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[Keithkeg]

Everything works fine. However when I select playback options for my ps audio dac it says to setup in media manager. Also when a song is playing and I select audio path, it tells me I'm not using the jriver engine.

[Trumpetguy]

It is a bit unclear what your audio path and actual problem is.

Assuming your audio playback actually does not work properly, you could consider this:
In JRiver MC, you should specify the driver of your PS DAC under Tools->Options->Audio->Audio Device. (You must never specify "JRiver Media Center 22" here, and I think it actually has been removed as an option)

The "JRiver Media Center 22", as listed in Windows audio devices and often referred to as WDM driver, is used by other programs such as Spotify or Youtube to route audio through JRiver audio engine.

[Keithkeg]

And that is where the problem lies. I am unable to select audio in tools and options when I have selected the "BRIDGE2 (ps audio)". If I select "player" I do not have this issue and can go in and configure no problem. When player is active, I can see audio path...etc. when bridge is selected it still plays to my dac and I can hear the music selected, It is just not allowing me to setup any parameters under audio and it says it's not using the jriver engine

[fitbrit]

This is my best guess:

"Player" is actually your PS Audio DAC, connected via USB (?). This is the default audio device. You can rename it to PS Audio DAC if you wish, to avoid confusion.

I'm going to guess that your DAC also has network capabilities. If so, it is showing up as the zone called "Bridge..."
When you choose this, MC is acting as a DLNA controller and server, and the PS Audio DAC is playing the files through the network. That's why there are no playback options and it says that the JRiver audio engine is not being used - it is not; the PS Audio DAC's engine is being used.

[Keithkeg]

The player is connected to my computer not my dac. When I use player nothing will play to my dac but does on my computer. You are correct in stating that my dac is connected through a network. I'm assuming then that if it is going directly to my dac then it would be using the asio driver associated with my dac.
So I guess I cannot use any functions like cross fades or room calibration.

[fitbrit]

Do you know how to connect a zone to a particular audio device? If you have the ASIO driver installed, you can just go to Options>Audio and then select your audio device there. Does your DAC show up in the Windows sound control panel's playback devices?

[Keithkeg]

I checked my ps audio manual. Their asio driver is for USB connection so not applicable to my situation. Under player I have available asio4all, direct connection, creative asio, Realtek waspi
My dac does not show up in the windows sound control panel as it is not directly connected to the computer, but rather through ethernet.
I'm assuming I can link the player and bridge Zones? When I do that, it plays in both zones. Does this mean that the audio data is no longer going directly to my dac but is being processed through my settings IN Player before going to the Dac?
Also when I link I am having buffering issues. Is this a windows Problem?

[fitbrit]

Ok, so you've only connected via ethernet, so this is not a valid audio device in windows? In effect, your dac is just being sent the data of the tracks you play, and it's handling all the work to decode and DA conversion. Are you averse to using the USB, or other connector?

[blgentry]

There *are* DSP settings for DLNA servers. 

Tools > Options > Media Network > Add or configure DLNA server > (select server profile) > Audio > Advanced > DSP Studio

It's much more straight forward when you connect via USB.  The dropouts you are experiencing are likely a network bandwidth problem.  Could be something else, but dropouts are somewhat common with network based players. 

Brian.

[Keithkeg]

Correct the Dac is doing all the work. In order for me to use USB,  I would have to have my computer in the same room. Currently my computer is upstairs and my audio system is downstairs.
According to the ps audio literature, ethernet gives better sound quality as the data is being passed through their digital lense. As long as the data is unaltered and bit perfect, the audio quality through ethernet should be better than through USB.
Am I correct in assuming that j river is delivering bit perfect unaltered data with my current setup?
My dac and oppo player show up as network devices. Under sound-playback two high definition audio devices show up (I'm assuming this is my dac and oppo player). Also my computer speakers and headphones show up. What ever variation I choose, I can only play through my dac by selecting the bridge zone. And the bridge zone does not allow playback options

[Keithkeg]

Thanks Brian.  I noticed that.  Can I setup cross fades there?
Also just wanted to confirm that even though audio path says not using jriver audio engine, that unaltered bit perfect data is being passed to my dac.
The cross fades would be nice to have but I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

[blgentry]

I'm skeptical about claims of higher audio quality via ethernet as opposed to USB.  It doesn't make a lot of sense to me.  But I don't want to argue about that point.

You should be able to configure the DLNA properties to deliver uncompressed PCM audio to your DAC.  The out of the box default is that everything is being re-encoded to MP3 on the fly.  It probably sounds OK, but not fantastic. A buddy of mine shouted "holy *&(*!" when I changed the setting on his system and played a song without telling him what I'd done.  Try using the "audiophile 24 bit" profile and associating it with your Bridge renderer.

You're also asking about DSP and fading options.  Please understand that any DSP or any sound changes you make at all affect the bit stream.  It is no longer "bit perfect" if you adjust an equalizer band.  Or if you make digital volume adjustments.  Or if you select volume leveling.  Or anything else in the DSP studio.  All of these change the bits.  Personally, I don't care whether it's "bit perfect" or not.  As long as it sounds good, I'm happy.

Cross fading is an option you set under tools > options > audio > track change .  I'm not sure if these options apply to DLNA renderers or not (your network DAC).  YOu can try changing those options and see if they have an effect or not.

Brian.

[JimH]

Could be something else, but dropouts are somewhat common with network based players. 

Audio dropouts due to network bandwidth are rare.

[aviateur]

Cross fading is an option you set under tools > options > audio > track change .  I'm not sure if these options apply to DLNA renderers or not (your network DAC).  YOu can try changing those options and see if they have an effect or not.

Hi:

My experience indicates that cross-fading does not apply to my DAC, a Linn Akurate DSM (DMR). The cross-fading only takes place locally, at the server (DMS).

Cheers,
Lawrence

[Keithkeg]

Thanks Brian,. I believe I have set my bridge up correctly. Under media network share I selected 24 bit then added it under configure. I set the audio to original and format to 24 bit (I know if I select something other than original it will open up the dsp options). Under the first advanced tab I selected all three dnla server, renderer and controller. Under the second advanced tab I selected dnla and dnla extra. This is how I got my bridge to show up under playing now.
Thanks everyone for your help.

[blgentry]

Audio dropouts due to network bandwidth are rare.

I've read repeatedly here of people having trouble with their renderers having audio dropouts.  This almost always seems to be related to wireless networking speed.  Or more accurately, related to a poor wireless networking connection.  Based on the calculations I've done, a high resolution audio stream is pretty small compared to the bandwidth of typical wired ethernet links. Or even compared to a solid high quality wireless connection.  So I know where you are coming from in that respect:  A properly functioning network with high quality links should not cause an issue with networked audio.

Home networks are notorious for being both wireless and built in strange ways from cheap components.  All of which is problematic when you are expecting a consistent path from audio source to renderer.

Brian.

[Keithkeg]

Please note that I only have dropouts when I link zones. As I am not linking zones this is not an issue. Also note that my ethernet is not wireless. My dac is hardwired to my router.

[JimH]

I've read repeatedly here of people having trouble with their renderers having audio dropouts.  This almost always seems to be related to wireless networking speed.

I think the number of audio problems related to networking is small compared to the number of problems caused by antivirus and bad drivers.  You could read the Weird and Wonderful thread to see what you think:

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=24031.0