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[DavidMW]

I have a few questions about configuring MC for DSD files.

I have the JRiver Id (and it's been solid now for months after some getting acquainted struggles). I also have a Chord Mojo DAC plugged into the Id. When setting up MC, I go to Tools => Options => Audio Device and then I see many options for the Mojo (see https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2TPnBORq-F7cmZETzlURWJTQ2M). I highlighted each for the Mojo (except for all with surround sound which I don't have). Some are self-explanatory, others are not. Which is the correct setting for my environment?

I also spend most of my listening time using JRemote with the DAC plugged into my iPhone. Do the MC settings affect JRemote playback? Can JRemote play DSD files?

Finally, MC on Windows 10 presents totally different options under Audio Device, with only ASIO Chord 1.05 [AISO] for the Mojo (see https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2TPnBORq-F7Z3R5RzNCVXdGbk0). Why the difference between the Id and Windows? Device settings also have different options (but that may be a version issue).

Thanks.

[Hendrik]

The "front" device is usually what you want. Audio device settings are different between different environments. The Id runs Linux, not Windows, and audio output is handled quite a bit differently on different OSes.

[DavidMW]

Thanks. I've been reading up on this and see that ALSA is the Linux equivalent to ASIO in Windows (if I have this right). So that would explain why the Id options would be different, in part, between the two platforms. But could you elaborate on why "front" is preferred from other options, especially if I'm using headphones and not front speakers? Is this somewhere on the Wiki?

Equally important, I would like some guidance if the Id Audio Device settings translate to what I hear when listening to music on JRemote. In that scenario, My components are: Synology NAS => JRiver Id => JRemote on iPhone6 => Chord Mojo DAC => Shure SE535 IEMs.

[bob]

Thanks. I've been reading up on this and see that ALSA is the Linux equivalent to ASIO in Windows (if I have this right). So that would explain why the Id options would be different, in part, between the two platforms. But could you elaborate on why "front" is preferred from other options, especially if I'm using headphones and not front speakers? Is this somewhere on the Wiki?

Equally important, I would like some guidance if the Id Audio Device settings translate to what I hear when listening to music on JRemote. In that scenario, My components are: Synology NAS => JRiver Id => JRemote on iPhone6 => Chord Mojo DAC => Shure SE535 IEMs.

As far as I read your setup, you are just using JRemote for control. The output is from the Id to the DAC.
The device names are the hints suggested by ALSA, they may translate to the same underlying physical devices.
On the MC20 Id's front: is hardware device access.
On the MC22 Id's front: and hw: are functionally equivalent.

In linux currently MC must use DoP packet marking to playback DSD.
If your DAC is capable of that you will get that behavior by setting bitstreaming in MC's audio output configuration.

[DavidMW]

As far as I read your setup, you are just using JRemote for control. The output is from the Id to the DAC.
The device names are the hints suggested by ALSA, they may translate to the same underlying physical devices.
On the MC20 Id's front: is hardware device access.
On the MC22 Id's front: and hw: are functionally equivalent.

In linux currently MC must use DoP packet marking to playback DSD.
If your DAC is capable of that you will get that behavior by setting bitstreaming in MC's audio output configuration.

I am using JRemote to listen to music on my iPhone. My DAC is connected to the iPhone and my IEM's are plugged into my DAC. So, my question is what are the right settings on the Id for that playback and do those setting even have an impact on JRemote?

[JimH]

I don't understand your question. 

And DAC connected to iPhone?  How?

[DavidMW]

Sorry, I'll try to be more clear. Yes, my DAC (Chord Mojo) is connected to my iPhone via an Apple CCK and a USB cable. It works great.

What I'm trying to determine is when I make changes within MC on the Id (Tools => Options => Audio Device) to configure MC for DSD playback, do those settings carry over to JRemote or are they restricted to just MC on the Id?

[Hendrik]

Playback settings in MC itself do not apply to JRemote - it has its own set of settings.

[JimH]

Just MC.

If you connected a DAC directly to your computer and played to it from MC, then you're using those settings.

If, instead, you use JRemote to play files from MC running on another computer, JRemote is using JRiver's MCWS to just get the files and play them on your phone.

[DavidMW]

Got it, thanks to all.

