RME ADI 2 Bit test on 24 bit WAV files fails

Connection with external Audio Devices USB DAC
1

Hi there,

I completed a bit perfect test with my RME ADI 2 DAC, utilising the RME bit tests on their website. These tests, check playback chain for bit perfect capability, and notify the user of the bit rate and pass/fail on the front of the DAC.

Using Audirvana, the tests pass on 16, and 32bit depths, but failed on 24bit.

As a comparison, I used Jriver and Foobar, to perform the same tests.
Jriver passed on all bit depths. 6, 24, 32bit, no issues.
Foobar passed up to 24bit, but failed on 32bit depth.

I am not using any sampling, or volume control.
All tests used the same Asio driver from RME.

DEBUG:
Audirvana 3.5.38

SIGNAL PROCESSING:

Polarity Inversion:
	Globally: OFF
	Per track: OFF
Effects plugins NOT ACTIVE

UPSAMPLING:
SoX not in use
SoX filter parameters
Bandwidth at 0dB = 99.5
Filter max length = 30000
Anti-aliasing = 100
Phase = 66

AUDIO VOLUME:
Max allowed volume: 100
Replay Gain: None
SW volume control: OFF

LIBRARY SETTINGS:
Sync list: 3 folders
Manual: (OFFLINE) E:\FLAC MUSIC
Manual: (OFFLINE) E:\WAV MUSIC
AUTO: C:\Users\Steve\Downloads
Library database path: C:\Users\Steve\AppData\Local\Audirvana\AudirvanaPlus\AudirvanaPlusDatabaseV2.sqlite

ACTIVE STREAMING SERVICES
TIDAL: Connected as HIFI

=================== AUDIO DEVICE ========================

Max. memory for audio buffers: 1914MB

Local Audio Engine:ASIO 2 driver version 1

Preferred device:
Analog (1+2) (RME ADI-2 DAC)
Model UID:Analog (1+2) (RME ADI-2 DAC)
UID:\?\SWD#MMDEVAPI#{0.0.0.00000000}.{131bc92d-151e-4452-b232-fefe3e0d3ee2}#{e6327cad-dcec-4949-ae8a-991e976a79d2}

Currently playing in Integer Mode:
Device: 2ch 32bits Integer, 8 bytes per frame 96kHz

Active Sample Rate: 96kHz

Bridge settings:
Sample rate limitation: none
Sample rate switching latency: none
Limit bitdepth to 24bit: OFF
Mute during sample rate change: OFF

Selected device:
Local audio device
ASIO MADIface USB Manufacturer:
Model UID:ASIO MADIface USB UID:ASIO MADIface USB

13 available sample rates up to 11289600Hz
44100
48000
88200
96000
176400
192000
352800
384000
705600
768000
2822400
5644800
11289600
Volume Control
Physical: No
Virtual: No
MQA capability
Auto-detect MQA devices: Yes
Not a MQA device, user set to not MQA
DSD capability: Raw DSD (MSB)
Device audio channels
Preferred stereo channels L:0 R:1
Channel bitmap: Ox3, layout:
Channel 0 mapped to 0
Channel 1 mapped to 1

Audio channels in use
Number of channels: 2
Use as stereo device only: No
Simple stereo device: Yes

1 output streams:
Number of active channels: 2, in 1 stream(s)
Channel #0 :Stream 0 channel 0
Channel #1 :Stream 0 channel 1
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 44.1kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 48kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 88.2kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 96kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 176.4kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 192kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 352.8kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 384kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 705.6kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 768kHz
2 ch DSD 8bit big endian in 8bit chunk 2822.4kHz
2 ch DSD 8bit big endian in 8bit chunk 5644.8kHz
2 ch DSD 8bit big endian in 8bit chunk 11289.6kHz

Local devices found : 2
Device #0: ASIO MADIface USB Manufacturer: Model UID: ASIO MADIface USB UID: ASIO MADIface USB
Device #1: JRiver Media Center 26 Manufacturer: Model UID: JRiver Media Center 26 UID: JRiver Media Center 26

UPnP devices found : 0

2

Look for Bit Test:
https://www.rme-audio.de/adi-2-dac.html

image
image1026×382 19.1 KB

3

That’s how it works, Audirvana shows the max bit width as reported by the DAC for the given sample rate. At least that’s @Antoine’s answer in one of the threads on this topic.

