Fixed volume via usb

Answered

Marc Polley

• January 03, 2023 13:10

Hello, I can’t fix the volume when using usb. It works fine using coax. When using the usb in to my dac the option disappears.

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• Official comment

  

  Tony W.

  Product Support Manager

  • January 03, 2023 16:25

  Hi Marc

  When using a USB DAC, audio is set to FIXED automatically and can only be FIXED output. Your volume slider should be disabled and all volume control will happen at or beyond the DAC in the Audio Chain. Please see; https://support1.bluesound.com/hc/en-us/articles/4417440985879 for more details.
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  Marc Polley

  • January 03, 2023 17:14

  Thanks for such a swift reply. This doesn’t make sense to me. I am plugged in via usb from the node to my CEN.GRAND dac. However I can control the volume from the node - volume up and down. It’s not fixed. I had if fixed by selecting it when using coaxial. Is there somewhere I can send a video?

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  Seppi Evans

  Hi-Res

  • January 03, 2023 18:01

  Hi Marc, your DAC is probably not a true DAC but a DDC in part of its design.

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  Marc Polley

  • January 03, 2023 18:24

  Interesting- I’ve not heard of that. It’s this one. https://www.willowtreeaudio.co.uk/cengranddsdac1-0

  So does that mean I can run via usb with fixed volume?
  What are the performance differences between usb, coax bnc, and optical?
  Thanks

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  Seppi Evans

  Hi-Res

  • January 03, 2023 18:29

  Sorry cannot answer your first question but never found any differences between digital outputs with the exception of using optical which stopped background hum in some old equipment I had at the time.

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  Marc Polley

  • January 03, 2023 18:31

  Thanks.
  Sorry I was supposed to ask
  If the dac is ddc it can’t fun fixed volume via usb

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  Seppi Evans

  Hi-Res

  • January 03, 2023 18:32

  Hopefully TonyW will chime in…

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  Marc Polley

  • January 03, 2023 18:33

  Thanks

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  Marc Polley

  • January 03, 2023 18:46

  I was just playing it with the dac on and off. When off it defaults to fixed and when on it turns back to volume controlled.

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  Seppi Evans

  Hi-Res

  • January 03, 2023 19:05

  There does not seem to be any support for MQA on your DAC so the correct option is Off.

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  Tony W.

  Product Support Manager

  • January 03, 2023 19:23

  Hi Marc

  Seppi's observation is correct, if the volume slider is still active after connecting a USB DAC, then the DAC is not a true DAC but performing some sort of DDC format conversion or upsampling. Please continue to work with your third-party DAC manufacturer to resolve this issue.

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