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[DWMB]

Hi, I'm new to JRiver.

I have an issue: when a track of one bit-depth approaches a track from a different album with a different bit-depth, but where the sample rate of the two tracks is the same, the first track stutters / skips for a second or so in playback towards the end of the track as it is about to transition or change over to the new track.

So, for example, if the bit-depth on the first track is 16 bits at a sample rate of 44.1kHz, but the second track is 24 bits at the same sample rate of 44.1kHz, the first track skips or stutters in playback a few seconds before transitioning over to the second track. It's like a part of the track is cut off towards the end of the track, as the bit-depth is about to change.

This does not happen between tracks of different sample rates, or between tracks on the same album or different albums where the bit-depth remains the same.

Is there a way to get around this with JRiver, perhaps with the changing of a setting? One can do this with a Resync Delay with Roon and Audirvana.

Thanks.

[Dawgincontrol]

I had this exact problem a while back and can't remember exactly what I changed that fixed it as I went through various settings.

In DSP Studio I know I changed Output Encoding to "None". 
Under channels I put my system number of speakers (in my case 5.1).
Useing JRSS mixing and for stereo sources only mix to 2.1 and set my subwoofer to 85 (personal preference).

Under Tools>Options>Audio I have prebuffering to 6 seconds, Bitstreaming YES (DSD) on mine, Use SOX for resampling, and Resample uncommon sample rates automatically, and I switch tracks Gaplessly.  Seems to me it was in the areas listed or a combination thereof, that the skipping stopped.

Hope this helps.  You were correct that it was only on the change in bitdepth where the problem occurred when listening to a playlist that combined them.

[DWMB]

@ Dawgincontrol

Thank you for your reply. I'm actually pleased that this has happened to someone else previously, as it rare to find on the forums a shared experience.

So, I've now ticked in the check box for SoX for resampling, with all the other suggested settings having already been set.

I have an MSB Discrete DAC, so as per the instructions I cannot set Output Encoding to none without there being static sound. It must be set to DSD in DoP format with the MSB.

Just to confirm, I'm running JRiver version 33.0.53 for Mac. I must now test the system with the other aforesaid setting in place.

[dtc]

From the online specs, it looks like that DAC supports PCM playback. With Output Encoding set to DSD DoP every file is converted to that format before sending to the DAC. To play PCM files as PCM you should set Output Encoding to None, set bitstreaming on and in the ASIO setup choose DoP. Then only DSD files are sent as DoP.

Are you using USB or DLNA?

[DWMB]

I'm using JRiver 33.0.53 for Mac. Where do you find the ASIO setup to select DoP?

Thanks.

[Awesome Donkey]

ASIO is mainly a Windows thing, it doesn't really apply for macOS. I'll move this topic to the correct MC33 for Mac section as this is the MC33 for Windows section so that's where the ASIO confusion came from here.

Anyways on macOS you have to use the CoreAudio output for your DAC and you have to enable DoP for DSD playback as macOS doesn't support native DSD. Look in MC's Options > Audio > Audio Device > Device settings for any setting related to DoP. If there is no option for this (can't recall, haven't used macOS in years) it likely already uses DoP by default and should work as-is when DSD bitstreaming is enabled.

If you have the audio output set to the default CoreAudio output, it goes through the system mixer and that could be the source of your issue. If it still happens, look at the integer mode option in Device settings and see if that makes a difference.

[DWMB]

I have the core audio set to my DAC (ProUSB XEF), and there is no option under device settings to select DoP.

Bitstreaming is set on Yes (DSD).

[Awesome Donkey]

Assuming DSD works fine in that configuration up to DSD256 for your DAC, DSD512 requires native DSD support which macOS does not support and your DAC doesn't support a PCM sample rate needed to get DSD512 over DoP working. The issue is related to the DAC changing bit-depths between PCM tracks (e.g. 16-bit to 24-bit). Hmmmm. You might try changing that integer mode option I mentioned before and see if that changes anything. I would be also interested if this behavior is consistent in Windows and/or Linux too if you have any machines using either handy.

[dtc]

You might also try the Play from Memory options. They sometimes help this problem.  Note - I am a Windows guy.  I assume these are also available on Mac.

[Awesome Donkey]

Memory playback should work fine in macOS, it did the last time I used macOS a few years ago. It kinda reminds me of the issue where some DACs have an audible pop or click when switching bit-depths but if it's significant stuttering and skipping forward that's a bit of a brain scratcher. Maybe Bob might have some insight if on that if it's Mac-related.

Maybe a screenshot of the Audio Path of a file currently being played might give some insight, at least if there's anything like DSP or resampling being used?

