Audirvana Plus 2.5.1 with PCM->DSD Conversion

[Jud]

Jud,

apologies for misspelling your name.

 

He who has never typed an "s" for a "d," let him cast the first stone.

[jhwalker]

That's correct, the upsampling is only for a PCM material

I still have to implement this, though the processing will be only during the loading phase. The realtime effects (AU & dithered volume control) are not active when playing DSD material (upsampled or native).

This means your DAC takes time to settle on DoP mode. You can set a sample rate change additional latency of 1 or 2 second to fix this. (Option in the Audio System page of the preferences)

Can you give your iZotope filter settings?

And how would you characterize this glitch at 5 seconds for the first playing track? (duration, noise/silence,... ?)

The hang on "Loading first track..." may also well be due to an initialization issue of the DAC.

Resetting the DAC USB interface (or driver on the Mac) by unplugging then replugging the USB cable fixes it as per your experiment.

But when this happens, how long have you let between the previous stop (I mean full playback stop, not pause), and the request to play the new track?

 

I think I've now corrected all three reported issues, and here's a tip: turn off Direct Mode / user Integer Mode only.

 

I have had both checked forever, which didn't seem to cause any issues with PCM or DSD playback only. With the new conversion from PCM > DSD mode, though, leaving both checked (or only Direct, actually), seems to cause two of the issues; conversely, turning it off cures the stall loading the first track, and cures the gap at 5 seconds with the 44 kHz variants. Setting the SPL rate switching latency to 0.5s also fixes the issue where the first 0.5-1 second of playback is cut off.

 

So right now, it's playing well with both of my iFi DACs and my LH Lab DAC, as well

[win32pro]

Is this feature optional?

[Le Concombre Masqué]

to whom it may concern, my iZotope settings are :

 

32dB slope/0.95 Nyquist cutoff, this in reference to what I consider as nice looking in RX4 : no aliasing, no loss in my earring/speakers filtering range

 

max filter length sample and max anti-aliasing for I understand the more is better and it does not affect my cpu load ; opinions welcome though.

 

pre ringing is 1 for it would sound absurd to me to fool with the phase when what strikes me is the amazing soundstage

 

filter is still B4

[Le Concombre Masqué]

That's correct, the upsampling is only for a PCM material

I still have to implement this, though the processing will be only during the loading phase. The realtime effects (AU & dithered volume control) are not active when playing DSD material (upsampled or native).

This means your DAC takes time to settle on DoP mode. You can set a sample rate change additional latency of 1 or 2 second to fix this.

 

Have you considered upsampling dsd so 64 benefits from the cleaner better filtering higher rates allow ?

 

I'm interested in eQing. RX4/AU was the idea ; what kind of eQing that would not be AU are you considering ?

 

Technically, what prevents you to do what Miska does in HQP (convolving..)?

[damien78]

Have you considered upsampling dsd so 64 benefits from the cleaner better filtering higher rates allow ?

 

I'm interested in eQing. RX4/AU was the idea ; what kind of eQing that would not be AU are you considering ?

 

Technically, what prevents you to do what Miska does in HQP (convolving..)?

 

Just time to implement the AU processing when upsampling to DSD. Should be in next beta

[damien78]

When using DSD, should you reduce the maximum volume setting on A+ ? I think I read somewhere you should reduce the volume ~ 6%. Anybody have any information about that?

 

This will have no impact as the volume control is in the realtime domain when done using the SW dithered method (and thus inactive on DSD), or in the DAC.

 

As Mansr said, if you get sudden blanking of sound with very high pitched noise, then please tell us. And if possible with the replay gain values for the track (gain and peak), or any other info to see if the track has hard clipping or other issues.

[Le Concombre Masqué]

excellent !

