Improve the sound quality of your DAC for free
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- Опубліковано 2 чер 2024
- It doesn’t work for every DAC or stereo but many will sound better by applying a simple change to your settings.
Contents of this video
00:00 - Intro
00:16 - Start of program
01:22 - What’s going wrong
03:28 - Per computer
05:30 - NOS DAC’s
08:15 - The wrap
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About Questions: • About questions
Q&A: Which device is better?: • Q&A: Which device is b... - Наука та технологія
Thank you Hans for the clear descriptions and great channel.
My pleasure entirely
Thank you Hans! I enjoy your channel!
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Hans you always have such good advice. I took your advice and set the output on my HQplayer by -3db. Thanks for the advice
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Hans, Thanks for your videos. Many things to learn.
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Brilliant bit of advice...was able to do this on my setup. Much smoother sound and lets more detail come through with clarity.
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This is probably the best video i have ever watched on UA-cam 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽 thank you
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Thanks, Hans, for another most interesting video.
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Thanks so much. This has been one of the most informative and helpful videos to me and my sound setup.
My pleasure entirely
Thank you so much Mr. Beekhuyzen! I have been using Audrivana and my PS Audio sprout in my office (gaming PC) for about a year now. With no issues I had hoped to recreate that sonic magic in my reference system. I purchased a mini pc (Pico) and installed Audrivana using a USB connection linked to a PS Audio Strata. It did not take long to start hearing artifacts etc periodically. I adjusted different settings in Audrivana with little or no improvement. Recently I came across this video explaining what is happening. I did as you suggested, and everything sounds amazing by adjusting by -3db. Thank you again!
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Bravo, I'm glad you're not obsessed over bit-perfectness (as software volume would violate) over a real problem like what you're describing.
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Another great video from Hans, our man in Amsterdam! -3dB attenuation is a good policy to take off the edge & make sure you’re not saturating or clipping.
Amsterdam? Rather Utrecht.
Utrecht, then you are very welcome in Nieuwegein to come and have a cup of coffee and maybe (probably) you have suggestions for me to tweak or fine-tune my Naim set😊😉.
Thank you for your channel still a fan of you from the time you wrote in audio magazines.
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Hans is a professional !
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Excellent explanation. Very appreciated.
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Great tip, I have Audirvana going through my IFI DAC, I will give it a try thank you.
I had never heard of this tweek, and I understand why things need to be levelled down a tad.
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Brilliant tweek. I did ot on my auralic aries mini feeding a rme adi2. A definite improvement!
great to hear. Enjoy the music.
I’ll try this in Audirvāna. Thanks.
I have a Gustard X26 Pro dac, dual mono, dual power supplies into Orchard Audio Starkrimson GaN monoblocks. I dropped it 3dB on the DAC and the volume up a bit on the preamp and it is indeed a subtle but beautiful improvement. I used to do this intuitively many years ago, but you forget things.
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Thank you for this great video , Hans. I’m reminded that the principal of Pure Music advised the same as regards his software. I no longer use Pure Music as I became a lifetime Roon member. But presumably he recommended the same -3 dB setting for the same reasons you point to here, though he didn’t offer the detailed explanation or deep dive you discuss here. I recently purchased the Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC and the app provides for customizing this option for those like me who use a fixed volume bc I use a preamplifier. I’d had it set to -2dB. Time to experiment to see if perhaps -3dB may sound nominally better! Thx again!
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Thank you! And maybe interesting to know for other viewers: Roon has a headroom module - it can simply be added to the signal path, and the headroom can be configured (I haven't heard a difference on my system so far, but it probably can't hurt, so i switched it on)
As I told in several videos
Very good advice.
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This advice was incredible. In my case some songs were so harsh on my HE1000v2 stealth it was close to unlistenable. I tried to do a lot to tame it from adding an R2R dac (Musician Pegasus), a DDC (Musician Pisces II), expensive copper cables (Effect audio code 23) and while they all improved (or changed) the sound to some degree the harshness was mostly still there.
After watching this, I decided to check if clipping was happening and sure enough the worst offenders had tons of clipping showing up on Peace GUI. I put a -3db pre-amp and boom, the harshness was tamed. I can push the volume on the amp even higher now since my ears are not reeling from harshness (more that overcoming the -3db preamp).
