"Correct" lazy volume control idea using DSP headroom vs. standard volume, your thoughts

Audio Gear Talk
1

I have a passive preamp with no remote.

I understand that i have to have volume on Roon set to 100% otherwise you are degrading the signal the dac and amp has to deal with.

However I’ve also been told on a post here that DSP headroom has zero effect on quality of output.

So I’ve just connected the dots and realised that I can then do non destructive volume control via my laptop via DSP.

What do you think? Is this viable?

2

Sounds totally viable to me. If you have a DAC that offers volume control, you could also use that and avoid using DSP altogether - if you’re not already using it for other reasons. For better advice, you may want to provide more details about your setup.

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3

Have a look at RooExtend thread’s and RooNuimo, Microsoft wheel etc and these make great volume controls for Roon. They might be useful in helping you with volume control

Not sure it retains 100% of the quality using DSP though.

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4

I’m currently using a audioquest cobalt while waiting for my doge 7, but there was noticeable distortion on certain songs (i.e. hurt by johnny cash), plus a teardown of the cobat dac seemed to confirm that this much lauded device is actually an example of marketing success :man_shrugging: Hence I’m using DSP headroom on it already.

5

As long as you’re using headroom management, you should go ahead use DSP volume, since it’s basically doing the same thing. All evidence indicates that Roon’s gain control is top notch.

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6

As the article I linked for you in the other post shows, the calculation precision of Roon’s algorithm is orders of magnitude better than any DAC or amp could ever dream of being able to resolve.

I repeat, no money in the world can buy you such resolving audio equipment as of now!

And even if being available one day, it would not make an audible difference, since your ear-brain system is limited as well.

Some may want to make you believe differently, but scientific research has not yet validated such powers.

Yes, it’s not bit-perfect any more, but that obsession is a symptom of Audio Nervosa, and you may have caught that virus.
Quarantine yourself for two weeks and wait for it to die off while listening to some nice tunes…
I’m attempting to be humorous :kissing_closed_eyes:

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7

I have a feeling that DSP headroom breaks bit perfect but Roon can make it seem not to with its ability to forward MQA signalling after some DSP has been applied.

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