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[vintzend]

Hello,

A new JRiver user from The Netherlands here. I'm still using the trial version, but already pretty sure that I'll buy my license soon though! Currently I'm running the Windows version, but I'll probably also install it on a Linux machine once I have the Master license.

The reason I'm trying JRiver, is that I bought my first external DAC (and integrated headphone amp): the Focal Arche. Made in France by Micromega, sold by Focal. It drives my Focal Clear headphones. Although I initially encountered countless issues with the Arche, I managed to solve most (updating my old BIOS seemed to have solved most problems). Still an ocassional click/stutter when streaming high-res 24 bit 96 Khz. files from Qobuz, I hope replacing my PC eventually somewhere next year will solve that.

One problem is quite curious. The Focal Arce is clearly marketed as being DSD256 compatible, it's mentioned in the manual, the website, all professional reviews mentioned it (but apparently didn't bother to check...). While I can playback DSD64, DSD128 files in JRiver without any issue, when I select any DSD256 file, the following message box is displayed:

"Playback could not be started on the output 'ASIO' using the format 'DSD DSD256 (4x) 2ch'.
The ASIO device 'FOCAL ARCHE' does not support the sample rate of 1411200 Hz.

Really wondering whether it's a driver or hardware issue... Focal ignored my questions until now. And only found reports of people who also tried and couldn't get it to work, so I doubt it's my configuration. It's a pitty, as I bought some DSD256 files from NativeDSD and High Def. Tape Transfers, especially to try on the Arche.

Does it happen more often, that a marketed feature of a DAC is simply not available?

Sorry for the rambling! Can't wait to dive deeper in JRiver features!

Best regards, Vincent

[Jamil]

MediaCenter can support DSD, but there are some requirements for it to work properly.  There is DSD decoded by your DAC directly, and there is DoP that is DSD over PCM.  If you wish to send DSD directly for your DAC to decode, your DAC must support ASIO.  This is a requirement of JRiver software.

DSD256 is 4xDSD (64 X 4 = 256)

Change settings like so:



Again, ASIO is a requirement:



Try playing.  If your hardware supports it, it will play:



Note that DSDx4 is too much for USB 2.0 to handle.  At maximum bandwidth, you may hear break-ups in your music.  My particular DAC allows me to adjust the bandwidth at the loss of some sound quality.  BW shown below is for this bandwidth setting.  BW01 is most bandwidth, and I do experience occasional audio break-ups playing DSD256.  Lowering it to BW05 eliminates all break-ups and the playback is perfect:



Your particular DAC may not support this.  If you do experience break-ups, there is not much you will be able to do to rectify this.  It's a USB limitation.

[Awesome Donkey]

I'd highly recommend bitstreaming DSD instead of using the Output Format > Output Encoding feature if you can because 1) using the Output Encoding setting converts everything, both PCM and DSD, to DSD (and do note all DSD conversions have a PCM stage in the middle, so DSD > PCM > DSD), 2) it's a lossy conversion doing that and 3) depending on what CPU your computer has, it may not be powerful enough to handle the on-the-fly DSD conversion. Bitstreaming DSD would be the recommended way to go unless you actually want to convert everything to DSD (plus you know it's a lossy conversion when doing it and can accept that) and your computer's CPU is actually powerful enough to handle it.

It also sounds like you're using DoP, which explains why DSD64 and DSD128 work and why DSD256 doesn't. Jamil is correct that you'll probably need to use ASIO on Windows (if available for your DAC via its drivers) to output native DSD to get DSD256 working. Getting native DSD working on Linux all depends on if the Linux kernel you're using has support for native DSD for your DAC.

More info on the wiki: https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DSD

[vintzend]

Many thanks for the replies!

I've tried it (mainly with the ASIO drivers), but always get the message that the device does not support the rate.

Focal sent me instructions for JRiver, but that did not help either.

Now I have a new, extremely weird issue. DSD playback does not work at all anymore. When I start playback of a DSD64 or DSD128 file, the file starts playing, but I only hear noise on the headphones.... I fear something is very wrong. I have tried everything: unplugging it, using the DAC's "Reset" function in the menu... but nothing solves it.

Current JRiver settings (as I rember setting them previously, back when it worked):
* Audio Device: FOCAL ARCHE [ASIO]
* DSD bitstream in DoP mode: not checked
* DSP studio, all items are not checked
* Bitstreaming: Yes (DSD)

The stupid thing is that the display on the Arche displays "DS64" and "DSD128", so it seems to recognize the data.

I'm a bit disappointed that playing back DSD turns out to be so difficult with the Arche... I'm blaming the Arche driver though, not JRiver. PCM seems to work fine, in all applications that I tried.

Talking about JRiver, it did update itself on the same session, but I did not read complaints, so I assume that shouldn't have affected DSD playback?

If anyone recognizes this problem, I'd love to hear it.

Regards, Vincent

[Awesome Donkey]

Make sure Windows' system volume and internal volume within Media Center are both set to 100%, this is requirement for some DACs for DSD bitstreaming to work otherwise you'll hear just noise.

[vintzend]

Ah, thanks that may have been the problem... at least it started working again Would never have thought of that, I'm quite new to this stuff...

Many thanks!

I'll register my copy of JRiver very soon, really starting to love it (as I said, I blame none of my issues to JRiver).

Also, thanks for the DSD256 / USB DAC warning, I think I will stick to DSD128 from now on... It's an intriguing format.

@Jamil awesome DAC and amp you have there! (and, like me, also interested in XML standards like XQuery and XSLT, I see!).

[Awesome Donkey]

Enjoy the music!

[eminem]

It's cool.