SMS 200 Ultra - > playing DSD files

[debt_collector]

I use Jriver Media Player running on a PC to play music from a NAS drive to a SoTm sms 200 ultra using MPD/DLNA. My DAC is a TAD DA1000. For a while I assumed that i needed to set up Jriver correctly to play DSD files and I just couldn't figure out how to do it. After a lot of head scratching i started thinking that the problem might be with my DAC and that perhaps it cant decode DSD files. Yesterday i tried a few random tweaks and discovered that my system plays DSD files. if I choose mixer type = none in the MPD config page. Curiously, DSD files wouldn't play if I change the mixer type to software. I would like to be able to use the software mixer type because it allows me to control the playback volume via Jremote. 

 

Could anyone help by explaining why I can't use the software mixer type with DSD files but can do with other files, e.g., flac

Is there a way to get DSD playback to work with the software mixer type or another way that will allow me to change playback volume with Jremote, and if so does anyone know how to do that?

 

 

Many thanks

[debt_collector]

2 hours ago, stefano_mbp said:

@debt_collector I have a similar set up: JRiver on NUC8i3, SOtM sms-200 neo, M2Tech Young DSD, Primare P30 pre.
Volume control in JRiver is set to fixed and mixer type in SOtM to none.

I manage volume on the preamplifier with its remote.

Can’t you manage volume on you dac/pre? This would be the best way to do it as software volume control is a lossy process.
A suggestion could be to set mixer type in SOtM to hardware, this should allow the SOtM to control the volume on you dac if this functionality is available on the dac, you could ask TAD about it.
.... but I don’t understand how you could control from JRiver the volume on SOtM using JRemote, in your setup you should not have access to SOtM as it is just a renderer on the network.

 

 

 

Hey stefano. I could control the volume on the DA1000 but I have my av receiver pre-outs also connected to the DA1000 using a small ADC. I do it this way to combine my AV and music systems to use the same set of front L/R speakers for TV/films and music. So what i have done so far is set the DA1000 at the right level for my AV input and changed the music volume with Jriver using Jremote.  The alternative could be to get another pair of AV front L/R speakers for my AV system but it is an option i would rather avoid, 

 

I don't know how I could control from JRiver the volume on SOtM using JRemote. All i know is that when the mixer level is set to 'software' on MPD config the volume can controlled from jriver or jremote and when the mixer level is set to 'none' then the volume remains fixed. I also understand how the mixer type could affect whether DSD files would play correctly or not unless the mixer type involves some DSP which exceeds one of my components capabilities? I am hoping that someone here could shed light on this 🙂

[debt_collector]

8 hours ago, stefano_mbp said:

@debt_collector ... I changed my configuration to simulate yours, I didn’t realized that JRiver could control SOtM/MPD volume ....

I could observe that DSD can be played only if you set the volume to 100 (max), if I set volume in JRiver/JRemote to any other value I see that the stream changes from DSD to PCM and it sounds very distorted.

This is explained by this: you cannot control DSD volume in digital domain.

 

That makes sense. Thanks! How did you notice DSD changes to PCM when volume less than max? Does your DAC display this?

 

May i ask what configuration do you use with your sms200 if not MPD?

[debt_collector]

On 6/15/2020 at 7:00 AM, stefano_mbp said:

@debt_collectorsoftware volume control is a lossy process.

I came across a post on jriver support sating that "MC's internal volume is done in a 64 bit lossless domain.  So there should be no real "degradation" of the signal; it's about as good as it gets for digital volume control."  Do you hear a difference when controlling the volume from jriver with software mixer on vs when it is off and volume is controlled via your pre-amp?