Unusual 96/24 FLAC Problem

[cvj]

I have just replaced a SB Classic with a new SB Touch. Everything works except for streaming 96/24 FLAC files through the Touch to my ancient Digital - Analog converter, which I used to be able to do through the SB3.

The problem that whereas the SBS/SB3 combo would down-convert the FLAC files to 48/24 (using SOX), the SBS/Touch combo is able to stream the 96/24 flac files without down-converting.

That would "normally" be great - but in my case the DAC can not handle/was not designed for 96/24 - it "tops out" at 48/24.

Now my question - short of converting all my FLAC files to 48/24 is there any way to make Touch handle the 96/24 streams in the same manner as the SB3????

Thanks in advance....

[Phil Leigh]

I have just replaced a SB Classic with a new SB Touch. Everything works except for streaming 96/24 FLAC files through the Touch to my ancient Digital - Analog converter, which I used to be able to do through the SB3.

The problem that whereas the SBS/SB3 combo would down-convert the FLAC files to 48/24 (using SOX), the SBS/Touch combo is able to stream the 96/24 flac files without down-converting.

That would "normally" be great - but in my case the DAC can not handle/was not designed for 96/24 - it "tops out" at 48/24.

Now my question - short of converting all my FLAC files to 48/24 is there any way to make Touch handle the 96/24 streams in the same manner as the SB3????

Thanks in advance....

Yes you need a customised entry in custom_convert.conf (assuming you are streaming from a Server running SBS).
This will force everything to 48khz.
It would of course be better to upgrade your DAC...


I can post the entry you need tomorrow morning...

[Mnyb]

Do try the Touchs analogue out and compare to your old dac, try to level match so that not the loudest " wins"

[cvj]

Yes you need a customised entry in custom_convert.conf (assuming you are streaming from a Server running SBS).
This will force everything to 48khz.
It would of course be better to upgrade your DAC...


I can post the entry you need tomorrow morning...

Thanks, I will appreciate that very much!

[cvj]

Do try the Touchs analogue out and compare to your old dac, try to level match so that not the loudest " wins"

I will give that a try!

[Phil Leigh]

Thanks, I will appreciate that very much!

In custom_convert.conf:

{edit with notepad or wordpad}

flc flc * *
# FT:{START=--skip=%t}U:{END=--until=%v}D:{RESAMPLE=rate -v -s 48k}
[flac] -dcs $START$ $END$ -- $FILE$ | [sox] -q -v0.965 -t wav - -t wav -b 24 -C 0 - rate -v -s -M -a 48000 | [flac] -cs -0 --totally-silent -

flc flc transcode *
# FT:{START=--skip=%t}U:{END=--until=%v}D:{RESAMPLE=rate -v -s 48k}
[flac] -dcs $START$ $END$ -- $FILE$ | [sox] -q -v0.965 -t wav - -t wav -b 24 -C 0 - rate -v -s -M -a 48000 | [flac] -cs -0 --totally-silent -




For the Touch anything <= 96khz is handled by the first entry, anything > 96khz by the second.

[cvj]

Do try the Touchs analogue out and compare to your old dac, try to level match so that not the loudest " wins"

After trying that - by doing an A-B test by connecting both of the Touch's digital coax and analog outputs to my pre-amp and switching between them - I discovered that to my octogenarian ears they both sounded great and that I really could not detect any perceived difference :-)

So I ended up using the analog outputs and now I can enjoy my 96/24 files without any problem!

In addition I exchanged the stock wall wart with a linear p/s and used some of the software tweaks from soundcheck's tool tips - and I am now very pleased with the improved audio from the Touch compared to the SB3.

[cvj]

Phil,

As you can see from my post above to Mnyb, I ended up using the Touch's analog outputs so that resolved the issue for me.

I am extremely pleased with the audio quality from not only my 96/24 files, but also with .WMA files and Spotify Premium streaming through the Touch.

Thanks for your help!

[Mnyb]

It may not be your ears (only ) you said "old" dac I interpreted that as "very old" as it did not have 24/96 and digital tech .

I think that Touch (or any modern source ) beats almost all the brandname DAC's from early 90's .
Digital Technology has moved forward a lot .
And the old dac could simply be "old" and not perform to spec anymore ?

Normally I don't buy the myth off all fast and revolutionary development in audio, I used 18 years old speaker until lately and decades old amps.

But if anything does develop in a positive direction at all (sometimes I doubt that to ) it is the digital side of audio.

Other things that does not relate to SQ directly have happened the last decades IC's is evermore integrated, smaller, better and cheaper, bringing down the price and size of the thing. The Touch would have cost a fortune 15 years ago.
If one wants to be cynical you could say that it not possible to buy as bad components as it where in 80's so even the cheap Chinese dvd player will perform better than the designers ever hoped to achieve.