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DAC/Pre that support USB HID volume control


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I have an Audiolab MDAC that very nicely supports USB HID volume control with my Mac Mini. As it's my first DAC I'd assumed that every DAC with USB input supported this, but in my research I've realised this is not the case.

 

USB HID volume control is (from my somewhat limited understanding) the system whereby the DAC can communicate simple playback control commands to the computer software player - and vice versa - over the USB connection. What this means in practice is that, amongst other things:

 

- The DAC buttons and infrared remote control can control the play/pause, stop, and skip/rewind of the software player itself, such as iTunes, Audirvana, etc

 

- In the other direction, the computer software player can control the output volume of the DAC itself when force max volume/disable volume is set on the software player. Note that this is different than the computer varying the volume that it sends to the DAC. With USB HID volume control the computer can output unmodified full volume all the time, it is the DAC that controls the output volume (just remotely controlled by the computer).

 

I find this feature really useful and essential, and when I was looking for a possible upgrade I realised that apparently not all DAC/Pre models support this. I only use Mac, but I believe Windows may use a similar system but I have no experience with that.

 

So my question really is - which DAC/Pre models support this? How can one tell in advance? Is it a function of the particular DAC chip used, or simply a question of whether the designer has chosen to implement it? Or what else?

 

Thanks in advance if anyone has any insight into this....

Mac Mini > RME ADI-2 DAC > Hypex Ncore monoblocks > ATC SCM-11 speakers & C1 subwoofer

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The exaSound DACs allow this through Jriver. I never tried it with any other software, and I don't have that DAC anymore so I'm can't experiment. Worth looking into, though; great products.

Mac Mini (+Tidal +Roon) -> WiFi -> Lyngdorf TDAI1120 ->JM Reynaud Lucia (Tellurium Q Black v2)

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