Hello there,
I need some help/advice please. I'm a new convert to the ISO-DAC, having participated in the recent 'DAC-TOUR' on PFM, I was so impressed I bought one. I'm currently using foobar2000 from a windows 10 laptop to the ISO-DAC which then feeds my power amps directly. I don't have a pre-amp. This works, but I'm finding the volume control in Monkeymote (remote controller on an ipad) too small and want to switch software to something with a better remote-volume controller app.
I recently tried out Audirvana+ for W10 (which ironically, doesn't have a remote app yet, but I might give remote desktop a try) but couldn't get it working properly (in fact I nearly blew my speaker drivers!). If I point Audirvana+ at the ASIO driver, the volume slide bar in Audirvana disappears and the volume get's set to max (or more likely it goes to 'line level' which is max output).
I was wondering if anybody here is using Audirvana+ on W10 and could you please advise me on how I can control volume through this software?
A supplementary question, the answer to which may also help me is: does anybody use HQplayer and how? Your help/pointers will be much appreciated.
Thanks everyone.
Hi Mohammed
You could always try Roon , and use their software for volume control. You can run HQPlayer through Roon as well if you want to upsample. You can also use their remote app on your phone or tablet to control the Roon Core which would be on your Windows laptop. They offer a 14 day trial. https://roonlabs.com/
Thanks Tony
Yes there are some options for software vol control but does your solution have to be remote?
There is a simple line level volume control device that sits on the line out of the DAC between DAC & amp which allows manual vol control - just have to find it again & post a link
Got it
- This is one https://www.barryrudolph.com/stellar/levelpilot.html
BTW, I've no experience with this so it's not a recommendation - just giving you some options
This is another, cheaper one https://www.thomann.de/ie/jbl_nano_patch_plus.htm?glp=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwq57cBRBYEiwAdpx0ven-JgLjlLRxxcupYvPOf9fVf5N3lL9-zlWXTrJfDRNlV3ZwjGiOdhoCHn4QAvD_BwE
That looks good
Thank you all for the suggestions so far, how very quick. I think I'll give Roon a try and see how I get on. I'll investigate how to use HQPlayer with Roon, I have a sneaky feeling HQPlayer will disable the volume control of Roon, but I'm hoping I'm wrong on that. I don't think HQPlayer has a volume control of it's own.
I've also learned there is a switch in Audirvana+ that toggles the volume control over to the DAC, maybe that's what I need to change (back towards the software).
I do prefer having a remote device (ipad/tablet) to control music playback, it's one of the real benefits of digital IMO. The wired(analogue/potentiometer) volume controllers suggested above are news to me and look very well built, but they aren't going to do it for me. Unless there is an IR controlled version, I need to be free of cables. This brings to mind my choice of Linn amplification back in the 80's when I was poised to buy Naim (Nap250's I think) when Linn released the LK1 preamp with an IR-remote. I then owned a Pink Triangle Pip preamp, which demonstrably sounded better than the LK1 but I was sold on the remote controller of the Linn and hence bought a Linn setup (about £1K in those days!). In hindsight I may have dodged another bullet then too...i.e. the never ending Naim upgrade disease.
I must say I'm enjoying the ISO-DAC very much and have already sold my MDAC for almost the same price as the ISO-DAC. In my experience there is simply no contest on SQ between the two devices.
Thanks, Mohammed, for your kind words on the ISO-DAC. Great that the sale of the MDAC just about covered the price of the ISO-DAC.
Look forward to your impressions of Roon & HQPlayer