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DoP using JDS Labs EL DAC II
#11
@newbie

As an aside, I'm still not sure why you want to use DoP. According to the log file you posted

Code:
...
A U D I O   P A R A M E T E R S

Audio device        = JDS Labs EL DAC II
Interface        = USB
Mixer name        = JDS Labs EL DAC II
Hardware mixer        = Yes
Supported formats    = S32_LE, SPECIAL, DSD_U32_BE
...

your DAC reports to Linux that it can process native DSD directly. The formats shown here are identical to the ones reported for my USB Khadas Tone Board (aka Tone1) and I don't bother with DoP.

As for pops and noise, how are you controlling volume? 

In my case, the KTB advertises to moOde/ALSA via the Linux USB driver that hardware volume control is available but it turns out to work only for PCM streams. The result with DSD streams is noise. 

That used to be true also for software volume control at any setting less than 100 percent (e.g., straight through) in earlier versions of moOde. With moOde 7.2.1, however, I find that any software volume control setting greater than 0 results in full output when playing DSD material. (I still haven't figured out why this is.)

In practice, when I test with DSD tracks, I set the volume mixer type to "Direct" and control volume downstream of the DAC. This just works™. 

Apparently, some folks have USB DACs which can use Hardware volume control for DSD streams. I have no idea what's in your JDS Labs DAC.

Candidly, I don't need or want DSD capability; I just test it when it's claimed to be present.

Regards,
Kent
Reply
#12
(05-28-2021, 04:02 PM)TheOldPresbyope Wrote: @newbie

As an aside, I'm still not sure why you want to use DoP. According to the log file you posted

Code:
...
A U D I O   P A R A M E T E R S

Audio device        = JDS Labs EL DAC II
Interface        = USB
Mixer name        = JDS Labs EL DAC II
Hardware mixer        = Yes
Supported formats    = S32_LE, SPECIAL, DSD_U32_BE
...

your DAC reports to Linux that it can process native DSD directly. The formats shown here are identical to the ones reported for my USB Khadas Tone Board (aka Tone1) and I don't bother with DoP.

As for pops and noise, how are you controlling volume? 

In my case, the KTB advertises to moOde/ALSA via the Linux USB driver that hardware volume control is available but it turns out to work only for PCM streams. The result with DSD streams is noise. 

That used to be true also for software volume control at any setting less than 100 percent (e.g., straight through) in earlier versions of moOde. With moOde 7.2.1, however, I find that any software volume control setting greater than 0 results in full output when playing DSD material. (I still haven't figured out why this is.)

In practice, when I test with DSD tracks, I set the volume mixer type to "Direct" and control volume downstream of the DAC. This just works™. 

Apparently, some folks have USB DACs which can use Hardware volume control for DSD streams. I have no idea what's in your JDS Labs DAC.

Candidly, I don't need or want DSD capability; I just test it when it's claimed to be present.

Regards,
Kent


Hi Kent,

The EL DAC II does not have any physical volume knot to my "limited" knowledge.   I just control the overall volume via the amp.  If I can get moOde to play DSD with EL DAC II, that will be a plus.   I am just try to gain the listen experience and enjoy the music between DSD vs lossless FLAC vs 320k mp3.    It is an experience.

E
Reply
#13
(05-28-2021, 04:42 PM)newbie Wrote:
(05-28-2021, 04:02 PM)TheOldPresbyope Wrote: @newbie

As an aside, I'm still not sure why you want to use DoP. According to the log file you posted

Code:
...
A U D I O   P A R A M E T E R S

Audio device        = JDS Labs EL DAC II
Interface        = USB
Mixer name        = JDS Labs EL DAC II
Hardware mixer        = Yes
Supported formats    = S32_LE, SPECIAL, DSD_U32_BE
...

your DAC reports to Linux that it can process native DSD directly. The formats shown here are identical to the ones reported for my USB Khadas Tone Board (aka Tone1) and I don't bother with DoP.

As for pops and noise, how are you controlling volume? 

In my case, the KTB advertises to moOde/ALSA via the Linux USB driver that hardware volume control is available but it turns out to work only for PCM streams. The result with DSD streams is noise. 

That used to be true also for software volume control at any setting less than 100 percent (e.g., straight through) in earlier versions of moOde. With moOde 7.2.1, however, I find that any software volume control setting greater than 0 results in full output when playing DSD material. (I still haven't figured out why this is.)

In practice, when I test with DSD tracks, I set the volume mixer type to "Direct" and control volume downstream of the DAC. This just works™. 

Apparently, some folks have USB DACs which can use Hardware volume control for DSD streams. I have no idea what's in your JDS Labs DAC.

Candidly, I don't need or want DSD capability; I just test it when it's claimed to be present.

Regards,
Kent


Hi Kent,

The EL DAC II does not have any physical volume knot to my "limited" knowledge.   I just control the overall volume via the amp.  If I can get moOde to play DSD with EL DAC II, that will be a plus.   I am just try to gain the listen experience and enjoy the music between DSD vs lossless FLAC vs 320k mp3.    It is an experience.

E

I suggest you want to set Moode for native DSD, and then force a new handshake by removing and replacing the USB cable.

That DAC has several different firmware versions too, based on the link you provided, not all of them are DoP capable.

Oddly, the product page for that DAC makes no mention of any DSD support whatsoever:

https://jdslabs.com/product/el-dac-ii/
Reply
#14
@newbie

Quote:The EL DAC II does not have any physical volume knot to my "limited" knowledge.


Sorry, I didn't mean to imply my DAC did. 

DAC -> preamp -> amp. I have to get up, cross the room, and twist the knob on the preamp. How last century Tongue

Regards,
Kent
Reply
#15
(05-28-2021, 06:44 PM)TheOldPresbyope Wrote: @newbie

Quote:The EL DAC II does not have any physical volume knot to my "limited" knowledge.


Sorry, I didn't mean to imply my DAC did. 

DAC -> preamp -> amp. I have to get up, cross the room, and twist the knob on the preamp. How last century Tongue

Regards,
Kent

Thank for the clarification!  I am just trying to understand more about all of these "audio recording or stream format" and which one suits my liking  The most important is to enjoy the music!

E
Reply
#16
Hi everyone,  

I finally got it to work with DSD using DoP.

Under MPD config, DSD suppot, DSD over PCM (DoP).   JDS Labs is working to enable native DSD in the future firmware update, at this moment, 1.6.3 and 1.6.4 can work with DoP only.

Under Audio Config,  Alsa options, enable ALSA loopback.  I can listen to DSD files now..

Thanks again for everyone suggestion.

E
Reply
#17
@newbie

Glad to hear you got things working.

Had I actually read the link you provided to JDS Labs specs I could have avoided embarrassing myself with my riff about native DoP Tongue

I don't understand why you had to enable the ALSA linkback device but I'll leave that to the devs who introduced the feature in moOde.


Regards,
Kent
Reply


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