No more chasing exclusive modes and bit perfect audio for me.
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I lowered by -3db as you said my foobar2000. The music does sound a bit less noisy now and singer voice looks seems more clear. Foobar also have a specific option to remove clipping from either track or album. I dont think its a placebo effect. Thanks a lot for your channel, amazing work!
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great explanation!
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Sensational Video
Best wishes - Mark Schifter
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One of the features of the Benchmark DAC3 is that it internally takes care of this headroom issue for what they call ‘inter-sample overs’. They have a great article on their website about it. Indeed, the DAC3 does sound more ‘natural’ to me than others I’ve tried, but it’s cool to see how we could apply this to the DACs that don’t have this built in.
Thanks for sharing.
I'm glad you pointed this out Tim. I was going to note the same thing. Benchmark gives 5db of internal headroom to handle inter-sample overs. This is sound advice though Hans. Appreciate you sharing and bringing attention to this issue.
Yes, the P.S. Audio DirectStream (an FPGA dac) also provides headroom.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel I really appreciate UA-camr’s Hans, such as yourself, that attempt to educate the audio consumer in earnest.
It is refreshing to see/hear. I frequently have to back off from 0 dBFS on CD’s, but also many times not that much, it just depends. I will typically use -1 dB as my zero regardless.. There’s a lot of variability in available recordings but I will preview a disc to arrive at the sweet spot for serious listening. I have found a few recordings that seemed so poor that they actually sounded better at lower than -6 dBFS, which seems a little crazy, but I can only go by what my ears “say” to me lol
Yes benchmark has had this in their FPgA via firmware chip update for long while now since Dac2. If you have the benchmark dac2 you can upgrade the firmware via a microchip you replace to get this functionality of lowering signal by -3dbs to avoid intersample overs.
Great vid thanks for simply explaining this concept that's often completely missed by a lot of audiophiles. Headroom rules.
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Hi Hans
Thanks for your advice I altered my node2i by -3db and it's bought the highs back to my Pontus 2 after update 4.
how did you do it please
Thank you, Hans. I've finally found the culprit for the distortion and cramped soundstage in my system. I attenuated to -3 dB headroom, and all my previous distortion problems are gone.🎉
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Thanks for sharing.😊
Thanks for watching!
True engineer. Thanks!
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Too often you get a bunch of crap talk trying to explain what is going on in equipment. Here you get the plain talk with what is clear and concise without the hype. Good reason to come here if you want it clear and plainly explained, no fanfare. Excellent job Mr Hans!
Thank you, sir.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel, you are quite welcome Mr Hans!
I have been setting a reasonable volume on my Parasound HINT amp, then I fine tune the volume using Audirvana. Sometimes I notice a slight improvement in sound when the output is turned down a few db. I thought it might be my imagination, so thank you Hans for explaining why that happens.
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Dude I do the same thing, hit at Midway and using my Gustard to play with the volume
I thought I was a genius for doing that
Thank you very much❤
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Nice video!
Thanks!
Hi Hans,
Thank you for your great advice! I immediately applied it to my HiFi system, and I'm very happy with the results. I was listening to the old Genesis album Nursery Cryme, which always sounded a bit too bright and harsh on the cymbals. The volume reduction helped a lot, making the sound much more pleasant to the ear with less of a digital metallic sound.
I'm using my BlueSound Node streamer as a transport to an external Ladder Schumman R2R DAC, and reducing the volume by -3dB has made a big difference on this album.
However, other albums seem to sound best when no volume reduction is applied. So, my question is: how much does a -3dB reduction affect dynamics, openness, and punch? (I'm not talking about loudness, which can easily be increased on the amplifier.)
I really enjoy your informative and helpful videos, and I congratulate you on your successful channel. All the best in your future endeavors!
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@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Hi Hans, I would love to hear your thoughts on this question: Is there a risk of making the system too smooth by reducing the volume by -3dB before the DAC? Does it negatively impact punch and dynamics? Thanks again for your help.
I use Mytek Brooklyn DAC + with Roon and JRiver. I also use Spotify and browser (no exclusive mods though). In both Roon and JRiver I up sample to DSD 250. I always set it to 0db. Just now saw this and set headroom with -3db in Roon, Clip protection in JRiver and -3DB in Windows. I will see how it goes. Thanks for the suggestion!
