[SOLVED] USB DAC Issue or Install Issue?

[piface]

@piface

If you are playing PCM-encoded streams then you may find no perceptible difference in audio quality between software and hardware volume control. I don't with my USB-driven Khadas Tone Board (aka Tone1), for example.

There are an uncountable number of opinionated posts, blogs, and articles about the subject, most talking authoritatively yet suspiciously devoid of facts. I remember reading a really good, fact-based presentation by ESS on the subject but I can't find the slides just now.

ETA: I still haven't found the ESS article but I found it is quoted extensively in https://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/Intr...ontrol.htm

With DSD-encoding, however, upstream software volume control cannot be used. Depending on the specific DAC board, it may or may not be possible to use hardware volume control. For example, it doesn't work for my Khadas Tone Board but it does work for Tim's Allo Rev even though both incorporate the same ESS DAC chip.

Regards,
Kent

Thank you Kent. That is helpful. I've found no audible difference to my ears, so I won't stress about it. I'll get back to enjoying the music now :-)