help with hrt music streamer II set up

[scott seaman]

Hello all, I am new to computer audio but not high end audio and need some help as I am still a computer dummy some what. I am in the process of ripping all my cd's that I care for in wav using mediamonkey as my main player (also have vlc) I am downloading high res 24/96 stuff also. I have some questions.

1- when I install the hrt dac will it automaticaly bypass the mixer in my laptop. OS is windows 7

2- do I need to install asio4all so the bitstream is always at "full volume" in mediamonkey etc. again I am some what computer illiterate.

3- for now my laptop will be shared in my personal room and living room. Personal room has bluesky exo 2 desktop speakers which has a preamp so volume control with the hrt dac should be no issue, however my living room speakers are pluto 2.1 which are active and no volume control. I was using a cheap universal player that had a volume control to control output of the plutos (not ideal) with the music streamer dac I will need a passive volume control?? or what all reccomendations please!

I will eventually add a dedicated pc to my living room for play back, But for now I really need a step by step of what programs I need etc with windows 7 to get everything the way it should be with hrt msII and media monkey, no windows mixer and I guess bypassing the volume control in mediamonkey also so bit stream is perfect output.

4- forgot this one. when playing ripped cd's 16/44 and then 24/96 hi res downloads must I switch the format in hrt dac software for each or leave it at 24/96 or what I am confused there also. PLEASE HELP a computer audio newbie! No more cd players for me!

Cheers to all, Scott

 

[iamimdoc]

If I understand correctly, you have 2 systems, 1 active and one with a preamp and I presume amp

 

It seems to be you need 2 DAC's, one for each system. I am unsure if a PC can do with 2 DAC's

 

I am unfamiliar with all (actually any) of the eqpt but is a DAC/worrying about asio/bypassing the kmixer, etc really needed for some desktop speakers? ie will you benefit?

 

It seems to me you would be better off getting something simple for the desktop speakers and then use the DAC output to go to the pluto speakers which are probably capable (based on their lineage and designer) of benefiting from a DAC.

 

One technique would be to get RemoteSpeakerOutput for Mediamonkey (~ 20.00) and an Airport Express. you could then stream the music to the desktop system, using the MediaMonkey volume as needed (if necessary).

 

Then take the DAC output to the Pluto speakers and fiddle with asio, etc. Volume control will be an issue and perhaps the passive volume control would work. Digital volume control apparently lose bits and are frowned upon in high res systems.

 

I have the same DAC and it plays any music (even higher rez) without any manual switching. This means something is getting converted - I am unable to determine where, however. The DAC designer says this is done in the Mediaplayer or OS not the DAC.

 

The question was posed on the Mediamonkey bulletin board but I got no satisfactory answer.

 

Having said that, the higher rez music I have used sounds better. (Or, alternatively, I have convinced myself it sounds better)