[PROBLEM] Pi 4 with Boss DAC 1.2. New user

[TheOldPresbyope]

The terminology of digital audio processing can be daunting to a non-engineer. If "pre-ringing" is jabberwocky, this YouTube clip might help put it in context. I'm sure there are others, possibly even better ones, but this was the first I came across.

Regards,
Kent

[Leviathan]

The filter option "Ringing-less low latency FIR" will not produce "pre-ringing". The filter's characteristic is similar to the analog filters. I prefers this one. This corresponds to S.M.S.L Sanskrit 10th MK II's filter number FL3. Sanskrit 10th MK II uses AK4493. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum...png.57282/

That's the one I preferred too on the 5122 without using SoX.  Along with -6dB gain in the 5122 options.

Phil

Currently trying the same settings. Thanks for sharing.

[Leviathan]

@Leviathan

I noticed you said

but am struggling to hear any significant difference between this and leaving SOX disabled.

That's the problem with audiophilia. You can get so wrapped up in chasing the optimizations you forget to "enjoy the music." This isn't a test you somehow have to pass. 

 I am still struggling with the concept that anything can/should improve the sound of (say) a redbook CD at 16 bit/44.1 KHz. 

Ay, there's the rub! You don't get to listen to the sound of a Redbook CD. What's on the CD is a string of bits.

You listen to 1) what the recording engineer decided was the right mix of microphones, signal preprocessing, and digitization techniques followed by 2) what the DAC engineer decided was the right mix of conversion techniques and filtering followed by 3) the effect of the rest of your audio chain. (The basic process of reliably extracting the bits from a line of craters "dug" in a layer under the surface of a rapidly rotating circular disc is itself an art.)

At every step, engineering choices have to be made trying to balance the demands of conflicting requirements. It's possible for a DIY'er to change the resulting balance. So, naturally, folks do.

Be happy making these changes costs nothing and undoing a change is easy. Imagine if each change cost the same as the magic speaker cables some feel compelled to buy.

Regards,
Kent

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I thought I understood just a little about digital audio but the more I read, watch and hear, the more I realise just how little I do actually know!

I think I need to spend some time listening to my music and not stressing about settings, etc. With this in mind, I've reset the chip option for the 5122, disabled SOX resampling and disabled the Equaliser.

I'll see what happens over the next few days.

[efung]

@Leviathan

I noticed you said

but am struggling to hear any significant difference between this and leaving SOX disabled.

That's the problem with audiophilia. You can get so wrapped up in chasing the optimizations you forget to "enjoy the music." This isn't a test you somehow have to pass. 

 I am still struggling with the concept that anything can/should improve the sound of (say) a redbook CD at 16 bit/44.1 KHz. 

Ay, there's the rub! You don't get to listen to the sound of a Redbook CD. What's on the CD is a string of bits.

You listen to 1) what the recording engineer decided was the right mix of microphones, signal preprocessing, and digitization techniques followed by 2) what the DAC engineer decided was the right mix of conversion techniques and filtering followed by 3) the effect of the rest of your audio chain. (The basic process of reliably extracting the bits from a line of craters "dug" in a layer under the surface of a rapidly rotating circular disc is itself an art.)

At every step, engineering choices have to be made trying to balance the demands of conflicting requirements. It's possible for a DIY'er to change the resulting balance. So, naturally, folks do.

Be happy making these changes costs nothing and undoing a change is easy. Imagine if each change cost the same as the magic speaker cables some feel compelled to buy.

Regards,
Kent

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I thought I understood just a little about digital audio but the more I read, watch and hear, the more I realise just how little I do actually know!

I think I need to spend some time listening to my music and not stressing about settings, etc. With this in mind, I've reset the chip option for the 5122, disabled SOX resampling and disabled the Equaliser.

I'll see what happens over the next few days.

If you have a reasonable good RPi DAC or USB DAC and the down stream audio gears, you really don't need SoX. However, if you have a NOS R2R DAC, the upsampling will move the  quantization noise to the higher frequency band. This will make the post analog filter more effective. If both SoX and EQ are turned on, the processed sound may have chance to be messed up. I have experienced this.

[philrandal]

If you have a reasonable good RPi DAC or USB DAC and the down stream audio gears, you really don't need SoX. However, if you have a NOS R2R DAC, the upsampling will move the  quantization noise to the higher frequency band. This will make the post analog filter more effective. If both SoX and EQ are turned on, the processed sound may have chance to be messed up. I have experienced this.

That's a good point.  I'll try the Sanskrit without SoX when I have a chance.

EQ is to me, the antithesis of hi fidelity, and so is best avoided.

Phil