Print

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

[Noteworthy]

Newbie here. Evaluating MC24

I have probably not set up the playback correctly because the playback of my flac files is unimpressive and dull.
Playback is routed wirelessly over my home network to an OPPP BD105D connected to my Thule amplifier.
Audio files are located in a cloud directory.

The same files when played from a usb device connected directly to the OPPO and played through the OPPO's interface (without MC24) sound rich and vibrant.

Do I need to configure something in MC24 to obtain the original rich sound? Tried the equaliser but it appears to have no effect.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Many thanks

[JimH]

If you're using DLNA, check the server side settings for conversion.  It's under Media Network.

[Noteworthy]

Thank you JimH.

As I am a newbie, what you said is a bit cryptic for me.
What's the conversion you're referring to please?

Many thanks

[swiv3d]

Having seen your other post I would suggest that you right mouse click on the oppo heading in playing now - go down to the bottom of the popup menu and select associate with server and choose the audiophile option -not generic.

[Noteworthy]

Many thanks swiv3d.

Against "Associate with DLNA Server" there is a greyed out "Only one server, used by default".

[Noteworthy]

Thanks.
I had done that previously already and my screen matches your screen shot attachment.

[swiv3d]

If you have a generic and an audiophile dlna server then you should be able to choose which one you associate with the oppo zone in the playing now section?

[Noteworthy]

Thanks swiv3d.

I had the choice between generic and an audophile DLNA server and I had (and have) chosen the Audiophile server.

[blgentry]

Quite some time ago, when I demoed MC for a friend at his house, we were playing back through a Sony BluRay player, using DLNA.  After playing a song or two I noticed that it was using the default settings, which sends the data stream as MP3.  I changed it to Audiophile, which uses PCM, and heard my friend exclaim "Holy S**T!!" from the next room as the new song started.

It was a rather large difference.  I hope you have noticed a similar difference in quality after making the change.

Brian.

[swiv3d]

Make sure that the audiophile server is set to ouput 24 bit pcm

[Noteworthy]

Thank you swiv3d as always and thank you too, blgentry.

With reference to blgentry's suggestion, it's true that the output was being converted to mp3.
I have unchecked the conversion checkbox.

The result is appreciably better but not overwhelmingly so as many have exclaimed it to be (It's for this reason that I am evaluating JRiver MC24). Perhaps I had over-the-top expectations of fantastic vibrancy in the music played. To test, I played a few Beatles flac tracks of Revolver (remastered) and "You" by Ten Sharp.

I am attaching the screen shots which are self-explanatory and will be happy to provide any other screen shots if you wish to see them.

If you can please let me know that my set up is now correct, I would be very grateful.

Best regards

[blgentry]

Your screen shots seem to indicate that you are connected to your Oppo player via USB.  This is totally different than a DLNA based network connection.  All of the instructions that were given so far were based on thinking you were connected via DLNA.

The good news, bad news is, there's not a lot to configure with a USB based connection.  I would check the DSP Studio and make sure the sample rates section was sending 44.1k as 44.1k and other sample rates you might be using, also at their native rate.

I'm surprised that you hear a difference between MC24 via USB to your Oppo and a USB thumb drive via your Oppo.  There might be volume differences, which are a common source of "hey this one sounds better!".  You usually will pick the louder source as sounding better, even if it is less than 1 dB of difference.  Because louder sounds "more clear".

Perhaps others here have some other thoughts to offer on the matter.

Brian.

[Spike1000]

Your screen shots are confusing. You show that you are directly connected to the OPPO over USB (Under Audio) and then show a DNLA screen shot (Under Media Network.) Let's just test/use the USB connection for now.

My 2p.

Turn off the media network in  Tools | Options | General | Features | Media Network (You can always turn it on later if you need it but let's get it out of the equation for now). Restart MC.

Tools | Options | Audio DSP and output format |
   Output Encoding should be set to None
   Sample rate should be set to 'no change' for up to say 96,000 or 192,000 Hz (you can tweak these later depending on the capabilities of the DAC)
Only have the 'Output format' ticked in the box to the right.

Save the settings.

Play a track and click on the 'waveform' Icon to the right of the 'shuffle' icon at the end of the track progress bar. This will show what settings are being applied to the track that's being played. It will sound great! 

I suspect you've been using DNLA to play the tracks with some poor choices of settings (the default is to convert to MP3!!! which is a poor default, but it will play a track on any device)

You may want to watch the tutorial videos in my footer to get you more up to speed.

Spike

[swiv3d]

Your screenshot starts off showing the oppo zone selected - but the next screenshot shows your player zone settings which are of course completely separate entities. For your second screenshot to be relevant you need to select the oppo device in the zone to configure combobox at the top of the menu popup you are showing. You should then get a screen saying that you can setup audio elsewhere. The third screen looks ok for your server settings but as Spike says you may need to look at the settings you have in DSP studio. You would get much better results by playing to the oppo through a usb connection.

[Noteworthy]

Thank you blgentry, Spike1000, and swiv3d for your helpful advice.
Spike1000, your tutorials are splendid and a great service to this community.

From your combined comments, I realised I needed to start all over. 
I uninstalled MC24 and reinstalled it.

