Need help choosing a good 2.1 or 2.0 setup with a budget of up to £300
- Thread starter Matson
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If your DAC has a headphone socket, see if you get the noises through headphones. If yes: USB issue; see link above.
edit: so the noise goes away when the DAC's not connected to your PC? USB issue, then. Getting there
edit: so the noise goes away when the DAC's not connected to your PC? USB issue, then. Getting there
Yeah I have the dac connected to my PC via optical now... and the usb for the power just connected into my phone power outlet and theres no interference now.
it only happened when I plug the dac into the PC to power it...
The only downside is I need the other power outlet for my phone lol so plugging the usb into the pc was preferable
it only happened when I plug the dac into the PC to power it...
The only downside is I need the other power outlet for my phone lol so plugging the usb into the pc was preferable
Yep lol its the same on everyone I plug into on the pc... but as soon as I plug it into the wall socket adapter its completely perfect
On the plus side though... these speakers sound awesome..... I was unsure how studio monitors would sound for just music but they sound incredible compared to my old pc speakers and its really cool how you can pick out individual instruments so much clearer. Any advice on the sensitivity setting and boundry setting... I have mine with the back close to a wall and the right speaker is next to a wall at the back and the side....
Also do I need to change any pc sound settings like sample rate ect?
From testing I like the sound of setting 3 which is free standing. Maybe that's because there not right up against the wall.
Also does it make any difference which media player you use for music as I want to make sure im getting the absolute best sound out of my pc.
Another question too... Iv noticed my sound now comes from digital audio SPDIF under my sound settings on the computer... that's correct right? It obviously doesn't say the dac because its not connected to my pc via usb but my dac is connected to my pc via optical which its supposed to be for better quality so its still doing the digital to analogue conversion properly right.
When I right click and go on properties for that SPDIF output under sample rates it says which of the following sample rates are supported by your digital receiver... Should I tick them all since this dac supports up to 192khz?
On the plus side though... these speakers sound awesome..... I was unsure how studio monitors would sound for just music but they sound incredible compared to my old pc speakers and its really cool how you can pick out individual instruments so much clearer. Any advice on the sensitivity setting and boundry setting... I have mine with the back close to a wall and the right speaker is next to a wall at the back and the side....
Also do I need to change any pc sound settings like sample rate ect?
From testing I like the sound of setting 3 which is free standing. Maybe that's because there not right up against the wall.
Also does it make any difference which media player you use for music as I want to make sure im getting the absolute best sound out of my pc.
Another question too... Iv noticed my sound now comes from digital audio SPDIF under my sound settings on the computer... that's correct right? It obviously doesn't say the dac because its not connected to my pc via usb but my dac is connected to my pc via optical which its supposed to be for better quality so its still doing the digital to analogue conversion properly right.
When I right click and go on properties for that SPDIF output under sample rates it says which of the following sample rates are supported by your digital receiver... Should I tick them all since this dac supports up to 192khz?
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USB: that's a shame. Maybe an external powered USB hub would solve the problem?
It could be any number of things, judging by a quick search - so far I've seen solutions involving ASIO drivers, USB ports, even length of USB cable - but at least you now know that the speakers are fine.
And I'm relieved, after all that hassle, that you like the D5s as much as I do
Regarding settings, it's mainly a case of trial and error, depending on what sounds best. But I'd start with the boundary: 2 for the one with the back to the wall; 1 for the one in the corner.
If they sound noticeably different [not just louder, but tonally different] then you can probably bump the corner from 1 to 2 [the boundary setting is just a bass-trap compensation roll-off, from what I can gather].
Next, play some music that you know the stereo positioning of [e.g. one where vocals are right in the middle - they usually are - and has instruments that pans from one side to the other [e.g. a roll on the toms]. Adjust the sensitivity of one speaker until the sonic balance sounds right, and those vocals are dead centre. It's unlikely they'll both have the same sensitivity setting due to your speaker placement and seating position, but tweak until deliriously happy
edit: Which media player is best? That's a whole new thread. Go create it, and watch the fur fly
SPDIF from computer: Yes, that's probably right - it depends on whether your soundcard passes through digital [*good*], or whether it does a digi > analogue > digi double conversion [*not so good*] Reconversion seems unlikely, but I don't know much about modern sound card architecture].
It could be any number of things, judging by a quick search - so far I've seen solutions involving ASIO drivers, USB ports, even length of USB cable - but at least you now know that the speakers are fine.
