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[Adhara]

Hi,

I've no DA conversion made on my HTPC as I'm using a RME AES card (digital audio).
I have the possibility to adjust the sound on both the PC and/or my external DAC.
The volume control on both units is digital.

What is the best ?


Thks for the tip-off !!

[rayooo]

In my case, I've opted when adjusting volume digitally, to use my DAC (W4S DAC-2)
Thus the "Volume Mode" In MC is disabled in my case.

I did this more out of superstition than anything, 'assumption being my DAC (Saber 32) digital volume control would meet or exceed what MC does internally.
I'm for sure not a math expert, but assuming both your DAC, and MC, use 32 bits and do the math properly, on paper it should not make any difference.

On the other hand, audiophiles are a strange breed, (I am one) I'd suspect like most things audiophile related, you'll get claims on both sides.
I'd probably lean towards the one that is the most convenient at first, then after getting used to it, swap to the other means and see if you can detect any difference.

OBTW
I use MC for audio only. I currently actually have both MC and my DAC's volume controls disabled and use an external analog preamp. The reason for this squrely fits within the realm of audiophile-nervosa on my part.

[mwillems]

In my case, I've opted when adjusting volume digitally, to use my DAC (W4S DAC-2)
Thus the "Volume Mode" In MC is disabled in my case.

I did this more out of superstition than anything, 'assumption being my DAC (Saber 32) digital volume control would meet or exceed what MC does internally.
I'm for sure not a math expert, but assuming both your DAC, and MC, use 32 bits and do the math properly, on paper it should not make any difference.

On the other hand, audiophiles are a strange breed, (I am one) I'd suspect like most things audiophile related, you'll get claims on both sides.
I'd probably lean towards the one that is the most convenient at first, then after getting used to it, swap to the other means and see if you can detect any difference.

OBTW
I use MC for audio only. I currently actually have both MC and my DAC's volume controls disabled and use an external analog preamp. The reason for this squrely fits within the realm of audiophile-nervosa on my part.

MC makes the volume adjustments using its 64-bit audiopath.  JRiver's entire internal audiopath (and all DSP, including volume control) is done in 64-bit, and I'm not aware of any hardware that does the math at a similar bitdepth.  For that reason, from a purely signal processing-oriented perspective, I can't think of a reason not to use JRiver's internal volume.

Obviously there are lots of real life reasons to use different volume control: convenience, a preference for a hardware volume knob somewhere in your chain after JRiver (to protect speakers, etc.), a conviction that the difference between 32 bit and 64 bit audio processing might not be audible, etc. 

And those are all good reasons to use a different volume control, but I think (just on the technical merits) JRiver's volume is going to be the better digital volume control.