[DavidMW]

Hey, one more follow up. While the above discussion started about DSD settings and the downstream impact when using JRemote, I never circled back to playing DSD files on JRemote. I wrote to Ted Brady from NativeDSD (who did some really excellent getting started videos at http://blog.nativedsd.com/how-to-setup-mojo-for-jriver-media-center/) and he advised that JRemote can't play DSD files. If that's the case, then that is too bad, and will have to limit my DSD listening to MC on the Id. But I understood that MC plays DSD as DoP? Is that the case for JRemote?
If yes, then please advise how to do so. If not, then my other course will be to convert the DSD files to PCM for on-the-go listening.

[blgentry]

JRemote's playback should be regarded as "convenience playback" and not "audiophile playback".  It does not use ANY of MC's technology which makes MC's digital audio quality so highly regarded.  When you play to the JRemote device itself, you're using digital decoding in that device and not with MC.

If you're interested in DSD, then presumably you are a purist of some sort, or at least concerned with high quality audio playback.  It's probably one of the reasons that you bought JRiver MC.  If that's true, then ignore JRemote's "direct to device" playback for any high quality listening sessions.  Instead use a DAC directly connected to the MC computer (ID in your case), and be happy!   

Brian.

[DavidMW]

Brian, thanks for the clarification. I use both environments (MC and JRemote). I was attempting to understand if any of the MC settings impact downstream listening when using JRemote. I now understand they do not.

However, I presume that when I use JRemote where the Zone is set to "Player" (the Id in my case) as opposed to "This device" (my iPhone), then the MC settings will impact my listening since in that case, I'm using JRemote as a remote control for the Id.

[bob]

..
However, I presume that when I use JRemote where the Zone is set to "Player" (the Id in my case) as opposed to "This device" (my iPhone), then the MC settings will impact my listening since in that case, I'm using JRemote as a remote control for the Id.

Correct!

[DavidMW]

Sorry for having to revive this thread. New twist that I can't figure out. So last night I was listening to John Coltrane's Blue Train in honor of the 60th anniversary of the album's release. My copy of the album is a hi-res download at 192kHz/24 bit.

When listening to the album on the Id connected to my Chord Mojo DAC, I get either one of two modes: no playback at all (but I can hear the music if I plug my IEMs directly into the Id) or playback only at 44.1 as indicated on the Mojo. When I get no playback, I check the zones to confirm "front:CARD=Mojo, DEV=0" (I was advised that is the preferred output device earlier in this thread). When listening on the Mojo connected to my iPhone, I get the full 192 playback.

What settings do I need to make to get 192K and why would I be getting intermittent behaviors?

[bob]

Sorry for having to revive this thread. New twist that I can't figure out. So last night I was listening to John Coltrane's Blue Train in honor of the 60th anniversary of the album's release. My copy of the album is a hi-res download at 192kHz/24 bit.

When listening to the album on the Id connected to my Chord Mojo DAC, I get either one of two modes: no playback at all (but I can hear the music if I plug my IEMs directly into the Id) or playback only at 44.1 as indicated on the Mojo. When I get no playback, I check the zones to confirm "front:CARD=Mojo, DEV=0" (I was advised that is the preferred output device earlier in this thread). When listening on the Mojo connected to my iPhone, I get the full 192 playback.

What settings do I need to make to get 192K and why would I be getting intermittent behaviors?

Can you check the DSP studio settings on the Id?
The Id comes with a DSP studio template to playback any material at the supported rate of the internal analog audio interface.
If you use another device you should tune those settings to match the device capabilities.
If you use multiple output devices on the Id you should create a zone for each so each can have it's own DSP studio settings.

[DavidMW]

Bob, when listening directly from the Id, I prefer to use the Chord Mojo DAC (option 1) or direct from the Id when that doesn't work (option 2). Would there be a unique DSP studio setting for each? I don't know what settings to change within the DSP studio (see attached).

If I understand it, I would need to change the Audio Device to "front:CARD=Mojo, DEV=0" and the DSP to something other than its current setting to listen to music greater than 44.1. Is that what you mean by creating a "zone"?

[JimH]

The wiki has topics on Zones and ZoneSwitch.

[bob]

Check the zone topics on the wiki.
It's a nice way to handle multiple output device capabilities.
You can see what each device supports by doing Option 10 from the main Id menu.

[Hilton]

The zones will show up like this below.
(top left for each type of device I have a zone setup)

Pi2-DSD2 by Hilton, on Flickr