[dtc]

The fact that it stutters a second or two before the end of a track seems like it may be related to the pre-loading of the next track that MC does. No idea why it would be bit depth dependend. I think one of the memory playback options now waits to do the preload until the track is actually done playing. That was my though.

[DWMB]

Hi everyone.

So, I was able to set Output Encoding to "None", without issue this time.

It is now not upsampling to DSD and is playing normal PCM format through the DAC. In the process, the problem of the stuttering or skipping when the bit-depth changes, appears to have gone. I did not experience or encounter the issue when testing it now.

I will conduct further testing tonight to make sure, and advise.

Thank you for the help and advice.

[Awesome Donkey]

Nice! Hopefully that fixes it for you.

Using Output Encoding to output DSD is a bad idea generally as that converts EVERYTHING to DSD (even DSD) and is always a lossy conversion. Also depending on what DSD option it's set to (and if it's stereo or multichannel) the on-the-fly DSD conversions are one of the most resource intensive tasks Media Center can do, and depending how powerful the machine is can have issues with stuttering. I would be curious in knowing how you came upon the Output Encoding option in the effort of trying to output DSD?

[DWMB]

Thank you for the heads-up on upsampling to DSD under Output Encoding.

I couldn't put my finger on it, but sound quality went south when everything output to DSD.

To answer your question, I made the mistake of applying the instructions of MSB in setting output to DSD in DoP format - but that was supposed to be under device audio settings which is absent under audio settings on a Mac. So, I thought that that functionality must be activated under Output Encoding.

I'm new to JRiver, and sometimes that is how one learns by trial and error.

Thanks.

[DWMB]

Sorry, I have one other question: how do I prevent intermittent stuttering or skipping during playback of a track? This happens from time to time.

Thanks.

[JimH]

It could simply be limited bandwidth.

[DWMB]

No, the issue that I'm now having is intermittent stuttering / skipping of playback during a track. This is over USB from my Mac Mini to my DAC. It's not an issue with streaming over a network.

I would just like to get guidance on how to eliminate such stuttering / skipping.

Thanks.

[JimH]

Read this:  https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,24031.0.html

and search the forum.

[dtc]

You might try Memory Playback.

[DWMB]

I will try that.

What is very confusing to me is if I disable integer mode under device settings, my DAC (player device), which is connected to my network, plays music from JRiver on my Mac mini to other speakers on my network, and not my speakers connected to my amp that my DAC is connected to.  How do I stop this?

[DWMB]

I’m raising the question regarding integer mode, because if it is disabled under device settings on MC, the stuttering or skipping during playback of tracks seems to be gone.

[Awesome Donkey]

If it works with integer mode disabled, that could mean your DAC has issues with integer being sent to it and works with floating point being sent to it instead. There has been instances in the past where with some DACs integer mode needed to be disabled in order for it to work correctly (as they weren't compatible) and I guess that's the case here with the MSB?

Integer mode is a feature that was added in MC all the way back in 2013 when it was supported in OS X 10.9: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,84657.0.html

[DWMB]

Thank you.

But with Integer Mode disabled, when my amp is off, the Mac Mini plays music on MC through my MSB to my MacBook Pro speakers in another room. My MSB is connected to the same network, but how is this possible?

[DWMB]

How is this possible?? Mac mini connected over USB to my MSB DAC in my hifi rig - the MSB also has a network Renderer connected to my local network - when my amp is switched off in my hifi rig, but I have JRiver playing from my Mac mini to my MSB over USB, audio comes through on my MacBook Pro speakers in another room (my study) - only zone activated on JRiver is my MSB as the device player (the "Player"); no other dynamic zones nor MSB Renderer on DLNA activated on JRiver. What on earth is going on here?? So frustrating! 

[DWMB]

What I've now discovered is if screen sharing from my Mac mini to my MacBook Pro is off, then there is no playback coming through on my MacBook Pro speakers.

But, Audirvana does not present this problem with screen sharing on. So, what's the deal here??

Thanks.

[DWMB]

With my amp on, JRiver is playing through my MSB on my hifi speakers and simultaneously on my MacBook Pro speakers after activating share screen to work on my Mac mini from my MacBook. I've never come across something like this, ever!

[bob]

With my amp on, JRiver is playing through my MSB on my hifi speakers and simultaneously on my MacBook Pro speakers after activating share screen to work on my Mac mini from my MacBook. I've never come across something like this, ever!

This thread is hard to follow but the default Core Audio device is like a switchboard. It can do lots of things that you might not expect, like send sound through a screen sharing session.
It can also do some useful things like being able to redirect your audio output to a AirPlay device.

If you have a directly attached (internal speakers, monitor or USB Dac) device you'd like to always do the same thing, create another zone for that and specify the device specifically in MC's audio device settings.