Music from PC/Server via DAC doesn't sound as good as from CD Player

[Rick Hawes]

Im new to Computer Audiophile and starting to realise that replacing my CD player with a PC & server with same / or improved audio sound quality isn't as straight forward as I thought:-

 

Existing set up:

Cyrus DAD3Q CD Player via Audioquest Quarts x3 hyperlitz analog inteconnecting into Cyrus 3i Sterio Amp

(additional info - not really relevant to this problem: The 3i amp has a seperate Cyrus PSX-R power supply. The sterio speakers are Monitor Audio 703PMCs bi-wired from the amp via Audioquest Indigo + (HF) and Audioquest Type 6 (LF) Speaker Cables.

 

Replacement Set Up:-

Tranquil PC RS3 media server via Sky Router Ethernet connections (in and out both 1.5m) to the HTPC with Auzen X-Plosion sound card with SPDIF optical Toslink (1.5m) connection to Cyrus DACMaster DAC with (again) Audioquest Quarts x3 hyperlitz analog inteconnecting into Cyrus 3i Sterio amp (this time the Aux input instead of the CD input). The server uses Windows Home Media Server, and I'm using Windows XP and Windows Media Player on the PC. WMAlossles used for music stored on the server

 

The Problem:

Playing CDs from existing set up sounds sweeter, higher quality than playing music from the PC/server - which sounds grainier - lower quality - also with vocal less forward - much more subdued/thinner. The PC Sound card SPDIF ouput is configured as 2 channel sterio 44.1kHz (although no difference when changed to 48kHz which is within the locking range of the Cyrus DAC) Equalisation is set flat accros the frequency range.

 

Investigations So Far:

 

1. PC soundcard config and Windows Media Player

- varied volumn on Windows Media Player itself and seperately on the PC Souncard (using the inferent Xear software) in case I was overdriving the Cyrus DAC input in some way - result no improvement

- tried various Sondcard Equaliser changes across the freq range - result minor improvement - but audio sound quality still not a patch on that from the CD Player.

 

2. Tried to establish if the Server/music tracks stored on it are the problem: I have two original copies of the same CD and played one from the CD player whilst simultaneaously playing the other one from the PC DVD drive (using Windows Media Player) and switched inputs (CD i/p and Aux i/p) back and forward on the amp. The audio quality from the CD Player was superior to that from the PC DVD drive. (ie the same result as when I compared music played via the PC (WMAlossles files from the server) with the original CD of the same album from the Cyrus CD Player).

 

I believe this rules out any Server/WMAlossless issues?

 

2. I tred to establish if the DAC and/or optical interconnect is the problem. I removed the optical cable from the PC soundcard SPDIF o/p and plugged it into the SPDIF output. I then have two paths from the CD Player into the sterio amp.

a. CD Player - Audio Interconnects - CD Input to Amp

b. CD Player - optical Interconnect - DAC - Audio Interconnects - Aux Input to Amp.

 

By switching between CD and Aux inputs on the amp front panel whilst playing the CD I noticed NO change (not even a glitch) in sound quality - both identicle. Nb the dedicated DAC is 18bit (8x oversample) wheras the DAC in the CD Player is 16bit - so in theory path b (above) should be a little better - but I couldn't hear any difference at all (and nor could my 24 year old son - so I've ruled out my potentally worn out ears too!)

 

I believe this eliminates any issues with the DAC or optical interconnect?

 

The Request:

Could anyone advise what could be causing the lower sound quality from PC/Server and what I could change to get the same sound quality as from the CD Player.

 

Many Thanks

Rick

 

 

 

 

[roccoriley]

Why don't you borrow a DAC with USB so that you can bypass the sound card (and your existing DAC) and see what the result is.

 

[Mahesh]

Hi Rick,

 

As far as I know, Windows Media Player will not do bit perfect playback. In order to get the most potential out of your PC playback rig, you'll have to get another player, like XXHighEnd, Foobar2000, or JRiver Media Center, and use WASAPI or ASIO drivers for your sound card. I think that will improve things quite abit.

 

If that doesn't help, you might want to get another sound card. Many folks in here are quite happy with the SPDIF output of Lynx and RME sound cards. Or you might also try the solution proposed by roccoriley: audition an async firewire/usb DAC.

 

Mahesh

 

[Fyper]

Hi

 

As said by Mahesh, WMP isn't bitperfect. There exists now a plug-in allowing to use ASIO drivers on WMP, you may want to try this.

 

[sturgl]

WMP, and therefore WMC isn't natively capable of bit-perfect output. Worse, since you're using XP, you've go the dredded kmixer in the, uh, mix. That thing will just mangle your audio stream. Like Fyper said, there's a plug-in for WMP that will beat it into using ASIO drivers: http://sourceforge.net/projects/asiowmpplg/

 

Ideally, download the ASIO driver for your soundcard. If not available, download ASIO4ALL. Once you install the ASIO driver, install and configure ASIOWMPPLG. Then kmixer will be out and bit-perfect output will be in!

 

[firedog]

Another ditto!

 

1. Other posters are correct. Get away from XP/WMP/kmixer.

 

Personally, I'd find another player altogether, that allows more control and bit perfect output.

 

2.I'm also using a Tranquil PC, and am very satisfied with the sound. So if after getting a bit perfect playback you still aren't satisfied, your soundcard/Toslink may not be the quality you need.

 

A simple and relatively inexpensive solution would be the M2Tech HiFace, which will give you low jitter bit perfect output by way of USB.