DAC-V1 BitPerfect tests

Hi Dave, no experience with SBT, so can only suggest Naim tech support and checking whether the SBT is capable of sending files a different bit depths or whether it upsamples, etc.  

J

 Reply from John Swenson to my post on the Logitech Squeezebox forum:

“All SB products output 24 bit, no matter what the input was. If you feed them a 16 bit file it adds zeros on to the end. So in a strict sense it is not bit perfect, but the audio data is exactly the same. (assuming the volume is all the way up and you don't have replay gain turned on).

It's not just EDO, the S/PDIF outputs do the same thing, with or without EDO”.

Also, I have changed the file types settings for Apple Lossless. When in play mode the ALAC files are converted to 1411kbps PCM.

Onwards and upwards.

So, it does a similar thing to the Apple TV.  Are you up and running, then? 

J

I'm not fimilar with Apple TV, maybe Sonos Connect would be a good comparison. But yes I'm up and running.

The main driver for acquiring the SBT was to utilise the USB output as I have read such glowing reports for the DAC-V1 asynchronous USB on this forum. I am currently using the SBT bare, i.e. with the stock SMPS and standard (computer grade) USB A-B and ethernet cables. Also, I'm streaming my music files from a PC on the other side of the house using powerline ethernet plugs. As stated previously the 24-bit BitPerfect tests passed which signifies I have network integrity over my ethernet set-up. Some people tell me it shouldn't work this well? The SBT was a £200 bargain on that well known auction site.

Thanks for your interest.

Thanks for posting this Dave. I have recently gone through the exact same exercise and was befuddled, to say the least, when 24 bit from the SBT was Bit Perfect and 16 bit was not.

Alls well on the paranoia front now.  Agreed, at £200 or so the SBT is quite an amazing beast.

Sounding excellent with the V1 but to be fair it was also excellent with a Micromega MyDac - just that the MyDac had some serious mains/RFI issues which meant I had to turn it off every time I wanted to fire up the turn table.

The V1 has notably better shielding.

Enjoy

Sam

I've not received anything further to add to the comments already posted from the Logitech Squeezebox Forum so maybe only Naim Technical Dept. can give an answer but can understand if it's not forthcoming.

Dave

Just saw your posts on the SB forum. So it looks like 16 bit should also pass the test, thus could be something in the V1 bit perfect test. Given the SQ I am getting I would be very surprised if there was anything amiss.

Agreed. A good test to have available though to give that extra bit of confidence.

Dave