Playback of 96/24 tracks with USB DAC

[pjrizz]

Hey friends, can you help out a newbee? I have downloaded the sampler tracks from HDTracks and cannot get them to light my 96kHZ light on my USB DAC. The 48kHZ indicator is all I get (sounds okay, but...) and I am not sure where to go next. I am using XP ( I know, but thats what I have), the box is about 2 years old, and the driver seems long in the tooth, dated 7/1/2001; there are 11 different audio codecs listed, so where is the sample rate being downconverted? Media Monkey is set to ouput via WaveOut v2.0.2a, the config for output confirms a 96kHZ file. Do I need a driver, a codec, a plug-in? Please help, and be patient as I am just getting this hardware warmed up.

 

Pete

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Pete - What DAC are you using?

 

[pjrizz]

Hey, Chris!

 

I am using a Cambridge Audio Dac Magic. It has changed my musical life for the better.

 

Thanks for the support,

Pete

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Pete - Glad to hear you're enjoying the music! The DacMagic won't support 24/96 via USB unfortunately.

 

[bottlerocket]

The CA Dac Magic only supports 16/44.1 via USB.

 

See http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/specifications.php?PID=320&Title=Specifications

Digital input word widths supported: 16-24bit (16 bit for USB)

Digital input sampling frequencies supported: 32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz (44.1kHz, 48kHz for USB)

 

I have this DAC and it have used it at 24/96 from a MacBook via Toslink and from a Blue Ray player via coax.

 

Now you get to figure out what piece of electronics you need next between your PC and Dac!

 

 

 

 

[pjrizz]

Thank you for the quick replies and info, glad I did not (yet) invest in any hi-rez tracks, will have to research the options first...

 

Pete

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

If you want to use USB output from your computer you can get the Bel Canto USB Link. It does 24/96 via USB and converts the USB to coax output to go into your DAC.

 

http://www.belcantodesign.com/news_usb_link.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bottlerocket]

If you want to do an inexpensive test of 24/96 through your DAC and you have a DVD player or blue ray with toslink or coax outputs, try John Mellancamp's new CD/DVD (2 disk) which has 24/96 on a DVD. At least you'd get to sample some high resolution tracks to see if it is worth it to you to upgrade your sound card on your PC with XLR output or go with something like the Bel Canto.

 

[ted_b]

No need to buy anything to do the test. Just download something like the free HDTracks 24/96 sampler and burn to a DVD. Send it to the DAC via run of the mill digital input.

 

[dcbrush]

I downloaded the same HDTracks sampler. I have a PS Audio DAC III and a 24" iMac running iTunes (V 8.1?). Information on the DACIII is sketchy on the PS Audio website, but I know it has been reviewed on this site. The claim is that the DAC III has a 24 bit DAC, but upsamples to 96 or 192kHz. Would I be able to play the HDTracks 24/96 by running USB from my iMac to the DAC III and then into my preamp or is this not possible? Do I need to make any changes to the settings in iTunes?

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

DLIII USB will not handle 24/96 natively. Use the optical output of your iMac into the DLIII and you'll have bit perfect 24/96 as long as you set audio midi to 24/96.