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Excellent 🤗
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Excellent
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Thanks!
Thank you sir
I tried this last night with Audirvana paired to my AudioGD DAC via USB. I could hear a difference between Software Volume on (-3db) and with it off.
However, I couldn't tell if it was "better" or just different.
I use Roon which runs directly on the Grimm Audio Mu1. As I use a Procedural Eq on the low frequencies I cut the Roon 4dB down to avoid clipping and this works on 99% of the songs (no red clipping signal). In this case, is it still advisable to add the 3dB Headroom with the Output Control in the Mu1 settings?
Thank you so much
I don’t expect it will. But just try and listen. It’s quite audible in an A-B comparison.
Nice to hear about simple solutions. I'm thinking into applying it into DSPs in which I apply some filters (Convolution mainly), For best experience, I should apply the reduction first, before the rest of the effects, right?
Correct
Great video. In Roon, I only do up sampling to 384K...I always thought having the -3db Headroom will not be lossless. Should the Headroom -3db adjustment be ON by default in all cases? Thanks
Absolutely. BTW upsampling isn't lossless either. Any digital processing is lossy. But the SQ gain when upsampling might be better than the loss.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Makes sense. Thanks very much
This worked on ALL three external usb DACs I own( Simple Yet Effective)
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Wow...thank you. What a nice tip. I made some adjustments, including JRiver, and voila........either the changes were effective as you advised....or my tubes suddenly broke in and got sweet on the top by themselves. If this is a placebo effect, please don't tell me.
Great job!
I have been doing this for years because I thought it sounded better, but had no idea of an logical reason behind it. Software volume is theoretically worse, and does sound worse (lower dynamic range) if reduced more than around -10. This true of any DAC Ive used, but especially on a Denafrips Ares2.
Nowadays digital volume control can be better than analog ones. It’s all down to the implementation.
Thanks Hans for this good video.....something else now, months after your surgery, how do you feel ?
It's been 1.5 years now and I already felt fine after a few weeks. It solved the tremor considerably. Thanks for asking.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel 👍👍 pleased to hear that.
NOS TDA1541A with a 6dB/octave filter sounds pretty good to my ears
Enjoy the music
Good information. However source can also provide a similar problem. The dreaded radio edit, where the original signal has been clipped to reduce distortions when played back on budget domestic equipment. Ironically this then sounds worse on high end equipment.
Of course, but that wasn't the topic.
I do this. I
usually end up somewhere between -3 dBFS and
-9 dBFS to optimize the sound quality from any source file. Most people will argue with me that I’m crazy and say I should leave it at 0 dBFS, but that doesn’t work as well as being @ -3 dBFS or lower and letting more signal into the PA within the analog domain. It just sounds better, and even if you take 10 dB away, there’s still sufficient DR and SNR at 16 bits. People get so wrapped up in the technical, they miss the point of enjoying the music.
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What does it mean when people say they do -3dBFS? Like how do I do that?
@@Ken-vv3os that just means 3 dB less than full scale. For power, that would be half power, but in voltage, which is what we’re discussing, -6 dB would be half. -3 dB in voltage would be about 0.7 of the voltage (roughly 2/3’s).
@@shipsahoy1793 but how do you actually do that? What do you tweak on which device?
@@Ken-vv3os oh I get you, sorry ! The easy way is to have a dac that allows you to make those adjustments. Some dacs have a digital control that you can go from zero down to minus whatever in half dB or dB increments.
You can’t do it on a Modi or something that doesn’t have what’s referred to maybe as preamp mode instead of dac mode. I’m not up on the difficult ways or all design permutations. You can use the volume control on a passive preamp to “pad” or reduce the level coming out of the dac, but the dac analog output will still be up at full output.
Hans, I couldn’t help but notice in your Munich High End show graphic that most gents were wearing a light blue shirt similar to yours. Is this some kind of audiophile uniform code? 😁
For eight years I worked to get the blue shirt the fashion for the high-end industry. Finally it's starting to work out now.
