R-15PM USB & high definition files

[Keith_M]

What high definition formats (if any) can the R-15PM play via its USB port? The user manual and specification make no mention of this, and the dealer (who recommended that I call Klipsch who is currently closed) does not know.

 

thanks

 

Keith

[KitNorrie]

19 hours ago, Keith_M said:

What high definition formats (if any) can the R-15PM play via its USB port? The user manual and specification make no mention of this, and the dealer (who recommended that I call Klipsch who is currently closed) does not know.

 

thanks

 

Keith

I'm a little confused by your question, but I'll take my best shot at answering it anyway. First, the R-15PM is not a media player. You cannot just plug a flash drive into the USB port and play MP3s. The USB is for connecting a device to. So the supported audio formats will be determined by the device the device you connect to it, not the speakers themselves. So if your PC supports playing FLAC then so will the R-15PM. Second, you are correct about Klipsch being a little vague in the specs on the R-15PM. Best I can tell the DAC in the R-15PM supports 24-bit, 96 kHz audio. Which is better than CD quality, but not as high definition as the 192 kHz DAC in The Sixes. And lastly, the R-15PM should work with any device with support for USB audio. Windows PCs, Macs, and Chromebooks should work out the box. iOS devices should work with the correct adapters. Android devices are a toss up, but most device running Android 6 or later should work. Hopefully one of those answers was the one you were looking for.

[Keith_M]

Thanks for the reply. I understand that to play files to the R-15PM, I will need a PC. Windows 10 natively supports standard definition files (16/44.1kHz) for USB audio, as you have stated. Windows 10 does not natively support higher definition files. However, for higher definition files, I understand that vendors of products with DAC's (e.g. Oppo BPD-105D, Yamaha A-S801, Klipsch Powergate) typically provide Windows drivers to support higher definition files over USB audio. I am wondering which driver or application I need to send high definition files to the R-15PM. Also, I am curious whether the R-15PM supports DSD audio streams over USB.

[KitNorrie]

I see what you are asking now. I connected my Windows 10 PC to my R-15PM changing the settings to 24 bit, 96 hKz and it will play the test tone with those settings. I don't have any HD audio to play over it to confirm beyond that. Despite being connected over USB it listed is as being a SPDIF device in the settings. I'm assuming that is how it gets around the native 16-bit audio limit in Windows 10. I don't see DSD audio listed though. That could just because I've not installed the correct codecs though.

 

Edited May 7, 2017 by KitNorrie

[Keith_M]

I contacted Klipsch Technical Support. They said that the R-16PM can accept anything that a PC can send it over USB. However, in the case of files that are greater resolution than 24/96000, the speaker will down convert the stream to 24/96000 and play it. I asked about DSD files, and the technician said that that included DSD also. I haven't verified this yet, as I'm not yet set up for sourcing high definition audio.

 

Keith

[Dor]

This is an old thread, but the only one that is relevant to my question.

 

So, what should I do in the playback properties? Check all the available rates (in supported formats tab) and choose the 24/96000 (in advanced tab)?

 

Thanks,

 

Dor

[pbphoto]

2-channel 24/96 PCM stereo max.  No DTS.  No Dolby.  No DSD (I think the tech is wrong.)

[robert_kc]

On 5/7/2017 at 1:00 PM, Keith_M said:

Windows 10 natively supports standard definition files (16/44.1kHz) for USB audio, as you have stated. Windows 10 does not natively support higher definition files. 

 

I must not understand what you’re saying.

 

My understanding is that one of the enhancements provided by Windows 10 is its native support of hi-res FLAC files.  I routinely play 24/192 FLAC files from my Windows 10 PC and my Music Streamer II DAC (USB connected).  I don’t care for the Groove music player that came with my Windows 10 PC, but it successfully plays hi-res FLAC files via my USB DAC.  (IIRC, my old Music Streamer II DAC might down-convert 24/192 to 24/96.)

 

Please help me understand what you mean when you say that Windows 10 “does not natively support higher definition files”.

 

 

[Dor]

21 hours ago, pbphoto said:

2-channel 24/96 PCM stereo max.  No DTS.  No Dolby.  No DSD (I think the tech is wrong.)

 

Thanks!

 

What about the sample rates as you can see here?

 

[RTEC1]

I have Windows 7 PC connected over USB cable to the R-15M speakers, been working great since I bought them but after using another USB device (RTL-SDR) the SPDIF Interface went away (disappeared from Device Manager) and now each time i plug them back to the PC, windows only recognizes them as a Generic USB and obviously no sound since its not the correct device driver. Can you post a link to the actual driver I can download to point WIndows to to load? thanks!