24 bit music, popcorn hour and cambridge audio 840c

[admin_exported]

I listen to 24 bit flac stored on a Seagate NAS, streamed to a popcorn hour over ethernet. The popcorn in turn is connected to a cambridge audio 840 cd player via optical toslink. The problem is that the cambridge is showing 20 bit 88 khz when playing the files. Where is the problem? Is there a setting buried somewhere on the popcorn or the cambridge?

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like u need to install the latest firmware for the popcorn.

Some flac bugs have been fixed over the years like occasional incorrect playback frequency or resolution.

 

[Anonymous]

I commiserate...I have the same problems with rice krispies (my speakers go snap crackle and pop!)...I believe it's all to do with synergy or it could be our toslinks!

 

[Gerrardasnails]

What Popcorn Hour do you have? For the past year or so I've used the A-200 with my DacMagic and 24/96 files play perfectly. The DM doesn't accept 192khz files. Are your files 96 or 192? If the latter, maybe the 840c plays with them a bit? I do think that it might be a setting on the cd player, have you tried using coaxial?

 

[Anonymous]

It's an A210. The files are 24/96 from linn's website. I'll give the coax cable a try and see what happens

 

[Gerrardasnails]

It's an A210. The files are 24/96 from linn's website. I'll give the coax cable a try and see what happens

I turned my PCH into an A210, so I'm certain it's the 840c or the cable that's the problem - I would say it's the cd player.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

It's an A210. The files are 24/96 from linn's website. I'll give the coax cable a try and see what happens

I turned my PCH into an A210, so I'm certain it's the 840c or the cable that's the problem - I would say it's the cd player.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

It's an A210. The files are 24/96 from linn's website. I'll give the coax cable a try and see what happens

From CA's website:

Question

I am running 24bit/48kHz files in to the 740C/840C digital input from my streaming device, yet the display on the 740C/840C only shows input <=24/48

Should it display 24/48 if it is seeing a 24 bit 48Hz input?

The answer to this is that technically, yes, the 840C should display 24/48, but only if it sees it as this in the information that is sent to it.

Part of the data package that is sent in the digital signal from a source device should include information about what the bit rate actually is - this 'information' is what the 840C uses to determine what is displayed on its own front panel. Often, many manufacturers do not include this information packet, or status bit, in with the digital output signal.

It is the 'status bit' that requires setting or inclusion in the output device.
There are different levels of status bit - some that indicate whether a file is greater or less than a certain bit rate, and some that go into more detail about what the bit rate actually is.

It would appear that in certain source devices, only the SPDIF status bit that indicates whether bit depth is greater or less than 20 bits has been set. The additional status bits that indicate exact bit depth are not set and hence the SPDIF receiver (eg 740C/840C ) can only report that the bit depth is greater or less than 20/24 bits.

As such, the 740C/840C will be receiving and upsampling the correct 24/48 signal, but can only display 'less than or equal to 24/48', as it has not been told by the source device what the bit rate actually is.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that bit of research. Embarrasingly for me, the 24 bit files from Linn are 88.2 khz so that would explain that, and your findings may explain the 20 bit display.
However, while testing things, I downloaded the 24/192 test file from Linn, and the Cambridge refuses to handle it. The popcorn plays it. Bit disappointing as the documentation for the Cambridge says is supports 24/192

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that bit of research. Embarrasingly for me, the 24 bit files from Linn are 88.2 khz so that would explain that, and your findings may explain the 20 bit display. However, while testing things, I downloaded the 24/192 test file from Linn, and the Cambridge refuses to handle it. The popcorn plays it. Bit disappointing as the documentation for the Cambridge says is supports 24/192

Seems that it's the Popcorn will only output 24/192 over HDMI. Ho hum