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Can I play a 192/24 file on my Digilink III?

I'm old, so I totally understand how to set up a turntable, but my digital front-end, and how it works is admittedly a little fuzzy to me.

I'm using a Mac Mini to serve up my music files, which are all 44.1/16 Apple lossless format. The Mini is connected to my PS Audio Digilink III through the USB input. The DAC is connected to my McIntosh C2200 pre-amp using a pair of Audioquest balanced connectors. I use Channel D's Pure Music to play my iTunes library.

This has been working fine, Pure Music sampling the 44.1/16 files at their native resolution, and the PS Audio DAC up-sampling them to 96khz or 192khz - at least I think that's whats happening.

The other day, I bought my first 192/24 "hi-res" download from HDTracks. When I play the file, Pure Music down-samples it to 44.1 before sending it to the DAC - which then up-samples it. I want Pure Music to sample the file at it's native resolution and send it directly to the DAC - which I assume would not up-sample it since it is already 192/24. When I dig into the Pure Music's Audio Setup menu to configure my DAC, it only allows me to choose 44.1 or 48 sample rates. Does this mean that my DAC will not accept 96/24 or 192/24 files?

Is anyone else playing hi-res files using Pure Music and the PS Audio Digilink III?

lemoco
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"I don't think that DAC can play 192/24 files on any input.I think the max native resolution is 96/24, and the USB is limited even further at only 44/16 I believe."

"If you get a USB to SPDIF converter, like the M2Tech HiFace 2, you can then connect to the digital coax input and at least get 96/24 native and better sound quality overall at any resolution."

How does that work? If usb only does 16/44 going directly to a dac, wouldn't the same thing apply to the usb/spdif converter? The signal still has to go through usb on its way to the converter.
dragon1952
181 posts
 
The limitation is the USB interface on the DAC which is only capable of 44/16 (actually 48/16 I believe). The USB on the PC isn't the issue as long as Pure Music can pass the higher resolution. By using a USB to SPDIF converter he could go USB from PC to USB/SPDIF converter to SPDIF input on the DAC which is capable of 96/24 playback.
dragon1952
181 posts
 
That particular DAC is going on 8 human yrs old......that's around 20 yrs in DAC yrs...ha ha. USB interfaces on DACs have come a long way since then.
lemoco OP
7 posts
 
Interesting. Yes it's an old DAC, but I was hoping to let DSD technology settle a bit before I jump in and buy a new one. I used to have this DAC connected to the Mac Mini using Toslink optical cables. I wonder if that might allow me to bypass the USB on the DAC and input of at least 96/24 from my Mac Mini.

zd542
5,339 posts
 
"06-29-14: Dragon1952
The limitation is the USB interface on the DAC which is only capable of 44/16 (actually 48/16 I believe)."

Thanks for clearing that up. It makes complete sense.
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