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[kiwi]

Hello,

I have an RME HDSP-9632 that I'm borrowing to see how it performs.  I plan on doing tests comparing the computer to other sources CD/DVD players that I have access to.  As such, I'd like to make sure that I have the optimal output quality for the music.  What settings do I have to make sure are set/unset for this?

I am figuring, turn all DSP settings off, and make sure that the internal wave volume is turned up to 100%.  Is that correct?  Is there anything else that I need to do?  I just want to make sure that I'm comparing apples to apples.

Thanks,
kiwi

oh yeah, all material is in APE form.

[xen-uno]

I think you'll have to use ASIO output, which bypasses Window's Kernel Mixer (re-sampling?). DirectSound may also...but ASIO definetly does. That should be it.

R_x

[kiwi]

Yeah, forgot to mention that.  I've got it set for ASIO output (as I don't even know whether the HDSP has a DirectSound option.)

Thanks,
kiwi

[Eiffel]

If you can play DTS CDs (44.1 kHz 5.1) and hear the music/sound is them rather than just static, your system is most likely bit perfect... You could also try to play HDCDs and see if your receiver's HDCD indicator lights up (that is if your receiver/pre-pro/DAC has such capability).

The above assume that you're sending a signal via SPDIF, but, with ASIO drivers it is reasonable to assume that if it works with SPDIF it will work with the analog inputs too (switching from SPDIF to analog outs is just a matter of shifting the startup channel)

[kiwi]

Well, after some initial listening tests with one of the latest Denon Receivers and some older KEF speakers (I'll get the model numbers when I get a chance), the preliminary results are that the two signals (analog & spdif decoded by the Denon) are virtually indistinguishable.  

I'm trying to find out whether the denon unit digitizes the inputs (that would give a good reason why they sound so so similar.)

I'll post more as I do more testing.

kiwi

edit: figured I'd add, I also compared it to the toslink out from a DVD player with identical results.