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[Marc Lalonde]

I've transferred my music onto an an external HDD as my internal HD is full. The reason is I've converted all my music to DSD (DSF) format which takes up much more space but greatly improves the music. My question; how do I access the music directly from the external HDD with my MC20 so I can delete the music files on the internal HDD?

[pschelbert]

Hi

just select in JRiver:

Tab: "File"
"Open Media File"

then browse as with the computers explorer or Filefinder to you Harddisk you want (I do this on the four internal, any USB and any Networkdrive over Ethernet), select the file or files you want ot play and thats it.

DSD: I am wondering why the quality should be better by just converting a file with a certain format to DSD, DSF?
Conversion actually will keep quality at best or even lower the quality.
Anyway I came to the conclusion that CD 44.1KHz 16 bit or if the recordings is top (done by experts, which are may be only 1% of the CD's), at maximum 96kHz, 24bit (DVDA-Format) is the best of the best. Extending the bandwidth has strange effects on amps like downmixing of intermodulation products.
See a nice scientific article by David Griesinger, which worked at Lexicon (now retided but has an own website).

[TomSawyer]

I've converted all my music to DSD (DSF) format which takes up much more space but greatly improves the music.

I hope you're not saying that you converted all of your mp3 files to DSD. Converting from a lossy format to a lossless one won't gain any quality; the information was already lost in the initial encoding and can't be regained. If you want a higher quality encoding, you need to grab the source material (CD, most likely) and re-rip it in the lossless format. On top of this, I have no idea why you're using DSD unless the source is a SACD?

[Arindelle]

I'd re-configure autoimport to include the path of your external drive, then you can import them and manage the files from within JRiver. I would recommend you set the option to Fix Broken links making sure its protect files on missing drives just in case you detach the external drive.

I hope you're not saying that you converted all of your mp3 files to DSD. Converting from a lossy format to a lossless one won't gain any quality; the information was already lost in the initial encoding and can't be regained. If you want a higher quality encoding, you need to grab the source material (CD, most likely) and re-rip it in the lossless format. On top of this, I have no idea why you're using DSD unless the source is a SACD?

+1

Yes, and that goes for any 16 bit flac files for that matter. Honestly even for high rez PCM files I see no point unless you have a bad PCM dac and a gretat DSD only dac??

But getting back to your question,

[Marc Lalonde]

All my converted files were from my CD originals, transfered to my laptop computer.

[Arindelle]

My question; how do I access the music directly from the external HDD with my MC20 so I can delete the music files on the internal HDD?

ok - did you change the auto-import configuration to include the path of your external drive, like I mentioned?

Lets says you did and clicked on autoimport ... Now you  will have duplicate entries (files both on your internal hard drive and other that are on the external hard drive)

the simple way: select from a file view in jriver all library entries from the internal drive and delete them (there is an option to delete for the library and hard disk at the same time).

the better way: select the internal files first and using Library tools=>Rename, Move and Copy and repoint the data base (top drop down bar I believe). This will just change the location internally within JRiver and you will not lose certain playing stats which may or may not be important to you.

Regardless, after you are done go back to the autoimport configuration and remove the paths relating to the old files on your internal hard drive.

All my converted files were from my CD originals, transfered to my laptop computer.

what do you mean? you did mention mp3 files?

I'm taking it to say that you have converted "redbook" (normal spec CDs, 44.1khz/16bit music) to DSD. The only reason I can think of to do this is if your normal PCM Dac is really not good and you have a very good DSD only Dac which does not red CPM files. Mp3 to flac, might, euh just maybe, be ok to convert if used for taggings that the flac container can handle. But once a lossy file always lossy converting to a lossless format won't make it sound any better. Converting CD file (cda to DSD) same thing .. unless there is some equipment/remastering reasoning behind this .. there should be no quality improvement.

[Marc Lalonde]

Arindelle,

I'm reading you're with the MC Beta team, which makes you an expert on the subject I've risen. I have no MP3 files. None. I have regular CDs and a few SACDs. I've transfered my CDs on my Portable computer HDD. I then converted those files to FLAC and noticed an improvement in the sound compared to the original CD version, using an Arcam rDAC. I then bought a TEAC UD-501 DAC and converted those Flac files to DSD. Still a better sound. Is it my imagination? You seem to say it is impossible to improve the sound from its original format....

[Arindelle]

Arindelle,

I'm reading you're with the MC Beta team, which makes you an expert on the subject I've risen.

I'm not an expert on anything!  I just know the software pretty well. I try and help people cut corners in the JR learning curve and avoid errors I made when starting out if I can. I'm more of a helper for beginners than for advanced users; (I'm also more of a musician than an engineer). Most people on the Beta team are really experts though in one specialty or another
 

I have no MP3 files. None. I have regular CDs and a few SACDs. I've transfered my CDs on my Portable computer HDD. I then converted those files to FLAC and noticed an improvement in the sound compared to the original CD version, using an Arcam rDAC.

Yep, I see it was Tom Sawyer that mentioned mp3s now. I have the same with my system! I have a snobby Linn CD player, and I prefer the sound coming out of FLAC files through JRiver and a Dac Magic bought on ebay for 150$

There are lots of reasons why you could see improvements over cd playback (or if the same DAC is used, perceive no discernible difference, perhaps)

I then bought a TEAC UD-501 DAC and converted those Flac files to DSD. Still a better sound. Is it my imagination? You seem to say it is impossible to improve the sound from its original format....

How do you define improved sound ? For me it is being, in my perception, as faithful to the original as possible without coloring the sound. I want to listen to a Phil Spector - wall-of-sound recording -  in Mono not in surround sound 7.1. Not everybody agrees with me

However, putting an already lossless track in one container (Flac) and putting it into another lossless container (DSD) that takes up a lot more space - there seems to be no "scientific" reason to support doing so (in my understanding) ... providing that all gear is the same and the output gain is identical. I think there is expectation bias, and confirmation bias that plays a big part in thinking one thing sounds better (there is a much more touchy subject about wav files being better than flac for example). I bet its because you are listening through two different DACs. I would do a true abx test with a friend and send both cpm and dsd to the TEAC. The TEAC and the Arcam are not the same ... you might prefer one over the other. That would make a lot more sense to me if you haven't tried that already.

Anyways I'm somebody that thinks 500$ is better spent in room correction than expensive cables.

Talking about "Sound Quality" often is imaginary anyways. But saying that, music is all about imagination, and what's important is that you enjoy listening to it.