Hi, I’m been using Roon with my 861v4/ID40 combo for a number of years. I use OA13 balanced cards for analogue output to my amp and speakers.
I recently starting wondering about the volume control side of things, to the point that I’m looking at plumbing in a decent quality passive pre.
To date I’ve used the “device” volume control setting. My questions being:
At present, what is conducting the volume control, is it done in software in Roon using the 64bit float, or is it being completed by the Volume capability within.the 861v4, which I understand is a hybrid digital/analogue solution?
If I want to bypass the volume control for just the ID40 as source, can I do that using the Meridian app or simply using using the Roon app to change from “device” to “fixed”?
My thanks in advance
mjw
(You want nice, supportive? Call a damn helpline.)
2
Device volume means that Roon is communicating with the Meridian 861v4, via the ID40 network card, and this is handling volume. If Roon was using DSP to control volume this would be seen in the Signal Path.
This is a network card that provides the 861v4 with network connectivity. Consequently, it doesn’t have volume control; that is in the 861v4.
If you wish to control volume with the addition of a preamp, switch the zone to Fixed volume in the Roon app.
From what I’ve read, the volume control cannot be bypassed. However, if you set the volume in the device to its “unityfull” volume, it won’t either amplify or attenuate the signal.
Apparently the “unityfull” volumes are:
861v4 - 87
818 - 89
I just set those as the max device volumes in Roon, so jobs a good un’
AI hallucinates, or to put it another way can’t be trusted on face value.
That said, I’ve just run your search text through a number of models including a plain Google search and all of them state 87 not 89 … maybe it was a glitch in the matrix.
Anyway do validate for yourself and good luck with your project.