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[trskopek]

I am in the process of installing a Berkeley Alpha DAC and USB with the analog output from the DAC connected directly to my amplifier.  I am perplexed by the fact that the listening volume obtained when using the digital out from my Meridian CD player going directly into the Berkeley DAC is 4-5 dB louder than when I use the digital output from JRiver through the USB module and into the DAC.  I am using "internal" volume setting.  Comparison discs were ripped with dBpoweramp.

Sound quality is actually superior from JRiver, but I want to understand the volume difference....my electrostatic speakers are not especially efficient, and on quietly recorded discs I am maxing out on the Berkeley volume.   

I am new to this game so any and all comments greatly appreciated.

[Matt]

Welcome.

I don't think you can count on all analog devices outputting the same voltage.  So it's possible a CD player is louder than a DAC, etc.

If the Berkely DAC presents a system volume, make sure it's at 100% when you use 'Internal Volume' with MC.  There's also a WASAPI - Event Style option (Options > Audio > Output mode settings) to maximize the device volume automatically when JRiver opens it.  I use that option on my USB DAC, so that I can use Internal Volume with MC (so I get headroom for things like Loudness), but other things like a web browser or game won't be too loud.

A little more on volume here:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Volume

[trskopek]

Thanks for your response.

I understand about different analog devices possibly delivering different output voltage, but the confusing thing here is that I am seeing a difference between 1) digital info from the Meridian (from its digital out port) through the Berkeley DAC to the amplifier and 2) digital info from JRiver going through the Berkeley DAC to the amplifier.  Different sources of the digital info going through the same Berkeley DAC are resulting in the 4-5 dB difference in volume.  Digital info read from a disc and from a ripped file of that disc should be the same, and generate the same volume, no? 

[Matt]

I'd double-check that the driver volume (system volume) is at 100% on Windows for the DAC.

Also, look at Audio Path in Media Center to make sure the signal path is exactly what you would expect:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Path

As for whether digital levels ever vary, I'm not sure.  I wouldn't expect it, but I once had an audio card that ran the S/PDIF output after the analog stage and had the same distortion and clipping on S/PDIF as the analog stage.  So I guess anything is possible