Mac mini ONLY 192k streaming???

[rolling18]

Good day!

I joined this forum because when I am searching various items regarding Computer based audio/ media this forum often comes up!

I am hoping the "Gurus" here might be of some assistance with my Mac & Dac:)

 

CHALLENGE: here's my situation,

while streaming "hi res" from TIDAL or Spotify the DAC shows a bitrate of only 192k..

although it does sound great, I would like to "hear" what I am paying for, TIDAL (Flac 1411K and Spotify 320K! and if I can't get these rates I will cancel both subscriptions.

 

I'm running WIN7 (boot camp) to the DAC, on other sources like HDD it shows the correct bitrates. This ONLY happens when streaming from the internets

 

any ideas how I can get the FULL ADVERTISED bit rates?

thanks for any assistance!

M

[wgscott]

You are confusing sampling frequency and "bit rate", which is the degree of compression.

 

192 kHz is a sampling frequency. What that means is that all content up to 96kHz (one half the sampling frequency) is being passed to your DAC, presumably without any compression.

 

Compressed mp3 files only go up to 48 kHz sampling frequency, and are normally 44.1kHz, and the compression (bit rate) is one of 128, 160, 192, 224, 256 or 320 kbit/s.

 

192 kHz ≠ 192 kbit/sec. (1 Hz = 1/sec).

[rolling18]

You are confusing sampling frequency and "bit rate", which is the degree of compression.

 

192 kHz is a sampling frequency. What that means is that all content up to 96kHz (one half the sampling frequency) is being passed to your DAC, presumably without any compression.

 

Compressed mp3 files only go up to 48 kHz sampling frequency, and are normally 44.1kHz, and the compression (bit rate) is one of 128, 160, 192, 224, 256 or 320 kbit/s.

 

192 kHz ≠ 192 kbit/sec. (1 Hz = 1/sec).

 

WG scott,

I could see myself doing that, so I am getting the full rate I am supposed to?

 

I wish this dac would allow you to choose witch parameter to display.. It does not always display the same information weather its the bit rate or the sampling frequency.

[wgscott]

Open Audio MIDI Setup, and select an output sample frequency. Then open up iTunes, and play something It should be up or down-sampled to that sampling frequency.

[rolling18]

Open Audio MIDI Setup, and select an output sample frequency. Then open up iTunes, and play something It should be up or down-sampled to that sampling frequency.

 

WG

thanks for the assistance!

 

I don't use Itunes or the Mac OS.. just windows 7.

I did as you suggested, and it appears that the highest rate was already selected but the W4s dac DSD driver 32/ 384k

[wgscott]

Sorry, I didn't realize you were running windows with the mini. I know next to nothing about windows, so maybe someone else can help.

[rolling18]

Sorry, I didn't realize you were running windows with the mini. I know next to nothing about windows, so maybe someone else can help.

 

you did help me so thank you! \\ \