First impressions

[Griff]

Another question. Does the volume control on/off have any affect on the sound quality? Is there a 'preferred' setting?

Cheers :-)

If you want Moode to adjust volume, then Volume Control Hardware (uses the volume control in the TI PCM5122). If you want to use a volume control downstream of the Boss, then disabled or none for volume control. The Boss output will be full output and the Moode volume control with show 0 dB.

Unfortunate that SoX 32/384 doesn't improve the sound for you. I agree with philrandall. The difference isn't small, it's very significant, and I've been a SoX evangelist since I discovering it. Should help any board with a PCM5122. For me it makes 16/44.1 sound close to DSD (.dsf files ripped from my SACDs). I no longer have an interest in obtaining more SACDs. File sizes are much bigger, and the sound is not that much better.

It's interesting.... so today I listened to a few albums, Daft Punk, Radiohead.... LCD Soundsystem, Zeppelin, Goldffrapp, Beatles.... eyes closed... listening intently and ... for me... I found that with Sox turned on there was a lack of low end compared with off. I also found better stereo separation with it off..... Sox on seemed to deaden the sound a bit for me. Without was that bit livelier.... 

I assume I don't have to restart the RPi? As when I save the setting on/off it restarts the service and I hit play again.... checked the Audio Info box and it's telling me Sox was sending 32/348. 

I'll try again with some more complex audio when I get some time.