And I'm relieved, after all that hassle, that you like the D5s as much as I do
Regarding settings, it's mainly a case of trial and error, depending on what sounds best. But I'd start with the boundary: 2 for the one with the back to the wall; 1 for the one in the corner.
If they sound noticeably different [not just louder, but tonally different] then you can probably bump the corner from 1 to 2 [the boundary setting is just a bass-trap compensation roll-off, from what I can gather].
Next, play some music that you know the stereo positioning of [e.g. one where vocals are right in the middle - they usually are - and has instruments that pans from one side to the other [e.g. a roll on the toms]. Adjust the sensitivity of one speaker until the sonic balance sounds right, and those vocals are dead centre. It's unlikely they'll both have the same sensitivity setting due to your speaker placement and seating position, but tweak until deliriously happy
edit: Which media player is best? That's a whole new thread. Go create it, and watch the fur fly
SPDIF from computer: Yes, that's probably right - it depends on whether your soundcard passes through digital [*good*], or whether it does a digi > analogue > digi double conversion [*not so good*] Reconversion seems unlikely, but I don't know much about modern sound card architecture].
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Either USB or optical will do - they're both just two different paths for the same sequence of 1s and 0s.
There's no difference in sound quality [for the purposes of this conversation], but as you've discovered today: USB is vulnerable to noise in a way that light isn't
There's no difference in sound quality [for the purposes of this conversation], but as you've discovered today: USB is vulnerable to noise in a way that light isn't
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Should I set sample rates accepted all the way up to 192khz then... Of course not many if any files will be that high a rate but since the dac can do it then I guess its better to tick them all... Oh and im having an Eargasm right now haha. it really does make songs you've heard a million times sound incredible... Listening to some Bruno mars stuff right now and your hearing things you never did before.
haha. it really does make songs you've heard a million times sound incredible... Listening to some Bruno mars stuff right now and your hearing things you never did before.Your DAC supports 24/192k, but your "High Definition Audio Device" [Realtek?] that's optically feeding it may not. Or it may not matter. I don't know for sure, as I don't know whether that setting relates to the [Realtek?] device's input or output. Maybe someone else does.
Try 24/192k. If that doesn't work, go back down the list until you find one that does.
Don't get hung up on it if it doesn't work at 24/192k; this setting isn't about perceptible audio quality. The phrase "Studio quality" is a layman-friendly but misleading term.
edit: I think 96 may be the native limit, anyway. My Benchmark DAC2 is 'only' set at 24/96 and trust me, that's fine
Try 24/192k. If that doesn't work, go back down the list until you find one that does.
Don't get hung up on it if it doesn't work at 24/192k; this setting isn't about perceptible audio quality. The phrase "Studio quality" is a layman-friendly but misleading term.
edit: I think 96 may be the native limit, anyway. My Benchmark DAC2 is 'only' set at 24/96 and trust me, that's fine
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Yeah it doesn't work at 192, I get no sound at all but it works at 24bit/96hz so ill just leave it set to that. AL I need now is more space and stands I think as there below ear height being on the desk so id imagine they sound even better when level with me.
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That sample rate setting should be set high, for technical reasons that I really don't want to have to explain right now.
It's not about the sound quality [you won't hear a difference], it's more about giving Windows extra space to play with when combining audio.
It's available, so might as well make use of it
It's not about the sound quality [you won't hear a difference], it's more about giving Windows extra space to play with when combining audio.
It's available, so might as well make use of it
Set the sample rate to the highest rate you will be playing back. Same goes for the depth. I have mine set at 24/96 and it plays fine. I use WASAPI (same for ASIO) which means that whatever the sample rate your files are recorded at, that's what will be used to play them back. If you use the standard Directsound you're at the mercy of the Windows mixer and although it's a lot better these days (it uses a form of WASAPI), it's still not as good as WASAPI or ASIO.
the whole 16/24/32bit depth and sampling rate argument really only becomes of major importance when you are recording and then you should be sampling at as high a depth and rate as your equipment is capable. DACs tend to have these settings so that they can be used for monitoring and editing the master recordings and also by audiophiles with very high end equipment that is capable of resolving the tiny details involved. As to whether their ears can tell the difference is another matter altogether.
the whole 16/24/32bit depth and sampling rate argument really only becomes of major importance when you are recording and then you should be sampling at as high a depth and rate as your equipment is capable. DACs tend to have these settings so that they can be used for monitoring and editing the master recordings and also by audiophiles with very high end equipment that is capable of resolving the tiny details involved. As to whether their ears can tell the difference is another matter altogether.