Is a fixed bit and sample rate bad for streaming?

[Mike_Trueman]

Is it better to play music with a fixed bit&sample rate or is it better to play the song with the original rate which is variable? Or does it not matter?
I made some examples.

1.Streaming Tidal music only with the NAD M10 V3
-> Variable rate, this will change with every song

Dec 13 09:34:06 (none) user.info ./ms.pl: StreamCodec::_scanStreamChunk StreamCodec.pm (1862) flc: bitrate=2611858: 96000/24/2
Dec 13 09:34:06 (none) user.info ./ms.pl: ProxyCodec::_stream ProxyCodec.pm (365) flac --decode --decode-through-errors --silent --stdout --force-raw-format --endian=little --sign=signed -
Dec 13 09:34:06 (none) user.info dspout: Stream: id=191 96000/24/2 replay-gain:0 version:0x6
Dec 13 09:34:06 (none) user.info dspout: Playback device is default
Dec 13 09:34:06 (none) user.info dspout: Stream parameters are 96000Hz, S24_3LE, 2 channels
Dec 13 09:34:06 (none) user.info dspout: buffer-frames=28800, period-frames=960

2. Streaming spotify music only with the NAD M10 V3
-> Fixed rate @ 16Bit/44,1Khz (fixed by Spotify)

Dec 13 09:06:04 (none) user.info ./ms.pl: Controller::_Codec_play Controller.pm (1418) Spotify:spotify_pcm01cm/44100/16/2/69
Dec 13 09:06:04 (none) user.info dspout: Stream: id=182 44100/16/2 replay-gain:0 version:0x6
Dec 13 09:06:04 (none) user.info dspout: Stream parameters are 44100Hz, S16_LE, 2 channels
Dec 13 09:06:04 (none) user.info dspout: buffer-frames=4410, period-frames=441
Dec 13 09:06:05 (none) user.info sovi-spotify: media_format: 1 bitrate: 320 sample_rate: 44100 bits_per_sample: 16

3. Streaming spotify or Tidal music on a PC connected with SPDIF to the NAD M10 V3
-> Fixed rate @ 24bit/192Khz (upscaling)

Dec 13 08:55:39 (none) user.info dspout: rate-rate_lock: new rate 192000
Dec 13 08:55:39 (none) user.info dspout: Format 1 -> 1 @ rate 192000 (updated)
Dec 13 08:55:39 (none) user.info dspout: Playback device is default
Dec 13 08:55:39 (none) user.info dspout: Stream parameters are 192000Hz, S24_LE, 2 channels
Dec 13 08:55:39 (none) user.info dspout: buffer-frames=32768, period-frames=1024

At this moment i am using the NAD as an integrated amplifier connect to my PC with SPDIF. The streaming PC is using a fixed rate set to 24bit/192khz.

 

[AnalogSteph]

As long as the upsampler used is decent and there is enough headroom, this should not matter. If there are any issues with on-the-fly sample rate switching, I would happily fall back on fixed sample rate / shared mode output.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

If a piece of music is released with a certain bit depth and sample rate and you change the depth or sample rate, you risk degrading the sound, even if you increase the sample rate.

So the safest thing is to play it at the bit depth and sample rate it was released at.

This is down to SRC (Sample Rate Converter) quality. Quite a lot of SRCs are poor quality. Take a look at this site to learn more:

SRC Comparisons

src.infinitewave.ca

OTOH if your SRC is excellent, you may notice no degradation.

 

[Mike_Trueman]

If a piece of music is released with a certain bit depth and sample rate and you change the depth or sample rate, you risk degrading the sound, even if you increase the sample rate.

So the safest thing is to play it at the bit depth and sample rate it was released at.

This is down to SRC (Sample Rate Converter) quality. Quite a lot of SRCs are poor quality. Take a look at this site to learn more:

SRC Comparisons

src.infinitewave.ca

OTOH if your SRC is excellent, you may notice no degradation.

Is it possible if you use a PC as a streamer because the rate is always fixed?

 

[AnalogSteph]

Depends on the OS/software side, obviously. Windows 10 and later can be quite fine given a bit of headroom:

Ending the Windows Audio Quality Debate

A debate has been long raging in the audio community that Windows isn't fit for use in a high resolution audio system. Sceptics counterargued that bits are bits and Windows audio degradations are a figment of an over-active audiophile imagination. I decided to investigate this as I kept...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[pjug]

My DAC has a pretty loud relay click when the sample rate changes so I upsample everything to the same sample rate. Otherwise I wouldn't care.

 

[Mike_Trueman]

My DAC has a pretty loud relay click when the sample rate changes so I upsample everything to the same sample rate. Otherwise I wouldn't care.

Wich DAC do you have. I would not like a DAC that would make a loud click on every song.

 

[pjug]

Wich DAC do you have. I would not like a DAC that would make a loud click on every song.

Pro-ject pre Box DS2. I usually listen to albums so even if I couldn't work around the issue I would be able to live with it. But I am surprised it isn't mentioned in any reviews of the product.

 

[Mike_Trueman]

Pro-ject pre Box DS2. I usually listen to albums so even if I couldn't work around the issue I would be able to live with it. But I am surprised it isn't mentioned in any reviews of the product.

I was looking at the Pro-Ject MaiA DS3 amplifier a while back good thing i did not buy it then.

Did you contact them? Maybe you need a firmware update.

Contact – Pro-Ject Audio Systems

Headquarter: Audio Tuning Vertriebs GmbH Pro-Ject Headquarter Wirtschaftspark A5 Analogweg 1 2130 Mistelbach Austria Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday: 9 t

www.project-audio.com

 

[pjug]

I was looking at the Pro-Ject MaiA DS3 amplifier a while back good thing i did not buy it then.

Did you contact them? Maybe you need a firmware update.

Contact – Pro-Ject Audio Systems

Headquarter: Audio Tuning Vertriebs GmbH Pro-Ject Headquarter Wirtschaftspark A5 Analogweg 1 2130 Mistelbach Austria Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday: 9 t

www.project-audio.com

No did not contact them. It is a non issue for me since I feed it all 192KHz upsampled in Roon. Also the device is Pre-Box DS2 Digital, just for clarity sake.
Surely the relay issue is the same as this, to eliminate pops on the electrical signal (meanwhile creating acoustic sound):

New Lina Questions/Issue/Clicking sounds

I have the new lina system. Its quite amazing but I have noticed something I believe may be odd. As the music tracks change to different bit rates and MQA to basic 16/44 etc. I am getting a clicking sound as it appears the filters change? Mosaic, roon, etc, latest of all software etc. Seems...

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