 

Just time to implement the AU processing when upsampling to DSD. Should be in next beta

[craighartley]

I've attached two screenshots for you with my settings. As an aside, note that A+ thinks the e22 can yield a 768 rate - which of course it cant'.[ATTACH=CONFIG]25702[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]25703[/ATTACH]

 

I note you are using A0 filter with e22. Any thoughts about other filters with the e22? So far I'm finding A filters rather clinical. Like going from a recording studio into an operating theatre after using HQP poly-sinc, which sounds very natural to me. I've yet to try all the others.

Anyone else with feedback about A+ PCM>DSD256 filters with e22?

[AnotherSpin]

I think I might just jump in and try this. What kind of performance can I expect running this on a late-2012 quad-core i7 Mac Mini? Should I easily be able to upsample to DSD128? DSD256? (running an exaSound e20 DAC here).

My mac mini is the same, with IFI micro no problems with up-sampling to 256

[Jud]

Is this feature optional?

 

Yes, as is PCM upsampling.

[AnotherSpin]

Do you notice any difference between the A and B filters, especially the higher numbered ones? In my testing, the A filters seem to be preferable with iFi DACs.

 

I use A0 (mac mini late 12, ifi micro iDSD). Tried B3, didn't like it in comparison.

[damien78]

You can get the new beta 2.5.0.8 here :

 

• Audio Units processing for PCM tracks upsampled to DSD. (Note that realtime AU adjustment and dithered volume control do not work on DSD signal, so are deactivated when DSD upsampling is active)
  
• Faster track switching when upsampling to DSD
  
• Multichannel upsampling to DSD using channel mapping set in Audio Midi Setup. If one of you has a multichannel DSD DAC, can you please check multichannel PCM upsampling to DSD ?
  

[Lee Henley]

Cheers Damien

 

All being well I will be connecting the mac to my friends Lampi Golden Gate this afternoon to do some testing converting PCM to DSD, see what the afternoon session brings, will report any issues for you on here

 

Lee

 

You can get the new beta 2.5.0.8 here :

 

• Audio Units processing for PCM tracks upsampled to DSD. (Note that realtime AU adjustment and dithered volume control do not work on DSD signal, so are deactivated when DSD upsampling is active)
  
• Faster track switching when upsampling to DSD
  
• Multichannel upsampling to DSD using channel mapping set in Audio Midi Setup. If one of you has a multichannel DSD DAC, can you please check multichannel PCM upsampling to DSD ?
  

[OldBigEars]

You can get the new beta 2.5.0.8 here :

 

• Audio Units processing for PCM tracks upsampled to DSD. (Note that realtime AU adjustment and dithered volume control do not work on DSD signal, so are deactivated when DSD upsampling is active)
  
• Faster track switching when upsampling to DSD
  
• Multichannel upsampling to DSD using channel mapping set in Audio Midi Setup. If one of you has a multichannel DSD DAC, can you please check multichannel PCM upsampling to DSD ?
  

 

Damien, thank you! The fast track selection is great, but the best news (at least, on my MBP) is that over-usage of CPU and the consequent over-heating seem to have disappeared. You, sir, are a genius! I can now continue to immerse myself in my improved sounds - I'm still preferring B4 at this point.

[tipunch]

+1

My Audirvana 2.5.0.6 crash with ALAC files in 24/192 to DSD128.

 

Damien,

 

Now with 2.5.0.8 and my Mytek DSD 192, my files in ALAC work without issues in DSD128!

My iZotope settings are ("Thank you Le Concombre Masqué") :

 

Steepness: 32

Filter: 500,000

Cutoff: 0,95

Anti-aliasing: 200

Pre-ringing: 1

DSD to 128; Filter B4

 

THANKS A LOT DAMIEN AND MANS

 

 

[skatbelt]

Damien,

 

Now with 2.5.0.8 and my Mytek DSD 192, my files in ALAC work without issues in DSD128!

