Novice DMR question:

[robcentola]

Hey folks,

 

Being new to this, I'm a little confused and hopefully someone here can answer this for me. Please excuse my lack of knowledge.

 

I have an Oppo 103, Peachtree Nova/220 with Jriver. IF I "push" to the Oppo and my settings are "24 bit Audiophile" and I'm playing a 24/192, or 24/96 (or any file), is the file played at it's native state, or bit-perfect? If so, and I want to push to the Oppo bit-perfect, why would I want to use USB? Is there a sonic advantage to be wired besides connection reliability?

 

Also, if any one knows anything about my set up, what DAC is used if I do this? The Oppo or the one in the Peachtree? Is it both?

 

I've been playing around with everything while I wait for my Salk's to arrive. For now, I have computer speakers connected to the TV (Klipsch Pro Media 2.1) so I can get a better understanding before they get here. So, I haven't even fired up the PT's yet and I can't experiment. Any advice till the is greatly appreciated.

 

When the speakers get here I'm never leaving the house!

[Audio_ELF]

The main advantage of USB vs using the media renderer is that a full computer running J.River, iTubes, Foobar, etc offers a more feature rich interface compared with UPnP control points.

[robcentola]

Interesting. Any take on DAC priority?

 

This leads me to another question: If I do connect via USB, does the DAC in the PT override the crappy one in the PC?

[robcentola]

Off topic: I simply LOVE this stuff! Wish I jumped on board years ago.

[Audio_ELF]

Interesting. Any take on DAC priority?

 

This leads me to another question: If I do connect via USB, does the DAC in the PT override the crappy one in the PC?

Yes.

[robcentola]

Thanks. I have learned so much from the likes of you!

[maximum kahuna]

Interesting. Any take on DAC priority?

 

This leads me to another question: If I do connect via USB, does the DAC in the PT override the crappy one in the PC?

 

 

 

Yes for sure, if you go usb out the computer sound card is by passed. If you're analog out of the Oppo to the Nova pre then the Oppo dac is used. To use the Peachtree dac you need digital in. It looks like the only digital out of the Oppo 103 is HDMI.

 

If you use WASAPI in JRiver it'll push bit perfect out to whatever or you can use JRiver to manipulate the data how you want.

[robcentola]

Yes for sure, if you go usb out the computer sound card is by passed. If you're analog out of the Oppo to the Nova pre then the Oppo dac is used. To use the Peachtree dac you need digital in. It looks like the only digital out of the Oppo 103 is HDMI.

 

If you use WASAPI in JRiver it'll push bit perfect out to whatever or you can use JRiver to manipulate the data how you want.

 

 

Great. Thanks.

 

The Oppo is connect with a coaxial to the Nova Pre. In that case, who's DAC is used?

[robcentola]

.................and I am using WASAPI. Just checked.

[Audio_ELF]

The Oppo is connect with a coaxial to the Nova Pre. In that case, who's DAC is used?

If you use co-ax into a digital input of the Nova, then you are using the Nova's DAC.

 

Eloise

[ecwl]

If you send your files from JRiver to Oppo BDP-103, Oppo is treated as a uPNP renderer so the file is sent in its native format (FLAC, AIFF, mp3) so your JRiver setting (WASAPI, 24-bit audiophile) wouldn't matter. You can use JRiver to convert say all files down to mp3's on-the-fly before sending the files to Oppo but you can't do it the other way around and upsample the files or add EQ to the files. The files Oppo receives are bit-perfect (if they are losslessly compressed) and Oppo decodes the files to PCM and then send them via S/PDIF digitally to the Peachtree DAC to generate the audio.

 

If you directly connect a computer via USB to Peachtree, you are using the asynchronous USB interface of the Nova Pre. JRiver's settings of WASAPI, 24-bit audiophile and additional settings like equalization, down sampling or upsampling would be used. This is one of the advantages of using USB.

 

Moreover, let's say you got a DSD file, since Peachtree doesn't play it, you can convert it in JRiver on the fly and play the file at 24/176 on the Peachtree via USB. Alternatively, you cannot send the file from JRiver to Oppo directly as the file format is not supported by Oppo's uPNP mode. But you can take the file and put it on a USB memory stick and plug it into Oppo and use Oppo's menu to select the file and play the file. But since you have S/PDIF out, you'll then be using Oppo to convert the file to 24/176 and sending the data to the Peachtree DAC to play.

