Why?Forget about the concept of bit perfect.
Why?Forget about the concept of bit perfect.
Hello.
Can't to find about volume control. Is it bitperfect or not?
Sure. I'm talking about the case when my computer transmits a signal via USB via WASAPI or ALSA, that is, with high accuracy.John, maybe you can correct me but, the way I imagine it...
The most you should worry about this, is if your source is is capable of processing or outputting bit-perfect (which shouldn't be an issue if you run WASAPI or ASIO with no DSP in the pipeline). Volume control on-device though is pretty pointless to worry about with respect to it being "bit perfect" the moment you don't output full-scale. I wouldn't even understand how that would even work exactly speaking since all volume is essentially 'attenuated' at some point before it reaches you in practice, since you usually set volume to a certain level - unless you output full scale with no voltage gain or "unity gain" from an amp section, which sounds like a way to blow your ears away or something.
So if your device has digital-out, I suppose bit-perfect processing and handling makes sense while it's in the digital domain. Once it's out of this domain, or something besides full-scale output (whether due to volume setting, or due to DSP, or whatever else) bit-perfect ceases to exist for all intents and purposes.
At least that how it seems to be when I try to comprehend how it all works.
Sure. I'm talking about the case when my computer transmits a signal via USB via WASAPI or ALSA, that is, with high accuracy.
And my question was how does the M500 adjust the volume? If this is a digital adjustment, is it due to signal degradation and a decrease in its bit depth?
Like I said. Just forget it. No matter how you control the volume, as long as it's not an analogue preamp or hybrid like element x /adi2dac, you will degrade SNR. You reduce 10dB volume you lose 10dB SNR. Forget about bit perfect. It's meaningless.Sure. I'm talking about the case when my computer transmits a signal via USB via WASAPI or ALSA, that is, with high accuracy.
And my question was how does the M500 adjust the volume? If this is a digital adjustment, is it due to signal degradation and a decrease in its bit depth?
There's none. And Jriver's approach won't escape the reality. The only "proper" way is to directly configure the volume of the DAC chip and use the internal volume control in the chip.Well, I wondered if ESS or SMSL had come up with some way to properly adjust the volume. As, for example, J. River's MEDIA JUKEBOX increased the bit depth to reduce losses from volume control in the player. After all, ESS also writes something about a special software approach to volume control in ESS 9038PRO:
Feature
Programmable volume control ramp-rate with +18 dB option
Benefit
Simplifies system software
You decrease 1dB level you lose 1dB SNR. No matter what volu control is used. If you decrease 6dB in level you lose 1bit. There's no way around it. And it's not subtract from the precision of the volume control but the whole dac. Say a dac with 120dB snr which is 20bit. You get 19bit left when decrease 6dB in level.It is necessary to somehow come up with a way to check whether the bitness degrades or not when adjusting the volume.
2 position is 1/20th the level of max volume. That's not 1bit left but -26dB which is still about 16bit.Let's say there is 120 dB .. that's about 20 bits. The SMSL regulator has 40 positions. If I listen in the "2" position of the volume control i.e. the output will be a one-bit signal. It will just sound like digital crackle. But that doesn't happen. And I think that the music does not lose quality when adjusting the volume .. well, in any case, it does not noticeably lose.
Yes, but then, as scherbakov_al said, if we lower the volume to position 2, then we will reduce volume 19x2 = 38 points, which will leave only 1 bit. It would be impossible to listen to such a signal, but we do not observe such a strong degradation.2 position is 1/20th the level of max volume. That's not 1bit left but -26dB which is still about 16bit.
Read what John said again. I would suggest he knows what he is talking about.Yes, but then, as scherbakov_al said, if we lower the volume to position 2, then we will reduce volume 19x2 = 38 points, which will leave only 1 bit. It would be impossible to listen to such a signal, but we do not observe such a strong degradation.
Is your amp floating or grounded? I had a hum on headphones whenever usb was connected even when the m500 was not plugged in and solved it by grounding the m500.
amp is grounded (3 pin). How did you ground the m500?
You lose 1bit once you half the output level. To output a 1bit signal you need to output at 0.0002% of max output not position 2.Yes, but then, as scherbakov_al said, if we lower the volume to position 2, then we will reduce volume 19x2 = 38 points, which will leave only 1 bit. It would be impossible to listen to such a signal, but we do not observe such a strong degradation.
Too bad there isn't a "DAC only" mode, to remove the volume control from the equation completely....like in Toppind D90 for example.
EyupThere is - turn it to 40 and dont touch it. Thats all the D90 DAC mode is - fixes volume
I meant completely disable/lose the preamp section.
I have no use for it anyways.