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[despinosa]

Hello,
Is this setup possible.:
JRiver htpc to feed 5.1 by USB a focusrite 6i6. Spdif out of focusrite goes to separate dac for front right and left channels. Center channel and two surrounds Sl and Sr are output from 3 of the 4 focusrite analogue outs in the back. Will that work?. I just bought the 6i6 and been testing a little. I can hear all channels separated using jriver Volume testing. The analogue outs sound really low in tests, and not at all when playing a movie. I use jack to reca adapters for the analogue outs of the 6i6, so maybe that halves the volume for those channels?

[dmm]

What jriver volume are you using  (internal, system, application)?  If you are using application or system make sure your windows system volume slider is at 100%.  Recommend that you use internal volume and control with jriver.

What focusrite control software preset are you using?  You can start with the File -> Preset -> Direct Routing.  This will set Focusrite Analog Out as follows:  Output 1-2 as Playback 1-2, Output 3-4 as Playback 3-4 and SPDIF as Playback 5-6.  Note that you will likely need to modify this setup so that SPDIF becomes Playback 1-2 for your front left/right, Output 1-2 becomes Playback 3-4 and Output 3-4 becomes Playback 5-6.  I believe that the Playback 1-6 channels are what jriver sees as the ASIO output channels.

What are your power amps?  Are they expecting consumer voltage level (RCA jack) inputs or pro voltage level (XLR, 1/4 jack) inputs?

Are you using jriver DSP studio/Param EQ/Add Mix channels to add the extra C/SR/SL/Sub channels to your 5.1 audio output?  Have you set any gain + or - there?

I also have a Scarlett 6i6, but I currently only am using the front left/right via SPDIF output.  However, I can try and test some audio out of the analog 1/2/3/4 to try and help you once you describe what you are trying to do.

[despinosa]

What jriver volume are you using  (internal, system, application)?  If you are using application or system make sure your windows system volume slider is at 100%.  Recommend that you use internal volume and control with jriver.

What focusrite control software preset are you using?  You can start with the File -> Preset -> Direct Routing.  This will set Focusrite Analog Out as follows:  Output 1-2 as Playback 1-2, Output 3-4 as Playback 3-4 and SPDIF as Playback 5-6.  Note that you will likely need to modify this setup so that SPDIF becomes Playback 1-2 for your front left/right, Output 1-2 becomes Playback 3-4 and Output 3-4 becomes Playback 5-6.  I believe that the Playback 1-6 channels are what jriver sees as the ASIO output channels.

What are your power amps?  Are they expecting consumer voltage level (RCA jack) inputs or pro voltage level (XLR, 1/4 jack) inputs?

Are you using jriver DSP studio/Param EQ/Add Mix channels to add the extra C/SR/SL/Sub channels to your 5.1 audio output?  Have you set any gain + or - there?

I also have a Scarlett 6i6, but I currently only am using the front left/right via SPDIF output.  However, I can try and test some audio out of the analog 1/2/3/4 to try and help you once you describe what you are trying to do.

Hello dmm,

I will provide more detail:

What I want to do?: at the moment, I want to watch movies with JRiver, in a 5.0 (no subwoofer) configuration, using my HOLO Spring DAC for the front L and R channels, and the rest of channels with other dac/s. For that purpose, I have bought a new 2nd gen Focusrite Scarlet 6i6.

EDITED -- TO REMOVE NON RELEVANT INFO

As resume: I want to use the holo dac and my "best amplifier" (KW500) for BOTH music and (just L+R front channels) listening. A way to do that is to use a device that allows to "separate" the digital signals; I have chosen the Scarlet 6i6.

- Current situation: I have the scarlett fed by USB from the HTPC+JRiver(DAW) and assigned (in focusrite Control) the "DAW" channels 1 and 2 to the Spdif out. The Center, Sr and SL (DAW channels 3, 5 and 6) are routed in Focusrite Control to the analogue outs (I have tried analogue outputs 1-4). I have used JRiver Volume test to verify that all channels are routed OK. Routing seems OK, but the problems are:

1- I'm not really sure that JRiver decoding of DTS/AC3 (including HD lossless formats) is done right. I get good sound and volume from L and R channels, and also when mixing the center channel to the L+R in JRiver. HOWEVER, the volume for the other channels is very very low (I currently use the Onkyo's multichannel Input for the C, SL and Sr, and volume is very low, even with all volume controls at maximum (at JRiver and at the Onkyo). EDITED: JRiver seem to do the DTS/ACdecoding OK

+ I have tried all options of volume control in JRiver (internal, etc) and hear no difference in loudness

+ I have tried all versions of drivers (WASAPI, ASIO, KERNEL...)
+ I have installed JRiver WMA driver, so that JRiver appears as a "device" in  Windows audio.