😂 brilliant response Hans. Simply brilliant
Many thanks for this tip (and your great channel!). I'm trying to apply this tip in my MoOde audio player (volume type set to fixed output (=0db) and max output to 90%). Can you point me in the direction where I can apply your tip in Moode?
It's been a while (and many pieces of equipment) ago since I used MoOde. But if you use it with an external DAC, set the volume at -3 dB.
Thank you for this video!
When using roon with automatic headroom -3db is applied, when using Tidal directly as the software source (instead of Roon) I believe reducing -3db on the volume in Tidal should do something similar. So to my understanding in applying the -3db on the software there is no need to further reduce -3db on the DAC, although there is no harm in doing so. But when producing music on a DAW such as Logic Pro X or Ableton Live, how would you approach this? Would you recommend reducing the master to -3db? And if applying a correction plug-in such as Sonarworks which is applied on the master, should you reduce -3db on the plug-in output or would its safe headroom feature is enough?
Well, you shouldn't produce signals that create 'overs' and give a bit of headroom so the reconstruction filters overshooting doesn't happen. But if you want to do the same as on the playback systems, you can reduce the monitor out with 3 dB and control the volume after the digital to analog conversion.
Hehe, think I've already done this, just through listening - without knowing the ins and outs. I use roon (macmini - roon core), brcasti M5 network bridge (roon frontend) linked to echo's end dac via usb. Speakers are Klipch cornwall IV (pretty sensitive) . I have reduce UFS (target db from default -14db to -17db. Anything further seems to deaden.
Roon also has a headroom set at -3 dB that can be switched on.
Sorry are you saying it makes sense to implement headroom management for NOS DACs, or only for upsampling DACs? I have a Holo Audio NOS DAC (fed by iFi Zen Stream), and am trying to figure out if I should implement the -3db headroom in Roon?
Every filter - analog and digital - will have some overshoot but analog filters have a nicer character when it happens. But why not just apply that 3 dB attenuation? It won’t harm the sound when done properly.
Many thanks for the insight explanation.
I do find my Topping D90 AK4499 DAC sometimes some media sound harsh or sharp thus fatigue listening over time. I have to lower -3dB at Topping DAC90 pre-amp mode then control volume at Accuphase E280 integrated amplifier.
Recently I heard there's FPGA firmware update of some DAC , can they really improve sound quality ?
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Hello Hans, thanks for sharing this intressting tip. I have a NAD C658, that is my preamplifier with al the inputs like phonostage, cd input and is my streamer,and it is also my DAC. I already looked in the settings of my c658 but i can not find any settings about lowering the volume with 3 db or clipping protection. So do you perhaps know if i can do changes in my NAD c658 that are related to your story in this video? Thanks for your help in advance, and enjoy your time in Munich. Best regards Danny.
You can't. It's not possible to reduce the volume in the digital chain prior to the DAC.
The C658 has both a network streamer and a DAC integrated, but doesn't expose pre-DAC controls of this type in the BluOS software. The volume limits in the BluOS settings are all on the analog output side.
It's possible that NAD do this in their design in some way, but it's not disclosed as a feature so it's unknown.
I listen music via Gustard R26 dac using its internal streamer. Would using the inbuilt attenuator do the same trick? I think it is around -10db though. When outside nos mode one can also lower the volume via the preamp mode..
No. You can't correct the volume between the streamer and the DAC.
Just by flying by the seat of the pants, if I record in the digital domain I usually trim up just a notch before clipping. And when all is well, and the band rehearses I turn it down by 3 dB. You never know if he hits that cymbal extra hard next time! This way I know there is no digital clipping. But I keep an eye on that red light though!
This is not about clipping during recording but overshooting of the reconstruction filter.
@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel yes I know, but if ones messes up during recording you can't solve it during playback. So although the reason is different, the problem is the same! You can't go beyond the brick wall as easily as with analogue... the latter is more forgiving...
Thanks for your video Hans. I use audirvana and I oversample to a power of 2. Should I still reduce the volume by -3db?
Yes
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel thank you maestro
Thank you Hans - based on your description it looks to me like BluOS users might be able to try -3dB via “volume limits” in settings->Audio. Anyone else know if this works? (I’m about to try it). Thanks
Yes it will work (I’ve been doing this for a while) however, when you switch to variable output it locks out the ‘MQA Eternal DAC’ feature. Not important to me but maybe for some . This is with a Node2i being used as a transport only.
