Getting Started with J-River Media Center 19: Optimizing Settings for Direct Stream DAC

As a new owner of the Direct Stream DAC, I was excited to start exploring its capabilities. However, I quickly realized that setting it up can be a daunting task, especially with the numerous options and settings available in J-River Media Center 19. In this article, I'll share my experience and provide some tips on how to optimize your settings for the best possible sound quality.

Firstly, I want to emphasize that the USB driver from PSAudio downloaded properly, so you don't need to worry about that aspect. However, I did encounter difficulties with computer audio, which made me suspect that maybe I wasn't setting things up correctly. Thankfully, the unit sounds good out of the box, and I'm hoping that it will improve as I continue to fine-tune my settings.

To start with, I wanted to ensure that I was getting proper native DSD playback. However, upon checking my Direct Stream DAC display screen, I noticed that it showed PCM 352.8 instead of DSD 3452.8. This led me to question whether I had set things up correctly. After researching online, I found that Ted's recommendation to choose 'DSD over DOP' was correct.

Despite this, I still wasn't entirely clear on the correct settings for J-River Media Center 19 with Windows 8.1. It would have been helpful if the instructions provided more specific guidance for those of us who already had version 18 installed. Unfortunately, it took me some trial and error to figure things out.

For those who are new to J-River Media Center or have just received a Direct Stream DAC like myself, I recommend following these steps:

1. Make sure you're using J-River Media Center 19 or later. As mentioned earlier, version 18 lacks many of the DSD setup options needed for optimal performance.

2. Choose 'DSD over DOP' as recommended by Ted in another posting.

3. Check your Direct Stream DAC display screen to ensure that it's set to output DSD 64 or 128.

By following these steps, you should be able to enjoy high-quality audio playback with your Direct Stream DAC and J-River Media Center 19. If you have any further questions or comments, feel free to share them below. I'm still learning the ropes myself, and any advice from more experienced users would be greatly appreciated.

In conclusion, setting up my Direct Stream DAC has been a journey of trial and error, but with the right settings in place, it's clear that this device is capable of producing stunning sound quality. If you're planning to demonstrate your Direct Stream DAC at an event like I am, I hope these tips will help you get started on the right foot. Happy listening!

Jriver media center 19