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[tyler69]

Dear all,

I use a Mac mini and have it connected to a DAC via USB. The DAC (exasound e20) supports only ASIO. That's ok for me, since I use JRiver for both listening to music and watching movies.
What I'd like to know is:

1. is there a possibility to get sound from webstreams when using ASIO (preferrably in JRiver)? I use some websites which offer streams and have them saved in JRiver under "Web Media". Unfortunately I get no sound through the DAC.
2. I have a TV and a projector connected to the Mac mini (through HDMI and Displayport). I use the TV speakers for sound output when using the TV as display and I use the DAC for sound output when using the projector. Until now I choose the sound output in the JRiver options manually. Is there an way to "save" these options, so JRiver would choose automatically the sound output accordingly to the display turned on?
3. In OSX there is a possibility to change the volume in the exaSound DAC itself (when using the "system-wide" volume control for example). Also there is an audio player for OSX, which you can setup to only use the DAC volume control, which I consider quite a nice option. So when turining down the volume in the software, the volume gets turnded down in the DAC. Could such a functionality be also implemented into JRiver for Windows (for now I have to control the volume through exaSound's panel. This is a bit awkward, since I'd like to control everything with JRemote)?

Thank you very much in advance!

[Bccc1]

First of all, I don't have JRiver for mac, but as you posted in the "JRiver Media Center 19 for Windows" section I guess it's ok to write how it works in Windows 

1. Yes, this is possible through the Loopback function. You set the system default audiodevice to something different then your DAC and then use JRiver File->Open Live->Loopback Option. This internally reroutes everything going to your systems primarily audiodevice trough JRiver and thus to your DAC.

3. Besides I don't understand the need to use the DACs volumecontrol itself instead of JRiver internal volume, you can change the Volume Control to "System Volume" in Tools->Options...->Audio->Volume->Volume Mode if you wish to.

[6233638]

1. File > Open Live > WASAPI Loopback. You can use the "Car Radio" feature (#1-12 in the "Playing Now" section) to have a quick shortcut to this.
2. You can set up separate "TV" and "Projector" zones. Then you can use the "send to..." menu to direct content to either.
3. Set the audio control to "Internal Volume" in Media Center.

[tyler69]

Thank you both for the fast replies. It's JRiver for Windows (I use Boot Camp for MadVR).
I will try out your suggestions when i get home..
I thought "internal volume" would be just the opposit of what I am trying to do, namely to use JRiver's internal volume control?!

[Bccc1]

I thought "internal volume" would be just the opposit of what I am trying to do, namely to use JRiver's internal volume control?!

Thats right, thats why I suggested to use System Volume 
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Volume

That would only work correctly, if the System Volume and the DACs volume control are somehow linked together as in your mac setup.
But at least in my experience that has never been the case, so you're probably better of using internal volume. As explained in the wiki, internal volume is 64Bit precise, that should really be enough to get no audible information loss.

[tyler69]

Thanks,

as explained in my initial post, I am aware of the possibility of using the "system volume" in OSX. What I am interested in, is an comparable functionality in Windows.

p.s.: sorry for confusion, my reply about the internal volume was towards 6233638.

[tyler69]

So, with your help I managed to "fix" my first two problems..
Anyway, I'd still like to make use of the volume control like I described in point 3: Apart from the fact, that I would like to run JRiver at full volume and control it only in the DAC itself, I also listen to DSD files so the internal volume solution isn't working for me then. Is this a feature which might get implemented into JRiver (Windows)?

[6233638]

If I am understanding things correctly, Exasound have a driver for OS X which forwards the system volume commands to the DAC itself.
 
This would be a function of the driver they're using and not something which is up to the player.
Have you tried using system volume rather than internal volume to see if that does it?
 
If not, maybe contact Exasound and see if they plan on bringing that feature over to Windows.


(P.S. this is a feature I would have liked to see on my own DAC, as it only accepts 24-bit signals, but has 48-bits of internal precision for volume control)

[tyler69]

Thanks for replying. Yes, you understand correctly.
I tried all possible volume settings in JRiver, but unfortunately none does this.
About two months ago I contacted exaSound and I was told, that they're working on this functionality (together with the JRiver team?!) so I thought that maybe you guys have any (new) information regarding such a feature.

For now I am using a VNC App on my iPad/iPhone (because I control the volume with exaSound's panel in the tray), rather than using JRemote which is the far better experience.

[6233638]

As the DAC accepts 32-bit inputs, it really doesn't seem like adjusting volume inside Media Center would be harmful anyway. That still gives you 48dB of attenuation with 24-bit files, or 96dB of attenuation with 16-bit files before they start to be degraded.
 
 
It's more important with a DAC like mine where it only accepts a 24-bit input, so as soon as you start reducing the volume in Media Center with a 24-bit file, you're discarding information.
 
The DAC itself has a 48-bit internal volume control, but without the ability for Media Center to control that, you can only take advantage of it if you adjust the volume manually rather than using MC's Volume Leveling features.
 
That said, the DAC measures about 21-bit on its analog outputs though, so you get about 18dB of attenuation before anything would even theoretically be audible, and in reality, you're not going to hear anything down at -126dB anyway. Volume leveling is usually less than 18dB of attenuation as well.

[tyler69]

I see your point. There's still the fact that I can't control the volume (from JRiver) when bitstreaming DSD files. So even if I'd use the internal volume control, I would have to skip between JRemote and VNC when playback changes from PCM to DSD or vice versa...

[6233638]

I see your point. There's still the fact that I can't control the volume (from JRiver) when bitstreaming DSD files. So even if I'd use the internal volume control, I would have to skip between JRemote and VNC when playback changes from PCM to DSD or vice versa...

You could always convert to PCM rather than bitstreaming DSD - that's what I do.