System/DAC upgrade, suggestions on candidates

[DWPress]

I guess you've seen very few product specs so far.

Ah yes, brain fart, 192kHz is the standard I was meaning to quote yesterday. I stand doubly corrected. I've seen plenty of hardware specs but my feeble brain doesn't always retain what it doesn't need. Everything in my chain is normalized to 96kHz but only because of some filters I haven't bothered to rework. My plan in the future is to normalize everything to 48 just so I don't need to make multiple filters when using measurement mics.

But my question still stands as: Why?

No need to answer, I know why people want it but don't need it....

 

[staticV3]

But my question still stands as: Why?

"Why does 192kHz via Toslink even exist in the first place?"

Because the technology exists, and so does audio content.
It doesn't matter that it's useless for audio consumption.

 

[Brian Hall]

I stand corrected, guess I've never seen specs like that even in pro audio which leads me to ask - why?

The Wiim Pro Plus has settings to allow up to 24/192 on both optical and coax outputs.

I tested it out of curiosity by playing some "HiRes" tracks with the Wiim output for each type going to an Eversolo DAC Z8. The Z8 showed it was receiving 24/192 when each was tested and it sounded great, just like I was listening to a CD.

Neither exhibited any instability that I could detect.

The Eversolo DMP-A6 also allows 24/192 on optical and coax outputs.

I don't see any point in 24/192, but both are capable and probably wouldn't be classified as "pro audio".

 

[DWPress]

I think I already ate my humble pie with memory loss but, yes, I can upsample a low res MP3 to 24/192, save it and play it back and it reports as 24/192 but sounds the same. I do have some hi-res tracks I purchased before I knew any better that I could resample to 16/44, save them and they will also sound the same.

 

[sirfabio80]

No. A device that benefits from a cleaner power supply is badly designed. Why? Because the device is going to filter the power anyway. There is a review somewhere on this website and a clean power supply had no effect on the performance on properly designed device. There was some performance gain on a device that we know had some filtering issues, but those devices are really rare and I'd argue that you are better off just buying a better product instead of trying to improve a badly designed device. Plus the performance still wasn't on the level of better designed devices.

Got it. Thanks. I don’t know if WiiM mini is a badly designed device. I am also thinking: does it hurt to have a clean input power? What I think also is that I find silly to have a £69 power supply for a £89 network streamer… The point is not to use those cheap adapters coming from who knows where. I ordered on Amazon two Pi Raspberry 4 5V adapters, and will return the ifi power 2.

 

[sirfabio80]

Here is some discussion regarding Toslink switches:
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?pid=192489

I am thinking of buying this one because could not find any of those two models from that link available in UK.

CYP AU-D41 4x1 Digital optical audio switcher with IR remote

This device allows users with multiple optical sources connection for one output display. All signal are bypassed without delay. The device has last memory function and IR remote control. Product Code - AU-D41.

www.futureshop.co.uk

It is not auto switching:-( but at least there is a last memory function…and not using my speakers with TV often anyway.