Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Bob H]

I never got any help on my last post so I'll try again.  I am on version 193.  I purchased some 192 kHz albums to test this time.  Same thing as before: they hesitate and skip.  All my FLAC files do the same thing whether they are 96 kHz, 176 kHz, or 192 kHz.  My AIFF files are playing great, it's just the FLAC files that are giving me fits.  I am streaming from a MacBook Pro via Cat 6 to a gigabyte switch, then Cat 6 to a PS Audio PW MKII DAC.  The MacBook Pro has 10.8.3 with 8 GB of memory and a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7 processor.  Can anyone that is using the same DAC help a guy out?  Is anyone having the same problem with that DAC?  I would love to know what your settings are.  Bottom line, I'd like to know if it is the DAC or MC.  Thanks for any help.

[bob]

If the working AIFF files are also high sample rate, I would say it can't be a bandwidth problem. Hard to see what could be going on in MC to make them "skip" (I assume you mean in the middle of playback of a track?)

[robiediekatze]

I never got any help on my last post so I'll try again.  I am on version 193.  I purchased some 192 kHz albums to test this time.  Same thing as before: they hesitate and skip.  All my FLAC files do the same thing whether they are 96 kHz, 176 kHz, or 192 kHz.  My AIFF files are playing great, it's just the FLAC files that are giving me fits.  I am streaming from a MacBook Pro via Cat 6 to a gigabyte switch, then Cat 6 to a PS Audio PW MKII DAC.  The MacBook Pro has 10.8.3 with 8 GB of memory and a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7 processor.  Can anyone that is using the same DAC help a guy out?  Is anyone having the same problem with that DAC?  I would love to know what your settings are.  Bottom line, I'd like to know if it is the DAC or MC.  Thanks for any help.

i had the pwd mk2 dac in the past.
it is not possible to stream flac files with more than 96khz without skips.
the cpu-platform that is used in the dac for streaming (bridge) is not powerful enough to decode these hd tracks without problems.
the ps-audio forum (http://www.psaudio.com/forum/#/discussions) is full of such problem reports and it is well known.
there exist no other solution than transcoding on the fly to wav by the server (i don't know if jr is able to do this) or playing aiff or wav files.

[bob]

That explains it.
In Options->Media Network->Add or Configure DLNA server->[your server name]->Audio
Change the setting to "specified output format".
Select PCM 24 bit. You can look at the Audio->advanced options but I don't think you'll have to change them unless you want to turn on volume leveling.

[Bob H]

Thanks for the comments back to me.  Bob, my AIFF files are ripped at 1411 and I am having no problem with them.  The FLAC files skip/hesitate in the beginning/middle/end of the tracks.  It's not discriminating from that standpoint.  Today I brought my laptop to work and used MC in the player mode and listened through powered speakers via an Audioquest Dragonfly DAC (USB port).  Since the Dragonfly will only go to 96 kHz, that's what I made the setting for and the FLAC files performed beautifully and without any problems.  So that makes me believe it must be the DLNA programming in MC or the PS Audio Bridge and its programming, or a combination of the two.  Also, I have had the Media Network settings as you suggested:  set to Audiophile 24-bit DAC, Specified Output Format, and PCM 24-bit, and I have been getting these problems.

Rob, thanks for your input as well.  I will check out the forum on the PS Audio site.  Read the below excerpt from their website concerning the bridge and what it is supposed to do.  This problem should not be happening.  From the PS Audio website:

The PerfectWave Bridge

If you wish to play music stored on your computer the MKII offers easy connection through its asynchronous 192kHz 24 bit USB input.  But if you prefer to untether your DAC from your computer, the MKII also offers the ability to stream any resolution audio over your home’s network with the optional PerfectWave Bridge.

The PerfectWave Bridge is a remarkable piece of engineering that connects all your digital music sources in your home together through your home’s router. The Bridge provides bit perfect performance of any sample rate music up to 192kHz, 32 bit audio and brings uncompromised music into your high-end audio system.

The MKII can be ordered from the factory with the Bridge installed or later as an easy option installed by the user.

[PapaHotel]

The bridge is able to stream 24/ 192 FLAC without skips! I enjoy my music via Vortexbox this way.

But with the JRiver solution I can get no sound out of 24/192 FLAC .
Resolutions up to 96kHz are working ok. Higher resolutions did not work, maybe I did not find the correct setting.

[robiediekatze]

i had the experience that some 192k flac-tracks worked more or less fine but the most did not.
and others on the ps-audio forum had the same problems.
paul the ceo of ps-audio admits the problem.

[kmacdicken]

I have the PWD MKII also and have the same problem.  The only work around I have found that works is to go to DLNA Servers, use the Audiophile option with only one modification: Audio, Advanced and set sample rate to 96k. Not optimal - but it eliminated >95% of the skipping in my system.

[Bob H]

I communicated with PS Audio about this problem and they think it might be the switch that I am using.  He said that some of the switches they have tried experienced "dropouts", which is another way of describing the problem I am having.  He said to make sure that the switch is UPnP compliant/compatible, and that consumer grade switches/routers have had better results than commercial grade switches/routers (maybe because they typically are used for gaming, video streaming, etc?).  I have ordered a Netgear GS608 Gigabyte switch and should have it by the weekend.  I will report back and let everyone know how it does.  Thanks for all the comments so far from everyone.

[bob]

Also keep in mine that switches on routers are generally virtual software based and might give you trouble because of that.