Whitepaper

ManualsBrandsDenon ManualsMedia ConverterDA-300USB

Contents:

• Introduction

• Digital Connections

• Audio Formats and TAGs

• System requirements

• System Setup for PC and Mac

• Tips and Tricks

• High Resolution audio download

• Audio transmission modes

INTRODUCTION

As you know, in recent years the way to listen to music has changed.

There has been a progression from the use of physical media to a

more digital approach, allowing access to unlimited digital entertain-

ment content via the internet or from the library stored on a computer.

It can be iTunes, Windows Media Player, streaming music or watching

YouTube and many more. The computer is a center piece to all this

entertainment. The computer is just a simple player and in a standard

setup the performance is just average or even less. But there is also a

way to lift the experience to a complete new level of enjoyment, mak-

ing the computer a good player, by giving the responsibility for the

audio to an external component, for example a “USB-DAC”. A DAC is

a Digital to Analogue Converter and the USB terminal is connected to

the USB output of the computer. Doing so we won’t be only able to

enjoy the above mentioned standard audio, but gain access to high

resolution audio too, exceeding the CD quality of 16-bit / 44.1kHz. It

is possible to enjoy studio master quality as 24-bit/192kHz recordings

or even the SACD format DSD with a bitstream at 2.8MHz, 5.6MHz

and even 11.2MHz. However to reach the above, some equipment is

needed which needs to be set up and adjusted. This document will

guide you through this journey to Computer-Audio. It will provide you

with the information you need to get a good understanding for the topic.

WHITE PAPER

THE NEW LEVEL OF DIGITAL AUDIO

THE USB DAC GUIDE TO COMPUTER-AUDIO

www.denon.eu

Summary of content (16 pages)

