24/192 via USB to Stello DAC

[Jake]

This isn't the post you may think it is

 

As we speak I am playing 24/192 WAV files, via USB to my Stello DA220 MkII, but I thought this wasn't supposed to work?

 

Err...what am I doing RIGHT?

 

Is Foobar converting it to 24/96 on the way? Or does the Stello DAC actually accept 24/192? I'm pretty sure it doesn't)

 

Cheers,

Jake

 

[Oystein]

 

Dear Jake,

 

I can not help you with your question but I am very interested in your the DA220 DAC.

As I am looking for a good quality DAC the Stello DA220 (MKII) is high on my shopping list because of the many inputs available.

There is one official - and very positive - review available of this DAC but I was wondering if you as a user could telle me your impressions and if yoou have made any comparisons to other DAC's.

There are not many of these around as I see few people using this DAC.

 

Looking forward to your reply.

 

Oystein

 

[One and a half]

on USB only accepts 16/44 for the Stello. If you adjust Foobar to 24bit somewhere there's a conversion/sampling somewhere going on. You can oversample in the DAC, but I don't hear any major changes in doing this.

If you look in the properties for the Stello DAC in control panel, the best resolution is 16/48.

If the sound quality is super, the Foobar is doing a great job, I imagine you are using WASAPI?

Jake which OS are you using?

 

I find the Stello 220 Sig very revealing, I hear sounds on music that I never heard in listening to the same songs for 20 years++.

 

[Jake]

Gday Oystein,

 

Unfortunately I have very little to compare it with, as before I obtained the Stello I was using a Denon universal player for all digital duties, and I have a high focus on vinyl as well these days.

 

But I can tell you that the sound compared to the Denon is remarkable. The soundstage is much larger and seems to be almost 3 dimensional, with great clarity. A good live recording such as a Chesky seems very real.

Anyway, I'm not so good with the jargon Of course the Denon was never really high end, but it is nowhere near the Stello. As a source for the DAC now I use either the PC or Sonos and the Denon just sits there.

 

I bought the DAC in 2008 based on probably the one review of which you speak, and the only reason I would possibly consider upgrading would be to obtain 24/192 ability.

 

Cheers,

Jake

 

[Jake]

So the Stello can only do red book over USB? Far out, that's a bit of a handicap.

 

My comments regarding the sound are actually based on using the Sonos as a source anyway (which is red book too of course).

 

Im using Win XP SP3.

Foobar at 24bit

Not sure about WASAPI?

 

And have to go to work, will look in tomorrow, thanks for replies so far.

 

Cheers,

Jake

 

[Elprior]

Yep,

 

it is limited to 16/44.1 on its usb input.

Whatever you are listening to that is of better resolution is SRCed by your computer (so long for bit-perfectness).

 

That said, the dac is of very good quality (including build).

You could use the stello U2 usb link should you want to remain in the stello family and gain 24/96 capability via usb.

 

Elp

 

[akai]

Another option to get the 24/96/192 through your usb port is to use the M2Tech HiFace ($150) which is a USB>SPDIF. I have the same setup as Jake, Windows XP-SP3 and I use JRiver Jukebox (with ASIO4ALL) to play music through the HiFace. the HiFace will handle the signal up to 24/192. My DAC handles signal up to 192 so it is no problem for me. The HiFace works very well with Windows, seems to have pop/click problems with MAC. Read a few threads on this board.

 

mP

 

 

[Jake]

Thanks for the help guys. I've ditched the USB and using a digital coax now, and sounding much better.

(I have an M-Audio PC card with SPDIF so no need for any other gadgets)

Cheers,

Jake