I'll repeat my set-up for good order's sake:
MC24 installed on ZenBook Pro wirelessly connected to cable router on home network.
I am using OPPO BDP 105D as DAC that is connected to said router via ethernet cable. Optical cable from the OPPO to Thule amplifier.

(Numbers below against each description signify attachment number
The OPPO is listed under Playing Now - 1
Enabled DLNA under Media Network -2
In the Player zone options to change are available -3
However, in the BDP - 105D zone I am directed to Media Network>Add or configure DLNA Servers... and cannot set any output formats -4
Under DLNA Servers I have chosen Audiophile 24 bit DAC and PCM 24 bit -5
Finally in the File view you can see that I am in the OPPO zone and can play the files -6

The thing is: 1)The sound problem remains 2) I cannot pause or stop mid track.

If it helps these are the audio specs of the OPPO BDP 105D
Output
Analog Audio: 7.1ch, 5.1ch, stereo.
Dedicated Stereo Analog Audio: XLR balanced, RCA single-ended.
Coaxial/Optical Audio: up to 2ch/192kHz PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS.
HDMI Audio: up to 7.1ch/192kHz PCM, up to 5.1ch DSD, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS-HD High Resolution, DTS-HD Master Audio.

Input
HDMI Audio: up to 5.1ch/192kHz or 7.1ch/96kHz PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, AAC.
MHL Audio: up to 5.1ch/192kHz PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS.
USB Audio: up to 2ch/192kHz PCM.
Coaxial/Optical Audio: up to 2ch/96kHz PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS, AAC.

Many thanks

[whoareyou]

Not sure about why you can't stop playback but that seems like completely separate issue from audio quality ….

Doesn't the 105 natively support the Flac format you are trying to stream from JRiver's DLNA server? From what I read in your post it sounds like the file is ordinary FLAC that OPPO should play properly.
If that's the case then have you tried setting Audio/Mode: Original (under DLNA Server configuration). 
If it's a format supported by the OPPO, it will play just fine decoding with OPPO's DAC. 

Also, have you looked at the OPPO during playback to see what type of file it is playing?

[Spike1000]

Am I missing something here? I'm confused.

You're now using DLNA to talk to the Oppo and use it as a DAC except you're not as you're using an optical cable to connect the Oppo to the Thule amp so the amp has a DAC in it too??? I don't understand why you would want to do that.  ?

Why don't you simply use the analogue out from the Oppo to the Thule if it's the best DAC?

Spike

[Noteworthy]

For whoareyou:
You're right! stopping payback is a separate issue.
Thanks for your suggestions. The 105 supports flac and plays the files. It is just that the sound was not pristine but that has been resolved now  see below:

For Spike1000:
1. I went to Media Server/Client Options/Conversion/convert audio if necessary
2. I set the encoder at 16bit
The result was a great improvement. Don't know why.
3. I disabled the optical connection between the OPPO and the Thule as you suggested replacing the connection with a Siltech coaxial cable. The result was stunning. Every little detail is crystal clear and the sound image embraces the listener like never before. I'm very grateful.

I hadn't previously used the client options as I did not know I had to do so.

Many thanks once again to all those who helped with their comments. I hope I get the opportunity to help someone someday once I get to be a bit on an expert like you all

[whoareyou]

Great. But maybe I'm still missing something since I don't understand why the 16 bit setting is necessary.  But if you have any hires 24 bit files you really wouldn't want to downsample them.  It sounds as if your settings would do so.

When I send files to my OPPO (again 205 so could be slightly different), I always use "original format".  I can confirm that every file is sent unmodified, as confirmed in the OPPO UI.  If you want to change it, because you like how that sounds better, then do it.  Whatever you like of course!

One other thing to try (possibly you have?) is to use a small simple DLNA server recommended by Oppo called OShare (on SourceForge).  It's a stable DLNA server good for testing purposes and recommended by OPPO for this purpose.  This program will stream FLAC exactly as is to the Oppo.   If what you stream from OShare sounds different from the JRiver sound then you have configured something to be converting the file on JRiver.

[MikeO]

The optical cable will pass the digital signal to the amp DAC for processing not the OPPO, but changing that to coax ones the same surely you need the analogue output of the OPPO to the stereo analogue input of the amp ?

That way the OPPO is the DAC not the amp Dac

Confused

[Noteworthy]

For whoareyou:
My apologies for this delayed response. Got caught up in the festivities! I chose the setting at 16 bit because all my flac files have been ripped 16 bit. Have changed the setting to 24 bit just in case I do acquire 24bit files. I will try your 2 suggestions (many thanks) and get back to you. But this may be after a week or so as I'm away on holiday.

For Mike O.:
Spike1000 had made the same point. But obviously I appear to have misunderstood him. Thanks. Will revert.

[Noteworthy]

Update:
I used the OPPO analogue output to the analogue input of the amp.
The result is stunning.

I also used "original format".

I have a few other questions but they comprise another subject.

My grateful thanks to all who have helped me.

[Spike1000]

Update:
I used the OPPO analogue output to the analogue input of the amp.
The result is stunning.

  Result!

Spike