Software Volume Control question

Audio Formats
1

The thread I post in got locked, so I’ll post here, and hopefully my post isn’t what locked it:

One thing that I am not understanding is the changes of the audio processing with toggling the ‘Software Volume Control’ between ‘On’ and ‘Off’. With the volume control activated and set to 0db, it sounds much warmer and darker. With it off/disabled, the sounds more detailed but thinner with a little break up on top. I kind of thought these would sound the same, but the sound is quite different. What exactly is going on?

2

Bump to get an answer.

3

Currently running the trial version on a Mac and would also like to understand what the best settings are for volume control. Within Audirvana, I have software volume control set to off, and so would expect the volume slider to do nothing, but it does.
I would like my Dac/Amplifier to handle volume only.

4

Hello @DCOne, Can you send me a copy of the “Debug Info”? You can get it in Audirvana Settings>General>Debug Info

Note: By clicking on the Debug Info Audirvana button automatically copies all its content, all you have to do is paste it in response to this message.

5

Damien, as requested…

Audirvana Mac Version 3.5.33 (3563)
macOS 10.15.3 with 8192MB RAM

Trial version using demo license

SIGNAL PROCESSING:

Polarity Inversion:
	Globally: OFF
	Per track: ON
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: 2 folders
AUTO: /Users/davidcollins/Library/Containers/nz.co.pixeleyes.AutoMounter/Data/Mounts/Diskstation2/SMB/hiresmusic/
AUTO: /Users/davidcollins/Library/Containers/nz.co.pixeleyes.AutoMounter/Data/Mounts/Diskstation2/SMB/music/Music
iTunes/Music library synchronization: not synchronized
Library database path: /Users/davidcollins/Library/Application Support/Audirvana/AudirvanaPlusDatabaseV2.sqlite

ACTIVE STREAMING SERVICES

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

CoreAudio audio path, buffer I/O frame size: 512

Max. memory for audio buffers: 5120MB

Local Audio Engine:
Exclusive access: Enabled
Integer mode: Enabled

Preferred device:
LS50 Wireless Speaker
Model UID:LS50 Wireless Speaker:27AC:1050
UID:AppleUSBAudioEngine:GP Acoustics (UK) Ltd:LS50 Wireless Speaker:14200000:1

Active Sample Rate: 48kHz
Hog Mode is off

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
ID 0xdd2 LS50 Wireless Speaker Manufacturer:GP Acoustics (UK) Ltd
Model UID:LS50 Wireless Speaker:27AC:1050 UID:AppleUSBAudioEngine:GP Acoustics (UK) Ltd:LS50 Wireless Speaker:14200000:1

6 available sample rates up to 192000Hz
44100
48000
88200
96000
176400
192000
Audio buffer frame size : 15 to 4096 frames
Current I/O buffer frame size : 512
Volume Control
Physical: No
Virtual: Yes
MQA capability
Auto-detect MQA devices: No
Not a MQA device, user set to not MQA
DSD capability: Unhandled
Device audio channels
Preferred stereo channels L:1 R:2
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

Stream ID 0xdd3 2 channels starting at 1
18 virtual formats:
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 192kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 176.4kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 96kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 88.2kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 48kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz

24 physical formats
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz

Local devices found : 3
Device #0: ID 0x33 Built-in Output Manufacturer: Apple Inc. Model UID: AppleHDA:88 UID: AppleHDAEngineOutput:1B,0,1,2:0
Device #1: ID 0xddb HDMI Manufacturer: Apple Inc. Model UID: AppleHDA:88 UID: AppleHDAEngineOutputDP:1B,3,1,2:0:{D94D-7C04-01010101}
Device #2: ID 0xdd2 LS50 Wireless Speaker Manufacturer: GP Acoustics (UK) Ltd Model UID: LS50 Wireless Speaker:27AC:1050 UID: AppleUSBAudioEngine:GP Acoustics (UK) Ltd:LS50 Wireless Speaker:14200000:1

UPnP devices found : 1
Device #0: ID 0x0 LS50 Wireless - Lounge UID: uuid:5f9ec1b3-ed59-1900-4530-84171500dad6 Location: http://192.168.0.180:8080/description.xml

6

This info indicates that your DAC allow a volume control from your Mac. The volume bar you then see in Audirvana is in fact the volume control of your DAC via your Mac.

7

Thanks for the response Damien. I have an iOS app, that can monitor the volume settings on my DAC. When connected to my DAC/Speakers via UPnP, Audirvana volume does alter the volume settings on my DAC. When connected via USB, Audirvana does not affect the volume control within the iOS app and 100% or 0dB in Audirvana, represents, whatever volume my DAC is currently set to.
UPnP would be my preferred choice but this doesn’t work too well for me at this stage.