Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[steo]

Hello,

I am currently using JRiver in my HTPC as "Sound-Backend" if I am watching Movies/Television/Blu-Rays.
That means as Mediacenter I am using Kodi which will decode the f.e DTS-HD-Stream (from a Blu Ray) to PCM and send this via WASAPI to the JRiver WDM-Device.
JRiver (22) will then upsampling the 48khz signal with "SOX" to 192khz and will then apply my with Acourate created FIR-filters (convolution) and will also make some mixing (room correction). The modified signal then goes to my AV-Preamp (Yamaha CX-A5000) which will do the volume control and from there it goes to my 6x PowerAmplifiers via XLR.

Now have read something about the Volume control of jriver where I cam to the conclusion that the 64bit software volume control should be far better than controlling the volume via my "AV-Preamp". The only reason the AV-Preamp is currently in use is because of the volume control. So if I maybe can use the JRiver internal volume control I can remove the "AV-Preamp" completely out of my chain and go directly to from my htpc to my power amplifiers (using a 6 channel analog soundcard).

What do think will this improve the sound quality?
The most important question for me is. How can I protect my speakers to make sure the signal is not getting unfiltert (without volume reduction) to my speakers?
I know in JRiver there is a "volume protection". But anyway if am using my htpc for browsing or gaming this will not be acitve. At first I can choose a "dummy soundcard" which I will not use in windows to make sure the "card will not be used".
How do you handle that? How do you protect your speakers before getting a full signal?

regards Steo

[mwillems]

I have my DAC hooked directly to power amps, so I'm in the situation you describe.  I would advise doing the following:

1) Determine how much power your speakers can safely accept (RMS and peak).  Then determine the gain of your amplifier and how much power your amp is capable of outputting.  Then determine the maximum line voltage output from your DAC and figure out how much power that would translate to after going through your amp. If your amps have volume controls, set the volume control so that if the DAC outputs maximum line voltage the power reaching your speakers is at or below their RMS power handling level.  If your amps do not have volume controls (like mine), consider putting passive line level attenuators between your DAC and amp to bring the maximum output down to a safer level.  Once you've done this, you can be assured that even if the computer outputs maximum volume, it is very unlikely to damage your speakers (your ears are another matter, but we'll take additional precautions below).

2) Set the maximum volume in JRiver to the maximum level you'd ever want to listen to music or movies.  Set it good and loud, but not so loud as to be painful, and set the maximum there.  Under ordinary circumstances sound will never get louder than that threshold.

3) Set the default windows sound device either to 1) JRiver's WDM driver, which will be restrain sound to the maximum volume level set in 2), or set the default windows device to a disconnected sound device.  I just used my onboard audio for this before the WDM driver came around, but the WDM driver works well for this.

I've been operating with nothing but a passive attenuator between my DAC and block amps for more than 3 years, and I've only had two "oops" blowouts; one from using a not particularly well-designed 3rd party VST plugin and one from inadvertantly disabling the volume maximum (i.e. both were user error).  My speakers were fine because I took the precautions in 1).

I can recommend it; every active component in the path is a guaranteed source of some amount of distortion, and JRiver's volume control is very reliable.

[DJLegba]

I've had my DACs connected directly to power amps for a couple of years now, and I've only managed to blow an amp fuse once. I haven't set max volume levels - I'm just careful when I do anything with the software.

I have a nice Meridian G02 preamp, but I only put it into the chain when I want to play vinyl. At first I had the DAC going through the G02, but it sounds so much better going directly to the power amps that I am willing to live with the inconvenience of crawling around behind the audio rack to change cables when I want to play something on vinyl.