TOPIC:

How is it implemented - by manipulating the digital stream, or with a colume control chip in the analogue domain?

I'm concerned about effective bit loss in my digital stream at low volumes.

jmansion wrote:

How is it implemented - by manipulating the digital stream, or with a colume control chip in the analogue domain?

I'm concerned about effective bit loss in my digital stream at low volumes.

I've not seen an explicit statement re. the Flex8 but I'm virtually certain that volume adjustment will be in the digital domain as this is what other miniDSPs do. Notw that is does so on a 32 bit DSP chip so 'bit loss' is not usually a concern. I use an SHD as a pre-amp to control volume and it works fine as far as I'm concerned.

Bit loss associated with DVC's is not a concern any longer.  Even in a worst-case scenario, you would not have bit loss at volume settings down to -48dbFS.
If you're at that volume setting I assume you're listening to background music and/or the gain structure of your system is way out of whack.  

Eventually, hardware performance (like DAC noise) will become an issue and erode the bit range of the system.  But at that point, you're probably not listening to music anymore and are bench-testing with test signals.

Dave.

I don't think an assumption that I'm listening low as background is valid.
You have no idea what the gain on my power amps is, or how efficient my speakers are, or how large the room.  Or how loud I like to listen - or how loud it is socially acceptable to listen in my accommodation.
It would be useful to know what resolution is run in the processor, and what the bit width is that is fed into the DAC stage.
I think I'm confident if I do the DSP in my PC as 64 bit doubles, and use a DAC that can receive 32 bits.  At least with 16 bit source material (which most of mine is, but some might be the enhanced 20 bit CDs - I'm current;y re-ripping to FLAC.

That's 32 bit FP, so its a lot less accurate than using doubles on a PC.  Its not as if the input is shifted to a 32 bit int and the resolution is retained.
Its also going to get some issues from resampling to 96kHz.
I think more information on the USB inputs supported, and the DAC stage, would be handy.

If you want to use a PC as the DSP in your audio system there are plenty of good software options in that portion of the market.

Dave.

I'm experimenting with CamillaDSP.  With IIR its should be no problem running on something silent.

Absolutely.
If you're not aware, there's a long thread from Henrik over on DIY.
www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/camil...rrection-etc.349818/

Dave.