My iZotope settings are ("Thank you Le Concombre Masqué") :

 

Steepness: 32

Filter: 500,000

Cutoff: 0,95

Anti-aliasing: 200

Pre-ringing: 1

DSD to 128; Filter B4

 

THANKS A LOT DAMIEN AND MANS

 

 

 

For correct sound staging you want the Cutoff te be 1,00 or very close to that north for a little added air and depth but less focus (1,01 - 1,04 max). If 0,95 works good for you I expect something to be wrong in speaker placement.

[orgel]

Now with 2.5.0.8 and my Mytek DSD 192, my files in ALAC work without issues

 

tipunch, do you have Direct Mode on or off?

 

The good news is that with 2.5.0.8, I can do PCM -> DSD64, but still no DSD128. I'm thinking, after reading @jhwalker's post, that maybe turning Direct Mode off could be the answer. I'll try this evening.

 

(I've loaded Damien up with all kinds of logs, screenshots, and other info.)

 

--David (always hopeful)

[tipunch]

For correct sound staging you want the Cutoff te be 1,00 or very close to that north for a little added air and depth but less focus (1,01 - 1,04 max). If 0,95 works good for you I expect something to be wrong in speaker placement.

 

Thank you very much Skatbelt,I go tested with 1,00!

[tipunch]

tipunch, do you have Direct Mode on or off?

 

 

The good news is that with 2.5.0.8, I can do PCM -> DSD64, but still no DSD128. I'm thinking, after reading @jhwalker's post, that maybe turning Direct Mode off could be the answer. I'll try this evening.

 

 

(I've loaded Damien up with all kinds of logs, screenshots, and other info.)

 

 

--David (always hopeful)

Hello David,

Direct Mode On...

But my firmware on my Mytek is v.1.8.1 (better bass with the pre-amp of the Mytek DSD 192)

Best regards

 

[Jud]

For correct sound staging you want the Cutoff te be 1,00 or very close to that north for a little added air and depth but less focus (1,01 - 1,04 max). If 0,95 works good for you I expect something to be wrong in speaker placement.

 

Why?

[OldBigEars]

Damien, thank you! The fast track selection is great, but the best news (at least, on my MBP) is that over-usage of CPU and the consequent over-heating seem to have disappeared. You, sir, are a genius! I can now continue to immerse myself in my improved sounds - I'm still preferring B4 at this point.

 

Correction unfortunately necessary....seems I was wrong about the CPU usage. Running DSD128 puts my MBP at 250-260%. It cycles at this level for a few minutes, then drops right down, and then returns after about 5 minutes. The computer shell gets quite warm around the battery connection. Has anyone got any reliable information as to whether this kind of usage/heat might have a negative effect on the hardware? I called Apple - they weren't too sure, but advised that the higher temp is "not really a good thing". Understood...

[orgel]

Direct Mode On...

But my firmware on my Mytek is v.1.8.1 (better bass with the pre-amp of the Mytek DSD 192)

 

Thanks for the screen shot, tipunch. Just learning what «d'échantillonnage» means makes it worthwhile. Seriously, though, I'll study it and see about any changes that might help.

 

I'm running firmware 1.8.3, but I think I have a complete collection of firmware versions, plus a lot of experience changing versions (thanks to a homework assignment from Jesus R at Sonore), so I will give 1.8.1 a try if all else fails.

 

--David

[skatbelt]

Why?

 

Real life experience on various systems and setups. Apparently there is spatial information in the 20k plus region. Even for people with medior or senior ears.. This is also the theory behind super tweeters.

[Dandaman]

I note you are using A0 filter with e22. Any thoughts about other filters with the e22? So far I'm finding A filters rather clinical. Like going from a recording studio into an operating theatre after using HQP poly-sinc, which sounds very natural to me. I've yet to try all the others.

Anyone else with feedback about A+ PCM>DSD256 filters with e22?

 

I'd think this would be a very personal preference on top of lots of equipment variables. I've run through all of the filters although some just briefly. I'd say just experiment and go with what you like. So far I find A0 to be what works for me on the widest range of my music. And maybe I like a bit of "clinical". Oh, and btw, having Direct Mode checked does foul up everything. Have fun testing!