Excellent insight!
ps> a funny thing but as a native English speaker you say "thumbs up" in the plural, even when you are expecting a single thumb! ;)
I worked for UK magazines in the past and visited the UK a lot.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Yes I see your English is excellent, there is no doubt. In my defence I am a native English speaker who grew up in Australia topping the English subject all through school and writing a masters thesis in English at an Australian university then later publishing two journal articles in American academic journals.
In the end if does not matter, the excellent content of your videos is the most relevant part! :)
Hello Sir, many thanks for all your videos, I am impressed of your knowledge, congratulations, I use wiim pro with an external smsl dac (do400), should I set the -3db on the SMSL? This dac goes till +2 db, actually set to 0, Wiim I am using as fixed volume, thanks again
The volume needs to be lowered by 3 dB in the streamer.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel thanks a lot for your kind reply, I had just a quick look inside the Wiim app, there is the functionality "Set the maximum allowed volume" I can choose from 0 to 100, may I ask you Sir what value shoud I pick from 0 to 100 to reduce the -3db (it may be smth like 95%) ? Thanks really a lot
Thank you Hans for the video. I'm using TIDAL connect to stream directly to my TEAC UD-701N, could I somehow place a headrom in my chain?
Use the volume slider in the app to reduce the level.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Thank you. If you could review the Teac UD 701N I'm sure you will like it :)
Hello Hans, would a min-3dB setting also work with the Dirac standalone software I have on my PC? The PC I built is the source for all my music, going to an Accuphase DAC-60.
What a waist of such a good DAC. Buy a 2nd hand network bridge for a drastic improvement of the sound quality!!
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Wouldn't that stop me from being able to use Dirac on my PC? It's a self-built one, with heavy power supply. I go optical to my DAC-60 for galvanic isolation.
Can this type of digital clipping cause any dangers to loudspeakers? Or does it only effect the sound quality?
Only the sound quality
Will I benefit from a sound improvement if I connect a Topping E70 Velvet DAC coaxially to my Bluesound Node (2021 edition)? The E70 Velvet analog out will go to my Yamaha RX-A4A av and then to B&W 606 S2 speakers.
I haven’t reviewed the topping so I can’t say.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel OK. Thanks for your prompt reply
Wow, great info. How much is 3db in the Qobuz volume bar if i only are in Qubuz app (Windows 11 volume 100%). With integrated dac chip Sabre es9118 and external amp? Thank you for the video.
I don’t know. Just try it.
Rather using Clip protection in JRiver I'm using Fabfilter Pro L2 in the DSP chain... Is it a right way to stop reconstruction issue in my IFI Zen V2 USB DAC?
I don’t know the Fabfilter so I can’t say.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Fabfilter Pro L2 is a limiter plugin and I've set it up as a clipper.
I use MusicBee as a player and it has a digital volume but only shows in percentages, such as up to 100% maximum. Does anyone know for players that only have volume as percentages, how much one should lower that percentage to get around -3db? I am trying to remain as high as possible so just going down 5 or 10% may be more limitation than I need. Are there thoughts from anyone who knows?
Good question. Although i cant even find the digital volume setting. anyone knows more about this "trick"/ headroom leveling for musicbee?
Thanks for your video. The chord dave shows -3db when used in pass through mode. Is this doing the same thing?
No, that’s the analog output level.
Running Audirvāna on Mac mini connected to denafrips Pontus II. I have options to attenuate volume two ways - DAC and SW (software volume control). Which is the better control to reduce by 3db?
In Audirvana
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannelthanks for your response. To clarify - I have both of those settings in Audirvāna. Trying to figure out which to use.
I have the Cambridge CXN and the MiniDSP (as DAC with Dirac) so MiniDSP is my DAC. Where would it be best in that chain to apply the 3dp drop?
In the Cambridge Audio if the digital out is volume controlled. If not, you can't.
Leuke video. Ik heb een bluesound n130 en kan mijn hoge en lage tonen met 0 tot en met 6 db verlagen. Lijkt mij meer een equalizer functie.
Zie ik dit goed?
