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[dtc]

Jim,

You posted, in reply to a comment that JRiver does not recommend using WDM for playing Tidal Masters, that JRiver did not make that recommendation.  However, I think that is your recommendation, based on a comment in another thread.   Any clarification would be useful. Note this relates to decoded Tidal Masters which play at 88/96 KHz, not to  Tidal HiFi which plays at 44/48 KHz.

In this thread, on Dec. 6, (sorry, thread is locked so I cannot do a real quote)

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,113482.msg784429.html#msg784429

you posted

" Re: Tidal Master files unlistenable with JRiver WDM
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2017, 02:20:20 am »
We may take a look at this if we have time.  For now, you will need to find another way to listen to Tidal."

In context, that quote refers to using WDM to listen to decoded Tidal Masters.

The original thread about the Tidal Masters problem with WDM  is here

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,112739.msg782320.html#msg782320

It was part of the whole BSOD discussion around WDM, which was fixed.

[JimH]

WDM is probably the only way to listen to a stream from Tidal.  People have reported that their MQA files have sound artifacts.  I don't know whether that's our problem or Tidal's.

Tidal streaming is just not high on our list.  There are other ways to do it.

[SAJazz]

"Don't play decoded Master files, which are 88/96KHz.  If you want to play Masters, do not use MC - connect Tidal directly to your DAC. WDM works fine for 16/44/48 input."

That is a bit cumbersome, as there are quite a few masters on Tidal, I'm playing about 50% Masters and 50% non masters. 

What is the best way to switch between JR and direct?

[progerman]

When I told the Tidal Desktop app under Windows 10 to play directly to the JRiver WDM driver, everything was fine for Tidal Hi-fi, but the audio jitters for Tidal Masters. This seems to be the same (or at least similar) to what is posted in this thread). I have, however, found a workaround that gets this working - slotting another utility into the audio chain:

    VB-Audio Hi-Fi Cable (this is donationware!)

Every step of the way I am getting some form of notification that the audio isn't being downgraded to a different sampling frequency:

• The ASIO Bridge in the VB-Audio Hi-Fi Cable package shows me 24-bit 96kHz
• The status at the top of JRiver Media Center states "96.0 kHz" for the Ipc source
• My Chord Hugo TT DAC is showing a green light to signify the quality (the manual states this is "96")

I can't say with 100% certainty that there is no sound degradation for the true audiophiles out there, but I can say with 100% certainty that my ears prefer JRiver's DSP feature modifying my audio to my preference than making Tidal Masters speak directly to my DAC.

When you have installed the utility, you need to change Tidal's setting to route audio to the Hi-Fi Cable Input audio device. Then you open the ASIO Bridge application (also part of the utility) and change the ASIO device to the JRiver Media Center XX device (XX = version number of Media Center). And voila - everything should then work.

[kimschips81]

When I told the Tidal Desktop app under Windows 10 to play directly to the JRiver WDM driver, everything was fine for Tidal Hi-fi, but the audio jitters for Tidal Masters. This seems to be the same (or at least similar) to what is posted in this thread). I have, however, found a workaround that gets this working - slotting another utility into the audio chain:

    VB-Audio Hi-Fi Cable (this is donationware!)

Every step of the way I am getting some form of notification that the audio isn't being downgraded to a different sampling frequency:

• The ASIO Bridge in the VB-Audio Hi-Fi Cable package shows me 24-bit 96kHz
• The status at the top of JRiver Media Center states "96.0 kHz" for the Ipc source
• My Chord Hugo TT DAC is showing a green light to signify the quality (the manual states this is "96")

I can't say with 100% certainty that there is no sound degradation for the true audiophiles out there, but I can say with 100% certainty that my ears prefer JRiver's DSP feature modifying my audio to my preference than making Tidal Masters speak directly to my DAC.

When you have installed the utility, you need to change Tidal's setting to route audio to the Hi-Fi Cable Input audio device. Then you open the ASIO Bridge application (also part of the utility) and change the ASIO device to the JRiver Media Center XX device (XX = version number of Media Center). And voila - everything should then work.

Do you select HiFi cable and use it as exclusive mode setting in Tidal?