muel Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I checked the electronic copy I have of my old DacMagic manual. Yep, 16 bit for USB. I didn't remember that because I don't think I had many 24 bit files at the time. To play 24bit requires toslink or spdif coax. To make this more simple I would test with some 16 bit audio files. You could just play some 16 bit audio through windows media player for testing. I say this because you can set Foobar to output to other audio devices that would bypass your settings in Control Panel. We can address Foobar after you are getting sound through your DAC. You are getting a lot of well meaning advice but it must be overwhelming. You'll get this working I'm sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 We can also talk about a USB to Spdif converter when you are ready to spend more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 The 16/24 bit issue may be true BUT does that explain why his computer doesn't even see the DAC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davis419b Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 Don't buy any more hardware yet. At this point, it's just going to add complexity to the signal path and any troubleshooting efforts. You have my word on that but my tech has a hard drive full of the music I grew up listening to and I was going to ask him if the format was 16bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davis419b Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 I checked the electronic copy I have of my old DacMagic manual. Yep, 16 bit for USB. I didn't remember that because I don't think I had many 24 bit files at the time. To play 24bit requires toslink or spdif coax. To make this more simple I would test with some 16 bit audio files. You could just play some 16 bit audio through windows media player for testing. I say this because you can set Foobar to output to other audio devices that would bypass your settings in Control Panel. We can address Foobar after you are getting sound through your DAC. You are getting a lot of well meaning advice but it must be overwhelming. You'll get this working I'm sure! You have no idea how overwhelming it is ! I have a house full of nice gear that when it comes to technical I know nothing about any of it , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 My ears are younger than yours and I didn't have a career involving race cars. I can hear a difference between high bitrate MP3 and lossless audio, but I cannot discern any difference between 16/44.1, 24/96, or 24/192 music files - and I've tried really hard to. Any 24/192 music I have is downsampled to 24/96 via software because that's what my DAC supports and I do not feel I'm missing out on anything. In the world of vinyl, I have no doubt that many many many factors can impact that little bouncing needle and how the signal gets to your speakers. In digital file based audio, it's simply not the case and you reach a point of diminishing returns rather quickly. What i'm finding however, is that Audiophile file-based music guys feel inadequate if they arent able to micro-analyze and tweak their system like the vinyl guys do.. and so they make up ridiculous ideas that simply do not transfer to the 1's and 0's of digital music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 The 16/24 bit issue may be true BUT does that explain why his computer doesn't even see the DAC? Honestly, I suspect that it does but he might not recognize it on the list under playback devices. It might named something unexpected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted April 17, 2014 Moderators Share Posted April 17, 2014 Don't buy any more hardware yet. At this point, it's just going to add complexity to the signal path and any troubleshooting efforts. Excatly, I just put it put there in case it ends up being the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davis419b Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 The 16/24 bit issue may be true BUT does that explain why his computer doesn't even see the DAC? The 16/24 bit issue may be true BUT does that explain why his computer doesn't even see the DAC? I am not usually a distrusting guy but I don't believe he wanted it to work so I would be forced to buy one of his dacs that he sells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davis419b Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 My ears are younger than yours and I didn't have a career involving race cars. I can hear a difference between high bitrate MP3 and lossless audio, but I cannot discern any difference between 16/44.1, 24/96, or 24/192 music files - and I've tried really hard to. Any 24/192 music I have is downsampled to 24/96 via software because that's what my DAC supports and I do not feel I'm missing out on anything. In the world of vinyl, I have no doubt that many many many factors can impact that little bouncing needle and how the signal gets to your speakers. In digital file based audio, it's simply not the case and you reach a point of diminishing returns rather quickly. What i'm finding however, is that Audiophile file-based music guys feel inadequate if they arent able to micro-analyze and tweak their system like the vinyl guys do.. and so they make up ridiculous ideas that simply do not transfer to the 1's and 0's of digital music. I believe you are right because when I googled 24bit dac yesterday I read a rather lengthy article on that subject and even though I didn't understand it I believe the guy who wrote it, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 The 16/24 bit issue may be true BUT does that explain why his computer doesn't even see the DAC? The 16/24 bit issue may be true BUT does that explain why his computer doesn't even see the DAC? I am not usually a distrusting guy but I don't believe he wanted it to work so I would be forced to buy one of his dacs that he sells. You'll show him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davis419b Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 Don't buy any more hardware yet. At this point, it's just going to add complexity to the signal path and any troubleshooting efforts. Excatly, I just put it put there in case it ends up being the problem. It would be fantastic if that $50 piece of equipment will solve my problem. Thanks dtel ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davis419b Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 The 16/24 bit issue may be true BUT does that explain why his computer doesn't even see the DAC? The 16/24 bit issue may be true BUT does that explain why his computer doesn't even see the DAC? I am not usually a distrusting guy but I don't believe he wanted it to work so I would be forced to buy one of his dacs that he sells. You'll show him! Do get me wrong I bet his dac is a very nice piece of equipment I just cant afford it right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 The $599 Mac Mini + JRiver Media Center for Mac ($50) + your existing Cambridge Audio DAC would be total overkill for your needs - but so stupid easy to setup and maintain. Add a $299 iPad Mini and JRemote App ($9.99) if you want to control playback without getting your butt out of the seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davis419b Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 The 16/24 bit issue may be true BUT does that explain why his computer doesn't even see the DAC? The 16/24 bit issue may be true BUT does that explain why his computer doesn't even see the DAC? I am not usually a distrusting guy but I don't believe he wanted it to work so I would be forced to buy one of his dacs that he sells. You'll show him! Do get me wrong I bet his dac is a very nice piece of equipment I just cant afford it right now. Not to mention he said it would take 3 to 5 weeks just to get the circuit board and I want to hear this much sooner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davis419b Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 The $599 Mac Mini + JRiver Media Center for Mac ($50) + your existing Cambridge Audio DAC would be total overkill for your needs - but so stupid easy to setup and maintain. Add a $299 iPad Mini and JRemote App ($9.99) if you want to control playback without getting your butt out of the seat. I am already in that much for the system without a dac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted April 17, 2014 Moderators Share Posted April 17, 2014 It would be fantastic if that $50 piece of equipment will solve my problem. Thanks dtel ! I'm still waiting to try it, laptop screen is being replaced, I have it here but can only look at it, it is tiny and built like a tank. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davis419b Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 The system on the computer is Windows 7 home premium. Go to control panel, sound, playback and see what's checked. Carl, I went back and did some reading on earlier post and did what you said and the Cambridge dac doesn't show up anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Carl, I went back and did some reading on earlier post and did what you said and the Cambridge dac doesn't show up anywhere I would think that Windows would recognize it and install drivers. Every time I've used my DAC (different brand than yours) on someone else's lap top or PC, windows sees it and loads it. All I have to do is find it and put a check next to it to make it the default. I did it several times just at the gathering. It shouldn't be this hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 You've tried a different USB port on your computer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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