Hi Peter,

when I use dbpoweramp to rip a CD that is HDCD encoded, and I add a plugin that is capable to decode HDCD bits, I receive 20bit flac files HDCD undecoded. Does it make sense ?

Jarek

Hi Peter,
currently XXHighEnd can improve sound by specyfying Quality as Double or Quad, but this works only for 16 bit / 44,1 kHz tracks. I think some of users have (I have) 20 bit/44.1kHz tracks, 24 bit/48kHz tracks, and 24 bit / 88.2 or 96kHz tracks.

Can you make:

for Quad:
- any bit -> 24bit (no matter if you have 16 or 20 bit on file)

for Double
- 44.1 or 48 -> 88.2 or 96 accordingly

for Quad
- 44.1 or 48 -> 176,4 or 192 accordingly
- 88.2 or 96 -> 176,4 or 192 accordingly
This will improve SQ !
Best regards
Jarek

Peter,

I have checked Engine 3 on Ayre QB9 and it plays stable and nice at least on low Q1 up to 4 and lower.

For Engine 4, on buffer 512 plays stable only to Q1 < 6 , for higher buffers : 768 to 4096 plays well for Q1 < 29.

How can we identify the right buffer in this case ?

BEst regards
Jarek

Dear Peter,

so you managed to identify my business ? You are talented man really

As regards to buffer size setup for DACs, one does not install any software on OS for Ayre nor dCS. DAC is automaticly recognized by any OS when you plug it into USB port. So, nowhere to set buffer size outside of XXHighEnd. I maniplated only values in the XXHighEnd program.

I will check exactly Engine 3 on Ayre on Monday and let you know.

By the way, I have to say this. Today I spent some time calibrating switches for my home system with RME card and external dCS Scarlatti DAC connected by dual AES. I received the sound to die for !

Quad, no upsampling, Q1=6, Q2,3,4,5=0. Engine 4, Mode normal, buffer=32 (set on RME and XXHighEnd). PERFECT !

For web site, you can contact me outside forum, if you already identified me

Cheers
Jarek

Hi Peter,

yes Engine 3 works too. I just tested it on Q1 set to zero, and it played without dropouts. I did not put too much attention to this, since Engine 4 plays better and more stable, at least on Ayre QB9 and this system.

Can you explain why those asynchronous mode USB dacs have problems to play on higher Q1, and generaly speaking they play better on minimum Q1 ? This seams opposite to other dacs. I have also another system with RME HDSPe card, and I had no problem to set whatever Q1/Q2/Q3 even on minimum buffer.

Jarek

Solved for Q1 near 0. Greater Q1 causes sound more and more distorted.

Dear Peter,

I did what you suggested, and I have found that Ayre plays well on Engine 3 and Engine 4, but on Q1 set near 0 on adaptive mode. Greater values cause either distorted or none sound. I managed to get down with buffer to 384, but on 512/768/1024 is goes just more and more fluently without any dropouts. I marked Double, no upsapmpling.

The best sound is for Q1 set to minimum, which is 15 in Engine 4 special mode, buffer 1024, special mode. Greater Q1 seams to make sound worse. Is it normal ?

Best regards
Jarek

Dear Peter,

I am not DAC profesional, but I hope these two articles below might be helpful to you. They are about asynchronous USB comminisation DACs. They appear to bahave differently than other USB dacs. Both Ayre and dCS (and Wavelongth) use these technology.

AYRE white paper:
http://www.ayre.com/PDF/Ayre_USB_DAC_White_Paper.pdf

Everything seems to come from Wevelength idea about those dacs:
http://www.usbdacs.com/Concept/Concept.html

I hope this may help somewhat to solve this issue...

Jarek

Foobar works fine. J.River Media Center works excellent. I already tried manipluating Q1 and set to 4096, still is the same. This is powerful computer, Dual Core, 4GB RAM. Processor utilization is in either case below 5%, no matter the Ayre plays or not.

I will test what you suggested and send a log tomorrow.
Cheers

Hi,
I would like to report exactly the same issues as I reported a minute ago for Ayre QB9 USB DAC. We tested dCS Scarlatti USB and Puccini USB clock upsampler, and there is exactly the same behaviour of XXHIghEnd on Vista. Looks like XXHighEnd cannot work with any "asynchrous mode" USB dac on Vista. Can it be solved ? What about XP and Windows 7 ?

Best regards
Jarek

Hi,
I have Ayre QB-9 USB DAC and Vista 32-bit PC. No matter what I do, I it does not play or plays with cracks with y6 and y7 XXHighEnd versions.
1. On engine 4 and specyfying DAC as 24 bit, XXHighEnd plays (track mark is moving) but none sound is heard. No matter what other settings are.
2. On engine 4 and specyfying DAC as 32 bit, XXHighEnd displays error: "Device allocated but can't play. Check DAC settings, applied sample rate, etc."
3. On engine 3 and specyfying DAC as 32 bit, XXHighEnd displays error: "Endpoint create failed -? The DAC does not accept this byte sequence. Try switching DAC needs from 32 to 24 bit"
4. One engine 3 and specyfying DAC as 24 bit, XXHighEnd playes with a lot of cracks, no matter what other settings (Q1,2,3) are.

What might be the reason ? Is it solvable ?
Best regards
Jarek

Hi,
does anybode knows if there is any reason not to upgrade Vista x64 from SP1 to SP2 ? Some say, SP1 is in some areas better than SP2 for computers audio dedicated.
Best regards
Jarek

Dear Peter,

did you try to rename the whole track name, not single character ?
Try to copy/paste the whole tack name.
Best regards
Jarek

Hi Peter,

This is not ';' character.
But if you rename the track:
07-Eiji Oue - 07 - Capriccio for clarinet & orchestra ('Rossini in Paris'); Une caresse à ma femme
to
07-Eiji Oue - 07 - Capriccio for clarinet & orchestra ('Rossini in Paris'); Une caresse a ma femme

changing only one letter from 'à' to 'a' it plays well.

So summing things up, the characters: à and ù are the problem.
Try it for yourself in your system. Rename any track on the disk aby adding 'à' and reload it to playlist.

Best regards
Jarek

For unknown reason the file was not stored connectly.
The 4 problematic sample titles are:
============================
11-Harry Bicket - 11 - La Lucrezia (O Numi Eterni), cantata for soprano & continuo, HWV 145; Aria. Già superbo, del mio affanno
07-Eiji Oue - 07 - Capriccio for clarinet & orchestra ('Rossini in Paris'); Une caresse à ma femme
17-Harry Bicket - 17 - La Lucrezia (O Numi Eterni), cantata for soprano & continuo, HWV 145; Arioso. Già nel seno comincia a compir ... Furioso. Ma se qui non m'è dato
20-Harry Bicket - 20 - Serse (Xerxes), opera, HWV 40; Aria. Ombra mai fù