Zie het verder niet terug in de menu functie.
The Bluesound can't do this.
I've tried this in the past in Roon, but found any manipulation of the signal using Roon makes it sound worse. Could just be my setup however.
You might try it again, I think Roon has improved.
Does anyone know how dCS (Data Conversion Systems), the inventor of upsampling, handles this problem? The way you're explaining this, it would seem overshoot in reconstruction filters is a known phenomenon?
I haven’t reviewed dCS DACs so I can’t say
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Did a level matched comparison last night and found setting the DAC to -3dB versus 0dB (re-adjusting on the amp using pink noise) sounds marginally fuzzier and less natural. Just enough of a difference it might stand up to a blind test, maybe too subtle. But enough for me to pick what I like better (bypassing volume control). The Upsampler in this scenario is a unit of its own, by the way, internal clocks of all units synchronized by an external master clock, volume control in the DAC is digital in 0.5dB steps. Given time, I'll try the same with an older generation model as well, for which dCS informed me back in the era there's about a bit resolution loss per 6dB, and that the older models had less headroom (effect of using the volume control is more audible).
Hi Hans, I’m using an Eversolo DMP 6 with RCA to a Sonos 5, can I add a pre amp to this set up and would it help with sound/volume?
No, it won't improve the sound quality.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel is there a clipping protection or -3dB option in a DMP-A6?
I have tube usb dac. Im using apple macbook air. I can change the volume on the computer or in tidal.
I always have the volume on computer( output spdif)to max.
And in Tidal application i have in settings force volume on , exslusive mode of and MQA on.
This sound to me the best.
If inhave exslusive mode on the sound is flat. You think if i lower the output on the computer the sound will be better?
If you want to use MQA, you don't need nor should reduce thee digital level with 3 dBs.
Thanks for the reply.
I have another question.
Do you think that tidal in audirvana sounds better that only tidal aplication.
I have computer in other room. When am listening i don,t see computer so i need remote control for changing songs.
Tidal doesn,t have remote control but
Audirvana does. But then i have to pay for both.
Is there any other solution for this.
Thanks for the reply.
That's why i have digital volume control on my dac. it sits at -8 Db. it also prevents the pre amp from getting outside it's bias. two birds , one stone. Groetjes uit Breda :)
Yes I think this is why it works so well! The dac analog output and preamp input can be receiving a full 4v. It's good to get restrain this a little before hitting the analog domain. Also results in the pre volume pot being turned up... Log pots have a sweet spot around 11 to 2 o'clock.
I have a Node N130 and an SMSL DAC, I can turn down the volume on both devices.
Which device is better to reduce the volume (streamer or DAC)?
On the Node
Volumio if I am right say soft control is not good. Are they wrong? 4:40
Doing processing - like volume change - always gives some loss. But the loss I described caused by oversampling is a bigger loss. The nett sound quality result will be better when Volumio is set to -3 dB.
This is definitely correct!!! Volumio to AK or Sabre even my older BurrBrown this adjustment( lack of) appears to be the complaint of almost every DAC review because most of them lack the inclination for a deeper understanding.
Hans your methodical approach cannot go without being appreciated in a sea of internet reviewers without it.. Thanks so Much!!!! You are a Legend
Oh thanks, i miss this video because youtube being youtube as usual.
Also, i wonder why DAC seems to be very effected by the surface placement, i usually notice more digital artifact and analog distortion when i placed the unit on a glass table; it's a bit like how turntable is picky with vibration but i had no clue on why this also happens with digital hardware.
Some components inside a DAC are microphonic; they are sensitive to vibrations.
I have an Innuos Zenith, and its volume can be reduced by a percentage amount. Has anyone tried this with an Innuos? I'm sure I read somewhere that Innuos recommended not to do this as it adds an extra processing path. They use the term "perfect digital passthrough" when set to 100%. I have a Denafrips Pontus 12th DAC in NOS mode, via USB.
Doing no processing - like volume change - always gives some loss. But the loss I described caused by oversampling is a bigger loss. The nett sound quality result will be better when the Zenith is set to -3 dB.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Thanks. Is there any way of translating a decibel reduction into a percentage?
it's about 3%
How do you know if your DAC has this clipping problem?
