mattski

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys. I mailed Auralic and it turns out that Audirvana's volume control needs to be set at maximum - it wasn't on the Mac Mini and it's now working fine when set to 0db :-) There's a thread on this here:- http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f11-software/audirvana-direct-stream-digital-glitch-audirvana-volume-control-17635/ I can't find anything in any of the docs about this - might be nice if Audirvana Plus or the Auralic DSD playback guide mentioned it. thanks, Matt

Hi, Yeh, all other files play fine - including some non-DSD high resolution tracks. I did a side by side comparison and it looked the same to me. I also compared the debug output from Audirvana and there were a couple of differences related to the machines being different and the use of core audio on the Mini. I changed it to match the Macbook but still no joy.

Hi guys, I'm trying my first DSD tracks with little success. Here's my system:- Auralic Vega DAC Auralic Taurus Pre Audirvana Plus 1.5.10 2012 Mac Mini with latest builds of iTunes and (now) Mavericks. PMC AML2 speakers Here's what's happening... I loaded the DSD files into the Mac Mini and tried adding them to iTunes as proxies. Audirvana Plus was set to use the Vega as output and I'd inadvertently left the DSD detection to auto. The files were processed ok and played fine but with a high rate PCM conversion, as shown by the Vega instead of DSD64/128. So, I switched Audirvana Plus to force the native DSD capability to "DSD over PCM standard 1.0", as per the Auralic instructions. This time around, playback set the Vega sample rate to 176.4k and nothing - no sound and the display didn't show DSD as expected. I tried deleting and re-adding the files and using the playlist mode of Audirvana Plus but to no avail. So, I tried using my 2011 MacBook Pro that was running Mavericks with the same version of Audirvana Plus and it was fine - Vega displayed 176.4k shortly followed by DSD64 as expected. I then upgraded the Mini to Mavericks and deleted and reinstalled Audirvana Plus but with no success. I've even tried a different USB cable in desperation :-) Any advice you could offer would be most appreciated. Thanks, Matt

Thanks for your input guys. Eloise - I was downsizing as I couldn't really justify having the ATCs and there was an element of them being too big and not that wife friendly! As it turns out, I opted for the Genelec's - didn't like the opals and i wanted something kid proof with room correction which meant the more expensive PMCs were out. Keith, they're *amazing* and much more wife friendly! They're so good that I find it hard to justify the extra more than double cost of the ATCs. Yes, the ATCs have qualities these don't have but over £4k's worth extra? Not for me. I also found what I was looking for in the GLM manual - set to single wire AES/EBU and disable the digital source to switch to analog. Not quite sure how it'll manifest on the mac just yet as I've just tried analog with autocal so far. Happy bunny...

Just to add...the replacements need to be part of a 5.1 setup with volume controlled via my LX85 for AV. At the moment I go via the Eximus but how would the Genelec's allow for switchable input if I wanted both analog and AES EBU inputs?

Hi, In the process of downsizing from my ATC SCM25a's I am looking for some active replacement speakers, or *maybe* a power amp and passive again. My system will be 2012 Mac Mini -> amarra -> Eximus DP1 -> (something) I love the sound of the ATCs and the new PMCs are getting some very favourable comparisons in pro circles but I wondered if anyone hear has heard them? The DSP in the 8250s appeals but I would probably give them an analog feed whilst I decide what to do with the DP1 as I don't really want to sell it although I could and get a decent AES EBU interface. Thoughts? Thanks, Matt

That looks like a fabulous bit of kit - any word on pricing Keith?

Hi, I had pretty much the same problem and I solved it by replacing the rubbish sky broadband send out with this - http://www.billion.uk.com/product/wireless/7800n.htm I had to, ahem, retrieve my sky account details from their netgear but that wasn't difficult. Now things are blazingly fast and I've configured my NAS to use two gigabit Ethernet ports in parallel and I can stream video and audio at the same time as pulling files no problem. My bottleneck is now the speed of the disks and the raid mode I'm using. You could get faster still (10 gig upwards and ssd etc) but I find it enough at the moment. Matt

These are getting some very good reviews in pro audio circles and they'll be doing a free 7 day home trial by the look of it. Worth checking out ... http://www.seelectronics.com/se-munro-egg-150

Thanks Eloise, I've done a bit of digging today and the general opinion is that the Hydra won't quite do what I'm after and that the Tucana would be more appropriate. Anyone fancy a spare Hydra ? ;-) p.s. agree re: the brummy race track :-)

Hi and welcome to the forum :-)

Hi, I'm adding some better amplification to drive my main speakers and would like to hear your thoughts on the best way to set things up. Here's the bits and bobs at the mo... - Pioneer LX85 AV amp - B&W M1 surrounds with BK XLS400 sub - Kef 201/2 mains - (will have) a Weiss DAC2 being fed by a Mac with Pure Music - Leema Hydra power amp (on the way) The LX85 has pre amp outputs and so it can drive the Hyrda for the Kef's but I can't help thinking I'd be better off trying to feed the DAC2 directly into the Hydra to bypass the LX85's pre-amp for 'serious' listening. The Hydra's got AV/Slave and 2xmulti-in RCA inputs - does anyone know whether it's feasible to connect both the LX85 and the DAC2 to the Hydra simultaneously and only ensure one source is playing at any given time? I could add Tucana II which would allow me to bi-amp the Kef's (which would be nice) but then I'm into manual volume juggling territory when switching between Tucana for stereo listening and LX85 for AV. I know I could go the separate system route and swap speaker cables etc but I want to maintain as much convenience as possible (which the LX85 is fantastic for) but benefit from better amplification as much as pos too. thoughts? Matt

There's some lovely stuff here! Here's mine...

Looks interesting... http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug11/articles/drawmer-hq.htm http://www.drawmer.com/products/monitor-pre-amp-dac/hq-monitor-pre-amp-dac.php

Hi everyone, I've been lurking on the forums and site for a while and thought it was finally time to say "hi". I'm Matt and I am a senior software architect for a large company that sounds like "eye, bee, Mmmm". I have a keen, and sometimes financially detrimental, interest in hifi and, more recently, computer based hifi. Kit I've had in the past has included everything from entry level Denon and NAD through to more exotic Naim, PMC and Arcam equipment. My current systems as follows:- - pioneer lx85 amp (which knocks my old Arcam AVR350 and 400 for six!) - Cambridge audio bp651 bluray player - audiolab 8200cd cd player / DAC - m2tech Evo USB s/PDIF converter and M2tech power supply ( *thanks* Keith - what a revelation! ) - chord company USB. S/PDIF and analogue interconnects - pmc tb2+ speakers on partington super dreadnaughts filled with atabites - Qed silver anniversary xt speaker cables - b&w m1 satellites - BK electronics XLS400 sub - qnap ts419p+ 4Tb NAS in RAID 5 - billion 7800n gigabit router/switch - 2011 i7 MacBook pro w/8gb ram with pure music My background is in live sound engineering before becoming a software engineer. My musical taste is predominantly rock (foo fighters, ac/dc, deep purple, pink floyd, "A", the cult etc) through to Holst (Tomita's version is cool), dance and pop like Lady Gaga. Quick question - has anyone got 24-bit/192khz working with the 8200CD via coax? I'm looking forward to being part of the site and wish you all a happy new year. Matt