4

Ahh, you said it plays 24bit files as 16bit. That’s weird. I have some 24 bit files and those play without issues and show as 24 bit.

Try downloading some samples from 2L:
http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html?

1 Like
5

Here it says 32 bit. Did you mean that?

6

That is not the issue I describe above.

7

I thought I had defined the issue clearly.
I used the RME bit perfect wavs to test the bit accuracy of Audirvana yesterday.
These wavs have been specifically created by RME, allowing the DAC to recognise a test, and provide onscreen bit accuracy information.
I am not playing music, to perform these tests.

I don’t disagree Audirvana displays the max bit depth, as 32bit. I am commenting about the actual bit depth received at the DAC, when playing back the 24bit test wavs from Audirvana to my RME adi 2 DAC.

Playing the RME ADI bit perfect test wav’s, not music, Audirvana fails the 24bit play back test, passing through at 16bit.

Jriver passed all bit depths and sampling rates.
Foobar passes up to 24bit, 32bit files didn’t play.

I would like to understand why Audirvana, using the same Asio driver as Jriver and Foobar, down converts bit depth from 24bit to 16bit during these tests.
As indicated on the front of the DAC.

Does this mean all 24bit content is down converted? Difficult to know as the Audirvana bit depth doesnt reflect whats playing.

No oversampling is in chain.
Thanks

8

Here is an example:

image
image3154×1767 768 KB

Audirvana sees DAC bit depth at 32bit.

Playing back RME 24bit test files:
Front of DAC, indicating the 24bit file passed at 16bit.

image
image1697×769 406 KB

As reported above, Jriver and Foobar pass the files at 24bit bit perfect, no issues.

Audirvana 3.5.38
SIGNAL PROCESSING:

Polarity Inversion:
	Globally: OFF
	Per track: OFF
Effects plugins NOT ACTIVE

UPSAMPLING:
SoX not in use
SoX filter parameters
Bandwidth at 0dB = 99.5
Filter max length = 30000
Anti-aliasing = 100
Phase = 66

AUDIO VOLUME:
Max allowed volume: 100
Replay Gain: None
SW volume control: OFF

LIBRARY SETTINGS:
Sync list: 3 folders
Manual: (OFFLINE) E:\FLAC MUSIC
Manual: (OFFLINE) E:\WAV MUSIC
AUTO: C:\Users\Steve\Downloads
Library database path: C:\Users\Steve\AppData\Local\Audirvana\AudirvanaPlus\AudirvanaPlusDatabaseV2.sqlite

ACTIVE STREAMING SERVICES
TIDAL: Connected as HIFI

=================== AUDIO DEVICE ========================

Max. memory for audio buffers: 1914MB

Local Audio Engine:ASIO 2 driver version 1

Preferred device:
ASIO MADIface USB
Model UID:ASIO MADIface USB
UID:ASIO MADIface USB

Currently playing in Integer Mode:
Device: 2ch 32bits Integer, 8 bytes per frame 44.1kHz

Active Sample Rate: 44.1kHz

Bridge settings:
Sample rate limitation: none
Sample rate switching latency: none
Limit bitdepth to 24bit: OFF
Mute during sample rate change: OFF

Selected device:
Local audio device
ASIO MADIface USB Manufacturer:
Model UID:ASIO MADIface USB UID:ASIO MADIface USB