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WHITE PAPER THE NEW LEVEL OF DIGITAL AUDIO THE USB DAC GUIDE TO COMPUTER-AUDIO Contents: YouTube and many more. The computer is a center piece to all this • Introduction entertainment. The computer is just a simple player and in a standard • Digital Connections setup the performance is just average or even less.
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WHITE PAPER An USB DAC is designed to give you access to a wide range of music stored on a PC / Mac or NAS (network attached storage) drive through your home computer This is a USB-A port. network. The computer will get connected to the rear USB-B connection for a direct The Second USB-B port on the rear panels is for connecting a PC or Mac directly, transmission of the digital audio. and supports not only PCM signals up to 384 kHz/32bits, but also DSD2.8MHz, 5.6MHz and 11.
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WHITE PAPER AUDIO FORMATS AND TAGS Let’s first make a quick review of the most used audio format. However, as memory size is no big issue anymore and internet speed is high, there is no good argument left today to go for data reduced formats as shown For this we need just to step back to the original digital audio source on the above. So let’s have a look at the below no-data- reduced formats and you will market, the CD.
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WHITE PAPER USB-B CONNECTION IN DETAIL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS High End audio DAC mode through USB-B port. In order to enjoy the best sound we will now explain how to make it happen. First of all this port is using the most advanced technologies to get the best sound List of equipment from your audio files. There is no limitation by the audio DAC, as it handles 2ch PCM and DSD provided by the PC / Mac.
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WHITE PAPER And ultimately, the incoming signal to the DA converter may be very different than The goal is to use the Bit-Perfect mode also known as “Bit-transparent” mode. it was initially. In addition, there are various interference phenomena due to the This means that all the data of the audio file is exactly the same as received in mixer that allows different programs to play sound at the same time (mail coming the USB DAC. Note this is not possible with any USB-DAC.
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WHITE PAPER Attention WASAPI is designed to work with Windows Vista and higher, but 1. Install the USB DAC driver on the PC doesn’t work on Windows XP. It is recommended to use an operation system like Windows Vista or higher, like Windows 7. Windows XP does work, however it has Download the driver from the www.denon.eu website, visiting the USB DAC some limitations. product page. Installation guidelines are attached to it. Please follow accordingly.
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WHITE PAPER 4. Setup jRiver Media Center Open your jRiver Media Player and select tools à and option Select Audio in the left column and then on the right Audio Device. Here you see the audio modes available and you can choose between ASIO, Wasapi and Kernel streaming, depending on modes supported by your DAC. Check “more” for other alternatives like Kernel streaming. All of the above mentioned will bypass the Windows Audio Mixer.
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WHITE PAPER Now click on the line just under: Device settings. Just double check that. Open device for exclusive access is selected. This will open a new window Buffering: This doesn’t need to be changed, however if you experience drop outs while playing back your music you can try to improve by adjusting the buffer size. www.denon.eu USB DAC GUIDE TO COMPUTER-AUDIO | 12.
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WHITE PAPER For DSD streaming (DoP Mode) one more setting is required. Please note this is only possible for Windows Vista and newer operation systems. Windows XP doesn’t support this. In the DSP output settings the best is to deselect the Output Format box. Only in the case your DAC doesn’t support DSD or 352,800 Hz and up you might select a down conversion as shown below. Set the max sample rate your USB DAC can handle. Most of the time it’s 192.000Hz.
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WHITE PAPER Enjoy Select the right input on your USB DAC and start the music track on the Media Player. Now all settings are done and you can start to enjoy your music. Congratulations! www.denon.eu USB DAC GUIDE TO COMPUTER-AUDIO | 12.
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WHITE PAPER SETUP FOR HIGH END AUDIO WITH AUDIRVANA ON MAC You can find the Audio MIDI Setup app in Applications à Utilities. 1. USB driver installation 2. Connect USB DAC by USB cable to the Mac 3. Install Audirvana 4. Setup Audirvana 5. Enjoy Attention it is Mac iso PC this time. NOTE: Screen shots on your Mac might look different depending on software version. However setup will be similar as described here. 1.
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WHITE PAPER 4. Install Audirvana The software can be downloaded as a trial version at the www.audirvana.com site. After download just execute the installation. Restart your computer and open the Audirvana software. The first time you launch Audirvana Plus, you get a wizard dialog asking you two questions to get started: a. Select the Audio Device you want to use for playback. Note that it needs to be connected for being in the list.
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WHITE PAPER Select USB High Speed Audio, this is the USB DAC or the name of your DAC. This will only appear if the USB DAC is connected and the input is set to USB-B input. On the Native DSD Selection select Automatique detection. This will authorise DoP functionality if the DAC is compatible. In case this doesn’t work select DSD Over PCM Standard 1.0 www.denon.eu USB DAC GUIDE TO COMPUTER-AUDIO | 12.
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WHITE PAPER Now please check that the Exclusive access mode is selected, this is the hog So now let’s have a look on this screenshot for a final check: mode that gives priority to the player and avoids mixed sounds. Here in the red At the top, USB High Speed Audio is selected. part select Exclusive access mode; Direct Mode and Integer mode. Also check for the integer mode, this is one step higher to by-pass the UNIX mixer from the OSX.
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WHITE PAPER TIP AND TRICKS TO GET THE BEST FROM YOUR USB-DAC ONLINE PORTALS FOR MUSIC DOWNLOADS 1. Select a good USB cable (sound will be strongly influenced by the USB Here just a list of some interesting portals for high resolution audio. More are out cable; interference & noise) there and number is growing. 2. 3. FindHDmusic www.findhdmusic.com Blue Coast Records http://bluecoastrecords.com/ Downloads NOW! http://downloadsnow.net MA Recordings http://marecordings.
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WHITE PAPER AUDIO TRANSMISSION MODES Looking for bit perfect sound! – Audio transmission modes explain in details Windows: ASIO and ASIO4ALL ASIO means Audio Stream Input / Output and is another method to bypass the Windows: direct sound Audio Mixer and in addition the Kernel, to let the media player directly talk to the USB-DAC. ASIO was built for XP but it works on all OS. ASIO was created to It’s the standard playback mode on a Windows PC. overcome the USB Audio 1.1 limitations. On USB 1.