Audirvana Plus 3.5

[Hoshi]

I recently upgraded my 8 year PS Audio PWDII DAC to a Project S2.  Primary reason for doing so was for its ability to play upsampled DSD512 files as well as fully decoded MQA files.  I could not be happier with it's performance. DSD512 sounds magnificent. MQA as well but the surprise so far is that DSD512 sound better to me.  

 

My music server is a late model 2012 Mac Mini with 16MB of memory.  I’m also running El Capitan for its OS.  

 

The reason for my post is that I need some advice and help.  When playing the first track of upsampled redbook files to DSD512, I get a stutter.  I get occasional stuttering during a track and usually again at the beginning of the next track.  I’ve tried different settings in A+ focusing primarily with “memory allocation”, and sampling rates.  All adjustments change the timing and rate of the stuttering but I cannot find a remedy for my issue. PCM up to 384 has zero issues.  Another thing I noticed is when I move the sampling rate in DSD to DSD256, A+ accepts the change but the file playback sampling rate on the remote and at the right side bottom of the screen in the desktop app displays 16/44.  I’m assuming that I am not playing back DSD256.  What am I missing here?

 

I was thinking that perhaps a new MAC with a faster processor would possibly be the fix but after reading this thread, others with newer and faster computers seem to have the same type of issue.  Can anyone out there play DSD512 seamlessly without glitches or issues? If so, can you please share your setting or suggest something to try?  

 

DSD512 sound so good, I’d hate to playback and settle for DSD256 if that is even possible.  

 

Thanks and look forward to some ideas and feedback. 

 

Hoshi

 

[Hoshi]

I’ve got DSD256 up and running with zero issues.  I believe a setting in my SonicOrbitor was the issue.  Something to do with enabling direct DSD support.    DSD512 plays and sounds fantastic except for the occasional stuttering.  According to A+ they do not confirm or deny if I should be able to play and upsample DSD512.  I’m confident that I am playing DSD512 as it is displayed on both DAC and in A+.  Audirvana is asking me to try removing my mRendu from my front end chain and to plug the DAC directly into my MAC.  My problem is that the El Capitan OS is not supported by the Project S2 DAC.

 

I’d be over the top if DSD256 was the best I’ve heard in my system as things are functioning perfect at this sampling rate and it is a clear upgrade in sound quality from my previous 24/192 DAC.  I wish I’ve never heard DSD512 as it’s clearly superior.  Happy for now but I hope someone can offer a remedy without going to a Window based computer as Jud has stated.  😩

[Hoshi]

On 1/15/2020 at 12:25 PM, Hoshi said:

I recently upgraded my 8 year PS Audio PWDII DAC to a Project S2.  Primary reason for doing so was for its ability to play upsampled DSD512 files as well as fully decoded MQA files.  I could not be happier with it's performance. DSD512 sounds magnificent. MQA as well but the surprise so far is that DSD512 sound better to me.  

 

My music server is a late model 2012 Mac Mini with 16MB of memory.  I’m also running El Capitan for its OS.  

 

The reason for my post is that I need some advice and help.  When playing the first track of upsampled redbook files to DSD512, I get a stutter.  I get occasional stuttering during a track and usually again at the beginning of the next track.  I’ve tried different settings in A+ focusing primarily with “memory allocation”, and sampling rates.  All adjustments change the timing and rate of the stuttering but I cannot find a remedy for my issue. PCM up to 384 has zero issues.  Another thing I noticed is when I move the sampling rate in DSD to DSD256, A+ accepts the change but the file playback sampling rate on the remote and at the right side bottom of the screen in the desktop app displays 16/44.  I’m assuming that I am not playing back DSD256.  What am I missing here?

 

I was thinking that perhaps a new MAC with a faster processor would possibly be the fix but after reading this thread, others with newer and faster computers seem to have the same type of issue.  Can anyone out there play DSD512 seamlessly without glitches or issues? If so, can you please share your setting or suggest something to try?  

 

DSD512 sound so good, I’d hate to playback and settle for DSD256 if that is even possible.  

 

Thanks and look forward to some ideas and feedback. 

 

Hoshi

 

I’ve solved my issue when upsampling to DSD512.  I read on another forum that someone was able to get DSD512 and A+ to run flawlessly on a late model Mac with a mRendu.  I ended up moving a newer 2018 MacMini from another location to my music room and switching out my late 2012 MacMini.  I’m only running 8GB of memory compared to 16GB on the older Mac but now have zero issues.  Using a mRendu 1.4 as a renderer.