13 available sample rates up to 11289600Hz
44100
48000
88200
96000
176400
192000
352800
384000
705600
768000
2822400
5644800
11289600
Volume Control
Physical: No
Virtual: No
MQA capability
Auto-detect MQA devices: Yes
Not a MQA device, user set to not MQA
DSD capability: Raw DSD (MSB)
Device audio channels
Preferred stereo channels L:0 R:1
Channel bitmap: Ox3, layout:
Channel 0 mapped to 0
Channel 1 mapped to 1

Audio channels in use
Number of channels: 2
Use as stereo device only: No
Simple stereo device: Yes

1 output streams:
Number of active channels: 2, in 1 stream(s)
Channel #0 :Stream 0 channel 0
Channel #1 :Stream 0 channel 1
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 44.1kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 48kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 88.2kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 96kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 176.4kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 192kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 352.8kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 384kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 705.6kHz
2 ch Integer PCM 32bit little endian 768kHz
2 ch DSD 8bit big endian in 8bit chunk 2822.4kHz
2 ch DSD 8bit big endian in 8bit chunk 5644.8kHz
2 ch DSD 8bit big endian in 8bit chunk 11289.6kHz

Local devices found : 2
Device #0: ASIO MADIface USB Manufacturer: Model UID: ASIO MADIface USB UID: ASIO MADIface USB
Device #1: JRiver Media Center 26 Manufacturer: Model UID: JRiver Media Center 26 UID: JRiver Media Center 26

UPnP devices found : 0

10

The file is 24bit 44.1 KHz? This file shows as 16bit bit at the DAC?

11

Hi,

Referring to the Audirvana image, you can see the files used for the 24bit test are:
192khz, 44.1khz, 96khz 24bit wavs, with 24bit depths.
image
As I have said before these files are test files on the RME website. Their purpose is to test for bit perfect playback through a signal chain. The DAC provides a bit depth pass indicator.

Audirvana is playing back 24bit files as 16 bit files, which is why the DAC is showing 16bit…
The DAC should be showing a 24bit pass, not a 16bit pass.

As highlighted, JRIVER and FOOBAR honour the 24bit depth and playback at 24bit, passing the 24bit test on the DAC. The Audirvana is therefore altering the bit depth.

Will tech support review this?

12

Is tech support available?

I am trialling this software, I just want to understand if this issue can be overcome easily, or its an Audrivana software fault.

13

@Antoine is reading the forums but you can also write to support@audirvana.com.

I would also try with a real music file, you can find some samples at 2l.no and for 24/44.1 and 24/48 look in HDTracks. You’ll have to sift through the catalog a bit, since it’s unusual resolution, but there are some.

Maybe the test files are just artificially padded with 0s, and that’s why it gets decimated. That’s just a hypothesis, I really don’t know. My DACs don’t show bit-depth info.

14

Thanks I appreciate that advice.
I would just like to understand why Jriver and foobar playback the files bit perfect, yet Audirvana doesn’t.

The DAC itself doesn’t display bit depth on USB for normal music connections.
This is because the USB flow transfers in 32bit.

15

The funny thing is why the DAC reports “16bit pass” when you’re playing 24bit file. Shouldn’t it say “24bit fail”? It looks like it mistakes the 24bit file for 16bit sample. I’m suspecting that in those files there is some artificial padding going on.

I hope that Audirvana team can help you figure this out, but unless they have RME DAC to test on it will be hard.

16

@Antoine

A thread I created on the RME website.
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?pid=158095#p158095

I have included a video link of the issue in the link above.

17

Out of curiosity try to limit the playback to 24bit, there is a toggle in the settings. I would expect 24bit to pass and 32bit to fail.

18

I don’t have an option to limit to 24bit.

19

@Antoine Are you able to chime in?

20

@Antoine Doesn’t appear to be an issue using IOS Audirvana with RME ADI2…
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?pid=158110#p158110

21

I have exactly the same problem with getting a bit perfect by RME Adi2 Dac from Adirvana on Win10. The same Audirvana Mac test passes without any problem. Of course, these are 24-bit files that are recognized as 16-bit.