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Need help setting up computer audio with Majestic
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shashirao View Drop Down
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    Posted: 08 Jun 2023 at 12:36am
I recently got my Majestic DAC and need help setting up the USB input/computer audio route.

Here is what I have - and the results are weak (compared to listening over headphones)

My audio archival of my vinyl songs) format is DSD 256, I have also extracted a few PCM WAV files from these archives. The vinyl archival used the Accession MC for pre-amplification and sounds heavenly.

I store these DSDs on External HDDs

I have used Foobar 2.0 and the TASCAM DSD Player on my laptop. Laptop is connected via USB to Majestic via Lataus USB. The Majestic is connected to Proprius via the TRL to XLR Lataus cable.

The sound is dull - hardly any bass, clarity of vocals and no mid-range. Is there something I am missing? Do I need a DSD player instead of using the laptop? I do not believe the laptop soundcard matters since this is USB connect to Majestic.

Thanks in advance
Shashi
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Graham Slee View Drop Down
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Points: 16041 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Graham Slee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2023 at 3:53am
The Majestic DAC (including the USB input) will only accept PCM.

Foobar 2000 will play all PCM files (WAV, FLAC, MP3 etc) to its USB input provided USB Audio Codec is selected (sometimes it says "Speakers (USB Audio Codec)")

Another thing to try is YouTube videos. These should simply play through the USB connection to the DAC with no intermediate software.

In both cases, the sound quality should be normal.

Regarding DSD and SACD, I am no expert, but in my last download of Foobar 2000 when I changed my computer, it includes the following:

C:\Program Files (x86)\foobar2000\components\src\foo_input_sacd

And as far as I can tell, it should play DSD/SACD music files output as PCM in the normal way - it should just do it - but I don't have any DSD/SACD music files to try.

Previous downloads of Foobar 2000 were much different, and I couldn't play 96k files or .APE files for example, but this latest download just does all of it.

Neither do I have all the output preferences as I had on the last machine - no ASIO, WASAPI, etc - and this could be due to my computer, I simply don't know. All I can say is I don't miss them.

As for other playback software, I don't bother. I just use Foobar 2000. OK, it's a very plain looking interface, but just close your eyes...

My answer might not help you at all, although I hope it does. I am no computer expert. Hopefully others will be along to give you a concise answer.

PS. the Foobar 2000 volume slider should be turned up full, and playback volume set to taste on the Majestic.


Edited by Graham Slee - 08 Jun 2023 at 4:07am
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Ash View Drop Down
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Points: 4316 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2023 at 9:06am
Okay, try playing this through the Majestic-Proprius combination.
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Graham Slee View Drop Down
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Points: 16041 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Graham Slee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2023 at 10:37am
That's got a very "live" acoustic, very illusory, but not on all instruments - some appear as if "flattened" (as in photo editing - not as in dull - but a tad boring). All depends on the producer's talents in mixing it.
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Ash View Drop Down
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Points: 4316 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2023 at 11:58am
And on the personal tastes of the listener too. One person's interesting is another person's boring.
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Ash View Drop Down
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Points: 4316 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2023 at 1:54pm
For a more "original" acoustic, this might be preferred for listening tests.

https://youtu.be/watch?v=YQlyHbu0zz4
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patientot View Drop Down
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Points: 1411 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote patientot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2023 at 4:07pm
DSD is a very finicky format. It could be that something is going wrong with the way Foobar is converting those files "on the fly" for playback. I would suggest converting some files (using a known good program) to PCM and playing PCM files since the Majestic was not designed for DSD in the first place.

Note: Foobar is a very powerful program with many different settings as well as plug-ins that come pre-installed. It is very easy to get the settings wrong and mess something up.

If I am being blunt I do not think DSD is worth the hassle. I splurged on true native DSD files awhile back to try for myself with multiple DSD capable DACs and software. These are classical music that was recorded in DSD with no mixing and little to no editing. I was not convinced the DSD format was anything special.

Bottom line is there are reasons DSD has largely been abandoned in the professional world. It barely exists as a niche format on life support today.
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