I own a Resonessence CONCERO HD DAC (ver. 2.0) connected via a USB cable to a MacBook 12-inch laptop running macOS 10.12.6. When using Roon software v. 1.3 (build 262) to play a DSF DSD64 audio file, I receive the following error message “Roon: an audio file is loading slowly. This may indicate a performance or hardware problem”. The Midi audio devices program indicates that the system format is “2 ch 24-bit integer 176.4 kHz”.
Why is the audio file failing to run?
Alan.
Hi @Alan_Shires ----- Thank you for the report and sharing your feedback with us. Both are very appreciated!
Moving forward, can you please verify for me where your music is being stored/accessed from? Furthermore, if you were to temporarily bypass the the CONCERO HD DAC (ver. 2.0), and play directly out of the internal speakers of the laptop do you still receive this message? How do other file formats respond, while using this DAC?
-Eric
Hi Eric.
Thank you for your prompt reply. In the interim, I resolved the problem by changing the device setup within Roon as follows:
Device Setup: Resonessence Labs CONCERO HD
DSD Playback Strategy: Convert to PCM changed to DSD over PCM v1.0 (DoP)
The audio MIDI program set automatically the system format for my DSF DSD64 file to: 2ch 24-bit integer 176.4 kHz. Is this the maximum sample rate for my MacBook/CONCERO HD USB DAC environment?
Thank you for your assistance, Alan.
As long as you’re not using “System Output” or “Built-in Output” in Roon — and you shouldn’t be, in the circumstances you describe — the settings in the Audio MIDI app just aren’t relevant. Get everything configured in Roon, and examine your Signal Path to make sure your output is as expected when you’re playing music.
Hi David.
Thank you for your prompt response. I have listed below for review the Audio Settings for playback and Signal Path of my DSF DSD64 file via my MacBook and USB DAC.
Audio Settings
Connected to this Mac
System Output: Enable
Built-in Output: Enable
Resonessence Labs CONCERO HD
DSD to PCM
DSD to PCM Filter: Recommended (30 kHz low pass)
DSD to PCM Gain Boost: +6dB
Device Setup: Resonessence Labs CONCERO HD
General
Private Zone: Yes
Volume Control Mode: Fixed Volume
Set Max Device Volume at Playback: No
Resync Delay: 0s
External Volume Control: None
External Source Controls: +
Playback
Bit-Perfect Format Support: 44.1 48 88.2 96 176.4 192 352.8 kHz DSD64
Use Exclusive Mode: Yes
Use Integer Mode if Supported: Yes
Use Max Hardware Buffer Size: No
Use Power-of-2 Hardware Buffer Size: No
Max Sample Rate (PCM): Up to 384 kHz
Max Bits Per Sample (PCM): 24
DSD Playback Strategy: DSD over PCM v1.0 (DoP)
Max DSD Sample Rate: Up to DSD64
Channel Layout: 2.0
Multichannel Mixing Strategy: Channel Mapping Only
Zone Grouping
Sync Adjustment (ms): 0
Clock Master Priority: Default
Signal Path
Signal Path: Lossless
Source: DSF DSD64 2ch
This Mac: Roon Advanced Audio Transport
Encapsulation: DSD over PCM v1.0 (DoP)
Output: CoreAudio Exclusive Mode
Thank you for your assistance, Alan.