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[tingtong5]

Hi all,

As a new MC12 user and as an audiophile I would like to know what the best playbacks settings are for the purest sound?
I am using a RME Digi96/8 soundcard with digital output only.

Best regards,

Ronald

[Alex B]

You can output bit perfect, unaltered, PCM data if you select the ASIO output mode and disable all DSP features inside MC. I am not familiar with RME's features, but if it does not automatically switch the sample rate setting you may need to select the correct sample rate manually in its control panel. With usual audio files (= ripped from audio CDs) this would be 44.1 KHz.

You didn't say what kind of DAC you use after the digital SPDIF connection. RME has a high quality DAC and it is possible that it is measurably better than the DAC in a typical HT receiver. If that is the case an analog connection would actually produce "better" quality. However, I am not saying that the difference would be audible.

In general, I think you can use any playback/output settings that please you. You should trust your own ears. The theoretical "betterness" does not really matter when the output is not archived to a file. Once it is listened to, it is gone.

[tingtong5]

You can output bit perfect, unaltered, PCM data if you select the ASIO output mode and disable all DSP features inside MC.

Hi Alex.

Thanks for your response! 
Yes, I already disabled all DSP features. ASIO seems indeed to work fine as HDCD coded music makes the HDCD indicator lit on my DAC, so I suppose this is proof that it is bitperfect indeed 

I am not familiar with RME's features, but if it does not automatically switch the sample rate setting you may need to select the correct sample rate manually in its control panel. With usual audio files (= ripped from audio CDs) this would be 44.1 KHz.

Don't worry, it doesn't resample  Also I can easily check outputted sample rate as I connect my RME card to a Genesis Digital Lens which is connected to a PS Audio Ultralink II DAC. The Digital Lens shows sample rate on its display.

You didn't say what kind of DAC you use after the digital SPDIF connection. RME has a high quality DAC and it is possible that it is measurably better than the DAC in a typical HT receiver. If that is the case an analog connection would actually produce "better" quality. However, I am not saying that the difference would be audible.

The RME Digi 96/8 has digital ins/outs only. Also I did not hear any soundcard (yet) that bettered my external DAC so that why I choose to use digital output only (for now).

In general, I think you can use any playback/output settings that please you. You should trust your own ears. The theoretical "betterness" does not really matter when the output is not archived to a file. Once it is listened to, it is gone.

I understand. But its always good to know what one is doing.
Well I suppose this is a controversial subject, I am one of those crazy guys that believe that I hear differences between digital transports (either cd or pc based) and thus in jitter levels. After getting aquinted to MC a bit my quest for a better soundcard will start 

Regards,

Ronald

[Alex B]

The RME Digi 96/8 has digital ins/outs only.

Oops, this is what you get when you don't double-check every detail. I was thinking about the DACs used in RME sound cards in general, not specifically Digi 96/8.   

Since ASIO without any DSP can be bit perfect it might be what you want to use. However you should not be too concerned about the quality of MC's internal DSP. It is supposed to be as good as digital DSP can be and sometimes it may be more convenient to use DSP instead of sticking with "absolute purity".

[tingtong5]

Since ASIO without any DSP can be bit perfect it might be what you want to use. However you should not be too concerned about the quality of MC's internal DSP. It is supposed to be as good as digital DSP can be and sometimes it may be more convenient to use DSP instead of sticking with "absolute purity".

My goal is to have a music server that can equal (or even better, surpass) the sound quality of my CD transport, at this moment with the DIGI 96/8 it does not unfortunatly. Untill I have reached that goal I will try to optimize for maximum soundquality   

Right now is sounds "flat" and "dull" compared to my cd transport (which is modified TEAC VRDS-10 with Tentlabs low jitter clock by the way).

Later on I might even try to build a better (lineair) power supply and low jitter clock for my soundcard 

Ronald

[MerlinWerks]

The RME Digi 96/8 has digital ins/outs only. Also I did not hear any soundcard (yet) that bettered my external DAC so that why I choose to use digital output only (for now).

Regards,

Ronald

Hmmm, are you sure you have a Digi 96/8? Mine has analog I/O via 1/4" TRS jacks. Perhaps you have the 96/36, 96/52 or one of the HDSP models...

[tingtong5]

Hmmm, are you sure you have a Digi 96/8? Mine has analog I/O via 1/4" TRS jacks. Perhaps you have the 96/36, 96/52 or one of the HDSP models...

There are 3 or 4 flavours of the DIGI 96/8 ! You might have the PAD version..

[MerlinWerks]

There are 3 or 4 flavours of the DIGI 96/8 ! You might have the PAD version..

Yes, my mistake as I was aware of only the PST and PAD models.