Print

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

[marcob9999]

Good morning!!!

I'm starting to set up JRiver, and I have a question (to start ...)
When I have to select the audio device, the endless list you see in the attached image appears.
I have an Okto Research multichannel DAC, and I have to exit JRiver in 5.1 format (actually the system is stereo but in multi-amplification).
I can't fully understand the differences between the various options available ...
I would like the output "as direct" as possible, so that the signal, once out of JRiver, does not pass through other software.

Anyone have any suggestions?
Many thanks and Best Regards!!!
Marco

[JimH]

I think you're using Linux.  Try the devices that begin with "front".

Is it an Id?

[Awesome Donkey]

Also the first hw: output appears to be your DAC as well. With the hw: or front: outputs, you really can't go wrong.

[marcob9999]

Thanks for the replies.

I tried all the options that contained DAC8PRO, and the only one that did NOT return an error is the one highlighted in the attached image.
I just hope the signal doesn't do some weird turns in some software before it gets to the USB output ? !!!

Thanks again.
Best Regards!!!
Marco

[Awesome Donkey]

I just hope the signal doesn't do some weird turns in some software before it gets to the USB output ? !!!

Well, if you read the description of the plughw: output closely it says Hardware device with all software conversions, which basically means that it's not a bit-perfect audio output. The ones that say Direct hardware device without any conversions are audio outputs that don't go through any system mixer and are bit-perfect audio outputs.

If the hw: output gives an error, then something's not right.

[marcob9999]

If the hw: output gives an error, then something's not right.

I think you are right!!!

it seems that the signal always passes through alsa ...
If I set "Direct audio device without any conversion", JRiver gives me an error (attached)
I will investigate
In the meantime, if anyone has experience with Linux-JRiver-DAC8PRO setup, please ...

I tried the script "alsa-info.sh", as suggested on Ubuntu forum...
I enclose the result, incomprehensible to me, in case it is useful to someone...

Have a nice day!!!
Marco

[mattkhan]

can you post the output of /usr/lib/jriver/Media Center 29/alsacap ?

[marcob9999]

can you post the output of /usr/lib/jriver/Media Center 29/alsacap ?

/usr/lib/jriver/'Media Center 29'/alsacap
*** Scanning for playback devices ***
Card 0, ID `PCH', name `HDA Intel PCH'
  Device 0, ID `ALC897 Analog', name `ALC897 Analog', 1 subdevices (1 available)
    2 channels, sampling rates 44100, 48000, 96000, 192000 Hz
    Sample formats: S16_LE, S32_LE
      Subdevice 0, name `subdevice #0'
Card 1, ID `DAC8PRO', name `DAC8PRO'
  Device 0, ID `USB Audio', name `USB Audio', 1 subdevices (1 available)
    8 channels, sampling rates 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000 Hz
    Sample formats: S16_LE, S32_LE, SPECIAL, DSD_U32_BE
      Subdevice 0, name `subdevice #0'


I have the results of "alsa-info.sh"...

[mattkhan]

try setting output format to one that specifies 8 physical output channels, if this is intended to be stereo then that would be

channels: 2 channels (stereo)
extra channels: 6 channels

[marcob9999]

If I set "Audio Device" > "hw=CARD=DAC8PRO,DEV=0 [ALSA] DAC8PRO. USB Audio, Direct hardware device without any conversions"
and
"Settings" > "...DSP & outpu format..." the image attached...
It seems to work...
...but...
If I play a file 16bit 44K1KHz, on DAC display appears this message : 44KHz 24bit PCM
In "Player" > "Audio Path" (second image) it seems that everything works fine (so it seems to me ...),
up to "output", where a "32 bit 8ch using ALSA (direct connection)" appears, which I don't explain ...
It seems that ALSA ANYWAY puts its hands in the signal, changing something, since it "enters" 16 bit and "goes out" 32 bit
 ?

[Awesome Donkey]

No, that's not from ALSA or any system mixer, it's from Media Center itself. Upon playback Media Center automatically pads the bit-depth with zeroes to the highest bit-depth supported by your DAC when output which in your case is 32-bit (for various reasons it does this, like if you're going to use any DSP). So if your DAC supports a max bit-depth of 32-bit and Media Center is playing back a file that's 16-bit, upon playback it'll pad the bit-depth with zeroes and it'll go from 16-bit to 32-bit, so this is normal and is as expected.

Keep in mind that even with the bit-depth padding of zeroes it's still a bit-perfect audio output, there's actually no dithering or modification of the file(s) being done.

[mattkhan]

"Settings" > "...DSP & outpu format..." the image attached...

I thought it was an active stereo setup? if so, you do not want 5.1 with 2 extra channels with jrss active instead you want stereo with 6 extra channels. At present you are upmixing stereo to surround and then overwriting the other channels with the contents of L & R after upmixing. Now I do not know if jriver just passes through L & R when upmixing, if so then the current setup is odd but harmless.

[marcob9999]

No, that's not from ALSA...

Then it works  !!!
OK I was afraid it wasn't bit-perfect ...
Thank you very much!!! I owe you a beer !!!
At this point I keep bothering you for a little while longer 
I would like to be reassured that my setup is right ...
I have stereo files ONLY, and I have to drive the active speakers with 3 signals: low, medium and high.
So, as seen from the pictures in my last post ... I transform from stereo to 7.1 (of which I only use 6 channels, and 2 remain extra channels), then I copy Left to SL and Center, and Right to SR and Sub ... So I have Left = SL = Center and Right = SR = Sub
Then I apply crossovers to each channel in order to "transform" Center and Sub into a bass
Sl and SR in High
Left and Right in Medium
I hope I was clear.
Do you think the setting is correct? One more opinion is always better, before connecting the speakers to burn some tweeters :'(

Many thanks again!!!
Best Regards!!!
Marco

[mattkhan]

I have posted the correct output format twice now, as previously stated you are currently upmixing to a surround format which you do not want

The crossovers sound like they still work though they are quite simple, did you take measurements to come up with this?

[marcob9999]

Now I get it!!!
To tell the truth, I understood this last night when my cat woke me up...
I will do as you rightly proposed !!!
For now I have not yet made any measurements.
To tell the truth, I haven't connected anything to the system yet !!!
It will be the next step ... With my usual slowness ...

Infinite thanks for the support!!!
Best Regards!!!
Marco