audio Midi Setup with the DAC turned on and see what settings are there to be made. There are a couple of tell tale signs that should indicate you are OK there. First, in the left-hand column there you should have many more choices for "Audio Input - Format" with the Weiss. The stock Mac will have 44100 Hz, 48000 Hz and 96000 Hz available, while the DAC 2 should cause this to include (at least) 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz. Second, the right hand column should now have a similar set of selections there - When no DAC is connected or turned on, the right hand column is blank for the most part, having no selections available for Audio Output - Format or bit depth. When the ADC is powered up there should be a couple of volume sliders there as well. If you see this, things should be as optimized as they get, I think.

 

It is possible that there is more that you can do to optimize things via the Firewire Control Panel from Weiss, but I doubt it.

 

regards,

markr

 

 

 

[thequietman]

All rates are available but I dont see the daw selection that Chris and others have mentioned in their reviews?

 

thequietman

 

[markr]

You should be up and running as good as can be for playback then. I'm not sure what you mean about the 'daw selection' though. I really didn't read those reviews. DAW's (Digital Audio Workstation) are for recording and the manipulation of the wavefiles. Is that what you are trying to do - record and edit?

 

- markr

 

[thequietman]

I am just using the dac 2 for play back but Chris mentioned in his review that he got the best results with daw selected in firewire io preferences, so I thought i would copy his settings. if you have a moment to check out his review you will see what i am talking about.

 

I probalby dont need it, just trying to ensure i get the optimal settings.

 

Many thanks for your help,

thequietman