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Bit-perfect test
It is essential to test if the Toslink source that is connected to the PowerDAC-R is setup to pass music without any
alterations. Alterations of original music data could cause serious SQ degradation !
Alteration to original (CD) recordings could have numerous causes e.g.
•
Software volume control in streamer/player/pc music application
•
Equalisation in streamer/player/pc music application
•
Sample-rate conversion in streamer/player/pc music application
•
Compression in streamer/player/pc music application
•
DSP alterations in streamer/player/pc music application
•
Re-clocker devices in digital signal path to PowerDAC-R
•
Isolators in digital signal path to PowerDAC-R
•
Other devices in digital signal path to PowerDAC-R
•
Use of MQA (test) files converted to MQA
•
Streaming services you can’t test but they might do any of the above.
•
Other ?
To make sure that music data is received by the PowerDAC-R without alterations you can use the built-in
bit-perfect tester in the PowerDAC-R**.
For this we have 4 wav test files (44.1kHz / 48kHz / 88.2kHz / 96kHz*) that can be played on your
source (streamer/player/pc music application) to check if the music data arrives in the PowerDAC-R
without alteration.
This can only be tested with the PowerDAC-R in the muting volume setting (“-“ on display).
You have to wait until the streaming on PowerDAC-R stops (the decimal point “.” is o
ff
)
before (re)trying (next) track !
Make sure that sample rate is correctly set before playback (in streamer/player/pc music application).
Now play the track, when track play is finished a “P” should be displayed, if not then playback is NOT bit-perfect.
The “P” will become “-“ after stream stops (“.” is o
ff
).
You will have to re-run bit-perfect test if anything (any setting) is changed in your steamer/player/pc music
application.
Download and unzip the bit-perfect test wav files using this link: pd-bitperfect-wav-files.zip
* There is not enough CPU power left to check sample-rates > 96kHz
**
If you bought a PowerDAC-R before October 2021 you will need to do a firmware upgrade to be able to use the bit-perfect test.
