Squeezebox playing 24 bit 48khz files via Dacmagic: problem

[admin_exported]

ok, so I bought some Gimmell studio master files at 24bit 48khz resolution and my SB3 is connected via coaxial digital out to a Dacmagic DAC, which is capable of reading 48khz signals. But the signal from my SB3 when playing these 24bit 48khz files is still showing as 44khz on the DAC - any ideas why? Is the SB3 not capable of passing 48khz signals via SPDIF? If it is, what am I doing wrong?

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Hawkmoon:ok, so I bought some Gimmell studio master files at 24bit 48khz resolution and my SB3 is connected via coaxial digital out to a Dacmagic DAC, which is capable of reading 48khz signals. But the signal from my SB3 when playing these 24bit 48khz files is still showing as 44khz on the DAC - any ideas why? Is the SB3 not capable of passing 48khz signals via SPDIF? If it is, what am I doing wrong?

The SB3 probably can only output 44.1. It shouldn't matter though as the DM will upsample to 192.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, it matters in as much as there is either a point to buying 48khz downloads or else no point at all, if the SB3 can't output 48khz via SPDIF. And while I appreciate that the Dacmagic upsamples anyway, the higher quality the original source material, the better will be the outcome of the upsampling, surely?

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Hawkmoon:Well, it matters in as much as there is either a point to buying 48khz downloads or else no point at all, if the SB3 can't output 48khz via SPDIF. And while I appreciate that the Dacmagic upsamples anyway, the higher quality the original source material, the better will be the outcome of the upsampling, surely?

I really don't think you would notice.

 

[amcluesent]

The SB3 certainly can do 24/48.

Make sure that in Player Settings/Audio that Volume Control is set to be fixed at 100% to get bit-perfect digital output.

 

[Anonymous]

Gerrardasnails:
I really don't think you would notice.

Well, maybe not in most music. Besides that it is not needed, the slight downsampling to 44.1 requires an algorithm and it depends how well the computer does this. The DacMagic upsamples internally again to - I assume - 4x48k, that should be ok.

But I expect that the increase from 16 to 24 bits should be more important than the change in sampling rate. It results in a lower S/N ratio floor, and music with a lot of dynamics could benefit from this.

Having read quite a bit on the characteristics of the Windows mixer (if anything 48k output seems to be preferred), I can not explain 44.1 output other than by a forced setting in the SB or S/PDIF driver, I would start looking for settings/options there.

 

[cwalduck]

What format did you buy the files in FLAC or WMA and what version of SqueezeCenter are you running the SB3 supports these extra bitrates 24/88.2, 24/96, 24/176.4, 24/192 tracks in version 7.3.2 and above.

 

[amcluesent]

>the SB3 supports these extra bitrates 24/88.2, 24/96, 24/176.4, 24/192<

Anything more the 24/48 will get downsampled in the Sqeezecenter before the SB3 sees it.