A possible reason for the low volume in the analogue outs: My amplifiers are not balanced, so I bought three TSR to RCA adapters (they look exactly like this) to use RCA cables:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/images2000x2000/Monster_Cable_600465_CableLinks_Adapter_RCA_469431.jpg
- In the analogue outs, because of the TSR->RCA adapter, I'm passing from balanced to unbalanced, and maybe I loose half of the voltage (and loudness) in that conversion.
- It may also happen that the "inner wiring" of those hard adapters is not the right one for this use, so maybe that is the reason for the very low volume I hear.
- The scarlett user guide, says to use a TS plug cable (or adapter) if an unbalanced connection is used, so that may be an easy route  to explore (instead of the TSR->rca adapter).

I'm considering another option: to buy a balanced amplifier (found a professional 3 channel at about 200 euros) and use the Vincent SAV C1 (stereo balanced inputs) as preamplifier for the Sl and Sr channels that would then feed the new balanced amplifier. This way I will not need any receiver at all (but center channel would need to go to R+L or find another solution for it)

Thanks for reading

PS: I forgot to introduce myself: new in the forum from Spain and looks like there's really helpful people in this place 



 

[despinosa]

-edited-

Are you using jriver DSP studio/Param EQ/Add Mix channels to add the extra C/SR/SL/Sub channels to your 5.1 audio output?  Have you set any gain + or - there?

I also have a Scarlett 6i6, but I currently only am using the front left/right via SPDIF output.  However, I can try and test some audio out of the analog 1/2/3/4 to try and help you once you describe what you are trying to do.

[/i]

I have tried DSP Param eq to add gain on the Sr, C and L channels. I found no effect of this on the JRiver Volume testing, and no difference either when playing a movie

- Another doubt: when I use the Audio Path option, reproducing a 5.1 (HD or not) movie, I see no info in the Audiopath about the conversion from DTS/AC3...

in JRiver Wiki about the Audiopath when DTS/AC3 signals are present, it shows an example of Audiopath with a line saying something like "converting from X channels to X channels". Well, in my case that line is not there, but I think its says "direct" somewhere in the Audiopath screen. Maybe that's the problem for the low volume in secondary channels?

[dmm]

I think one of your problems is with your RCA to TRS adapters.  I am using the following mono TS/RCA adapter with my scarlett:

https://www.monoprice.com/Product?p_id=7149&gclid=CNqq9L_qj9ICFdKCswody5IMdQ

I did not try the various DD/DTS decoding things you mentioned.  But simply playing stereo out and switching my left channel from SPDIF out to Analog 1 out and connecting direct to my power amp I have no trouble getting adequate volume levels out of my amp to my speaker.

I recommend that you try playing stereo out your Analog 1 and 2 and see if that works and try a proper adapter, then move on to DD/DTS decoding.

[dmm]

Ok, I just ran another test.  I played a stereo music file, but selected tools-> options -> audio -> DSP -> output format.  Under output format I selected Channels 5.1 Mixing JRSS.  With this setting I also had no trouble getting my regular front left right via SPDIF as well as analog 1/2/3/4 output at decent volume levels.

Again, the analog out was using my TS/RCA mono adapter.

[despinosa]

Ok, I just ran another test.  I played a stereo music file, but selected tools-> options -> audio -> DSP -> output format.  Under output format I selected Channels 5.1 Mixing JRSS.  With this setting I also had no trouble getting my regular front left right via SPDIF as well as analog 1/2/3/4 output at decent volume levels.

Again, the analog out was using my TS/RCA mono adapter.

Thanks for the test. I will try a TS/RCA adapter and report back

[dmm]

Best of luck...I typically run my jriver setup View -> Audio Only.  So I don't have experience with video playback in general or DD/DTS decoding files.  However, I can setup some additional testing for you once you report back if needed.

[despinosa]

 

Low Volume Problem solved. It has nothing to do with software. Problem was that I was using the wrong hard adapters (as shown in a previous link, I think they were TSR 6.3mm Jack to RCA ) connected to the analogue outs of the Focusrite. I bought instead cables with TS and RCA terminations that worked like a charm.

First impression of overall sound (JRiver + Focusrite 6i6+Holo dac (2 channels)+ onkyo dac (2 channels) is very good. I will have to dedicate some time to adjust volume of channels, distance, etc... 

[dmm]

Excellent news.

Glad the fix was something so inexpensive.