 

The main advantage and disadvantage as discussed in a previous post is that in theory, you can get lower jitter with a direct USB link from your computer to the Peachtree, compared to from the computer to Oppo to Peachtree via S/PDIF. So in theory, the computer USB link should sound better. But I can tell you in practice it does not always and it depends not just on the software you use (JRiver, Amarra, PureMusic, JPlay) but also on other aspects of your computer hardware and software setup.

[davide256]

Do yourself a favor and listen PC/Jriver sourcing acoustic and choral music fed over DLNA/ hardwire Ethernet to the Oppo. You might never go back to asynch USB afterwards. The Oppo does have SPDIF if the Peachtree DAC section is better. Its only headache is lack of gapless support as a DMR

[robcentola]

Great, thanks. After some fiddling around, I think you're right about the gapless. It's a pain. Especially with big files. When it's wired, I can use Gizmo to control, so that's good. However, if I need to use the computer, it's a problem. Of course I'll be able to determine which DAC is better after I get my speakers. I've been experimenting with Klipcsh 2.1 Pro Media connected to the freaking TV. Not ideal, but it's going to be awesome when the Salks arrive.

 

Here's a NAS question:

 

If I get a Synology (DS411 Slim I think), can I connect it to either the Peachtree DAC, or the Oppo? Obviously, I don't know how this works and I'm coming up with very little info in my research. If I can, that's awesome. If I can't then the only way to play music that's stored in it is wireless? I have ZERO experience with this, so I apologize. How would I configure a NAS? Again, there's my set up:

 

Peachtree Nova Pre/220

Oppo BDP103 connected to the Pre via Coaxial

Apple TV connected to Pre Via Optical

Salk SongTower (waiting)

 

I have a decent Wireword USB, DH Labs optical

 

My trial with Jriver ran out so I bought it last night. Best 50 bucks I've spent in a while.

 

I would like to store music on a NAS, control with Gizmo, or laptop (second choice) and play HiRez flac and Wave. I like the convenience of DLNA, but I now see why connecting via USB is better (Gapless, tweaking, etc).

 

 

Thank everyone. You guys are very helpful. I, clearly, do notknow how to do this.

[MikeJazz]

 

If I get a Synology (DS411 Slim I think), can I connect it to either the Peachtree DAC, or the Oppo? Obviously, I don't know how this works and I'm coming up with very little info in my research. If I can, that's awesome. If I can't then the only way to play music that's stored in it is wireless? I have ZERO experience with this, so I apologize. How would I configure a NAS? Again, there's my set up:

 

Peachtree Nova Pre/220

Oppo BDP103 connected to the Pre via Coaxial

Apple TV connected to Pre Via Optical

Salk SongTower (waiting)

 

I have a decent Wireword USB, DH Labs optical

 

My trial with Jriver ran out so I bought it last night. Best 50 bucks I've spent in a while.

 

I would like to store music on a NAS, control with Gizmo, or laptop (second choice) and play HiRez flac and Wave. I like the convenience of DLNA, but I now see why connecting via USB is better (Gapless, tweaking, etc).

 

 

Thank everyone. You guys are very helpful. I, clearly, do notknow how to do this.

 

You should network your NAS (using ethernet). Do you have already a home router?

 

Then you could use your Oppo ethernet input to stream and no more changes are needed...

I advice to connect the oppo using a switch (simple cheap) instead of a router....Then connect the home router and switch with ethernet cable..and you have a high-performance network for audio...

Can you place your NAS attached to the home router? That would be perfect..

[robcentola]

You should network your NAS (using ethernet). Do you have already a home router?

 

Then you could use your Oppo ethernet input to stream and no more changes are needed...

I advice to connect the oppo using a switch (simple cheap) instead of a router....Then connect the home router and switch with ethernet cable..and you have a high-performance network for audio...

Can you place your NAS attached to the home router? That would be perfect..

 

Thanks, Mike.

 

Yes, I have a cheapo router, but I think I'm going to upgrade tonight. I might as well since I have so much invested and I'm really digging all of this.

 

So, let me get this straight: The data would be sent via the ethernet cable? Will Jrivers engine have any play in this or would the files simply play bit for bit for the NAS and Jriver would be nothing more than an organizer? Will I still be able to use Gizmo and reap the advantages of Jriver with this configuration, or am I stuck connecting the laptop via USB? So much going on here..........ha

 

I know someday soon I'm going to reread this stuff and laugh at my naivety.

 

 

Thanks again

[davide256]

If you use a NAS it will likely be running its own media server application and stream directly to the DMR (Oppo) under control of another application (JRMC/Gizmo). Personally I prefer direct SATA attached drive running off battery power for greater detail vs NAS.