USB dac that shows bit depth on display?

[KarlAllemyr]

Hi ASR members!

I'am looking for a USB dac that shows bit depth on its display.
I see sample rate is more common, but I'am most interested in bit depth from different sources.

Thanks in advance!

/ Karl

 

[AdamG]

Hi ASR members!

I'am looking for a USB dac that shows bit depth on its display.
I see sample rate is more common, but I'am most interested in bit depth from different sources.

Thanks in advance!

/ Karl

Welcome Aboard @KarlAllemyr. Here is a list of DAC reviewed and measured. Might help you get started with your search:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...gital-to-analog-dac-review-and-discussion.10/

 

[KarlAllemyr]

Hi sorry that is no help Thanks for welcoming! I've searched a bit for it already and couldn't find any so therefore I was asking.

I'am looking for a USB dac that shows bit depth on its display.
I see sample rate is more common, but I'am most interested in bit depth from different sources.
What USB dac's has this feature?

 

[aandres_gm]

I'm pretty sure the RME ADI-2-DAC FS can do it. Check page 29, section 15.3 of the user's manual here: https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/adi2dac_e.pdf

 

[Vincent Kars]

I’m not familiar with USB DAC’s having this option.
Even if there is one, I wonder if it makes sense.

When using Direct Sound in Windows, you have to choose a default sample rate and bit depth.
We do set the bit depth to the max but it is fixed anyway.
So regardless of the properties of the audio a DAC will simply display what is set on the host.
Mutatis mutandis Audio Midi in OSX or ALSA in Linux.
https://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/Windows/Win7/AudioPanel.htm

USB devices report their properties to the host.
My veteran Benchmark DAC 1 reports
0x18 bBitResolution (24 Bits/sample)
0x04 bSamFreqType (Discrete sampling frequencies)
0x00AC44 tSamFreq(1) (44100 Hz)
0x00BB80 tSamFreq(2) (48000 Hz)
0x015888 tSamFreq(3) (88200 Hz)
0x017700 tSamFreq(4) (96000 Hz)

Even if I use WASAPI to circumnavigate Win default settings, it requires a 24 bit data path to the DAC regardless of the source.
So a bit depth indicator at the DAC says something about the data path as negotiated with the host, not about the audio file.

 

[dougi]

Yes it does, but it it not cheap. Pic of my status display.

 

[LTig]

I'm pretty sure the RME ADI-2-DAC FS can do it. Check page 29, section 15.3 of the user's manual here: https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/adi2dac_e.pdf

My RME ADI-2 PRO fs does it as well.

 

[JohnYang1997]

The bit depth indication is not always accurate. Hence it's rarely implemented.

 

[KarlAllemyr]

I'm pretty sure the RME ADI-2-DAC FS can do it. Check page 29, section 15.3 of the user's manual here: https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/adi2dac_e.pdf

Hi, good suggestion! Very expensive product ofcourse and little out of my range.

Interesting tho on page 29: "In case of USB the sample rate is not measured but set by the external computer or iOS device"

This is sample rate, but maybe there is no dac's that show bit depth from USB?

 

[KarlAllemyr]

The bit depth indication is not always accurate. Hence it's rarely implemented.

Ok! Then I understand why its rarely implemented, and if not 100% accurate, yes.

Why I wonder these things is for alternatives instead of using a PC. I really like the setup tho.

But there is several products/streamers with USB output. Raspberry Pi is a very cheap alternative, and the Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra for 800 euros. Looks like it is a Respberry Pi. But using these streamers with no interface seams risky, very risky. How do you know what the output is?

 

[aandres_gm]

The bit depth indication is not always accurate. Hence it's rarely implemented.

Yeah, RME confirms this on their manual, by saying some files with 24bit depth may be shown as 16bit, because they're actually 16bit data + 8bit noise.

Hi, good suggestion! Very expensive product ofcourse and little out of my range.

Interesting tho on page 29: "In case of USB the sample rate is not measured but set by the external computer or iOS device"

This is sample rate, but maybe there is no dac's that show bit depth from USB?

I'm not sure I understand your question, but the device should be able to show the bit depth from USB

 

[KarlAllemyr]

I'm not sure I understand your question, but the device should be able to show the bit depth from USB

That's very correct!

 

[KarlAllemyr]

My RME ADI-2 PRO fs does it as well.

Sorry but I think its not, on page 29: "In case of USB the sample rate is not measured but set by the external computer or iOS device"

 

[KarlAllemyr]

Case seams solved. Thank you all for your time. I found another topic on this forum like this and it wasnt answered.

So answers seams: there is no dac that have bit depth display from USB source.

 

[Eetu]

Case seams solved. Thank you all for your time. I found another topic on this forum like this and it wasnt answered.

So answers seams: there is no dac that have bit depth display from USB source.

If you are looking at Raspberry Pi based streamers, Moode has an 'Audio Info' screen that shows both input and output bit depth and sample rate. A nice way to confirm DSP/resampling works.

 

[KSTR]

@KarlAllemyr, RME ADI-2 DAC or PRO have bit depth display, working on any digital input.Play bittest files provided by RME and the device displays bit depth. If it doesn't, the playback is not bit-perfect.
Typically, 24bit will pass, and often 32bit, too, depends on the player software.

 

[KarlAllemyr]

@KarlAllemyr, RME ADI-2 DAC or PRO have bit depth display, working on any digital input.Play bittest files provided by RME and the device displays bit depth. If it doesn't, the playback is not bit-perfect.
Typically, 24bit will pass, and often 32bit, too, depends on the player software.

Please read the manual on page 29 https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/adi2dac_e.pdf that is already discussed in this thread twice.

 

[KSTR]

I own two PRO's, it does work as advertised.
Sample rate is a different topic, but it is displayed correctly as well, even odd values when synced to a vari-pitch source. USB can sync to internal and external sources, btw

 

[KSTR]

btw, the manual is wrong. The device measures and compares actual and target sample rates in USB mode and tells the USB source to speed up or slow the transfer data rate so as to stay in sync. Only the coarse rate must be similar to begin with, can't sync 44.1k to 48k etc

 

[aandres_gm]

Please read the manual on page 29 https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/adi2dac_e.pdf that is already discussed in this thread twice.

I believe you're misunderstanding both the manual and my reply. I checked the German version of the manual, and it also makes no mention to a lack of bit-depth display on USB sources. This is something you're inferring from a completely unrelated sentence. That, plus the confirmation by KSTR should be enough to clear any doubts.