Harsh, flat sound with lack of midrange
Almost every DAC suffers from this, even my Chord DAVE and the MolaMola Tambaqui. It’s because digital recordings are recorded not taking in account this phenomenon.
I am now a bit confused. I bought a Benchmark DAC3 because it deals with ‘intersample overs’ by having 3DB of headroom. But you seem to be saying that all DACs have the problem because of the ‘source’ material not taking account of it. Doesn’t that mean it is not ‘all’ DACs that have the problem but ‘all’ DACs will highlight the problem due to the source material containing it already?
I have no hands on experience with your DAC so I can’t help you there.
@@surreygraham6714 my previous dac Rme Adi 2FS dac had also - 2,5dB headroom. In my opinion at least aditional - 3 to - 5dB on digital volume was needed to receive natural sound. (of course still limited to Adi quality)
hi i use qobuz on pc how do i make -3db?
You can only do that when using an external DAC
The Topping e30 ii and many more have a "pure dac" mode. This disables the volume control on the device. Is it similar to the -3db setting you mentioned?
I have no experience with that DAC but I’m almost sure that isn’t doing a -3 dB.
@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Thanks for your reply. Let me do some searching & experimenting!
I had the E30 and as far as I know “pure dac” means that the pre-amplifier is disabled, so the E30 outputs at 100% volume.
This is very interesting. So how would I set my volume in Windows 10 to -3db? My dac is a usb model that connects to my receiver.
You shouldn't do it in Windows. The Windows volume control ruins more that the cure will fix. Use a bit perfect player and set that to - 3 dB.
Is it generally good practice to disable or apply the 3db headroom setting on the MU1? How do I confirm this is a problem without any special measuring tools? Just by ear? I use my amps gain control for volume as opposed to my dac (Tambaqui) and MU1.
Thanks.
To me there's little point obsessing over the numbers when the end goal is sound, do a comparison between the two with audio you've heard a fair few times with a varied selection of instruments and styles, and if the difference is immediately noticeable then it's an issues, if it takes quite a while and some very hard focused listening then it's not an issue and of course if you can't hear a difference it's no issue, music will sound different to everyone's ears, and so with the quality based on the ears of the person, no amount of numbers will satisfy your ears more than something that sounds good, for example, I use a dragonfly black v1.5, a relatively affordable dac instead of a chord mojo which after hearing I decided wasn't justafyable for the price, while many would choose the mojo the black sounded better to me and that's music, the black numbers wise doesn't compete, you can get ancient speakers that sound wonderful with a noise floor near 10% while modern equipment is at 0.00003% or something silly, it's entirely dependable on your ears, always go by ear, numbers will always get better, doesn't tell the full story for how it sounds and it's the same here, just listen for the difference, if there's none it's not an issue or your specific equipment doesn't show the issue.
Whoa. Just asking.
@@labalo5 and I gave you a response appropriate in detail to the complexity of the subject.
There is no harm in having it switched on and its beneficiary when needed. I keep it switched on all the time.
Thx Hans
Agree, in my case even - 8dB is needed. Sound improvent is noticeable from first bit of any song.
Then you have another problem
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel what do you mean? Sound improvent is significant vs 0dB 😉
I wonder if the "volume limits" slider in the audio settings of BluOS can eliminate the Clipping.
No,, it doesn’t.
The limit controls in BluOS are all on the output side, and don't affect this.
So do I understand correctly that for a NOS DAC the 3db headroom will be pointless, since there is no upsampling going on inside the DAC?
And if I upsample in Roon before the signal goes to my external NOS DAC, does that mean that so should enable 3db headroom?
The -3 dB isn’t as effective in NOS DACs but it still does something. In Roon use the option I mentioned when upsampling.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel thank you! I do upsample so I have enabled the -3db headroom in Roon :)
What? 😮
Simple science🤔
Good recordings are nowhere near 0 dBFS - they don't need artificial headroom - and heavily limited/clipped ones, the ones that need it the most, are nowhere near worth listening to. :)
You are fully right. But the number of good recordings is already limited and further decreasing due to the loudness war. Apart from that the upsamplers in DAC chips also overshoot.
@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Alright, we'll call it a draw then? :)
@@adissabovicyou are both right!😉