Topic: Bit-perfect test - Newbie

Hi all; 1st post, so very 'new' that my RME DAC has still to arrive. Yes, I've read the manual (esp p65-) and read up to post 64 on a relevant thread here.

I have an iMac/Audirvana/iTunes/NAS, Logitech Squeezebox (barely used), RPi 3b (soon to be a Rpi4B), Allo Boss DAC. Also Spotify Premium.

My question(s):

1. Is there an idiot's guide for newcomers like me to use the bit-perfect files (I've already downloaded them)? If not, could there be and saved as a 'stickie'?
2. Do I need to test all sources of music separately?
3. Do I need to test all interconnects (USB, Optical, Co-ax) separately?

(I'd imagine 'yes' to both Q2&3).

4. Do I need to burn the files to a CD-R to test the CD source?

5. What does one do if one or more of the tests fails, besides trying alternative interconnect cables?

6. (Supplementary ). Can one use these files to test other DACs?


Apologies if some /all of these questions have been answered in other threads - but it would be great to have them all in one place, if only for my benefit, but I'm sure for others too.

Re: Bit-perfect test - Newbie

to 1: its a wave file, so its is audio, how do you listen to audio ? By using an audio player.
to 2: y/n you test per application/driver, preferred ASIO (some apps only support WASAPI)
to 3: yes to be sure that you have no problem with the transport in terms of cable and what not ..
to 4: if the ADI is connected per USB to e.g. a PC/Laptop then simply download/play these test files using audio player, its a normal plain .wav audio format file
to 5: check whether you didn't cause the error by e.g. changing the volume at the audio player or a mixer from 100% to lower value
to 6: obviously not because the device has to be prepared (in formware) to recognize, evaluate such an audio test pattern and to display the result whether it works

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

3 (edited by KaiS 2021-03-05 12:32:28)

Re: Bit-perfect test - Newbie

1. It’s as simple as can be: play the files and the ADI-2 will show you pass or fail, no more.

Just in case you didn’t, read the according passage in the manual.

2.–4. Yes
To 4.: Only use the 44.1 kHz / 16 bit file.
Burn it repeated, multiple times (e.g. 99x, the CD’s limit of track numbers) on CDR, makes testing more convenient.


5. Very few occasions where cables are the reason if they are not longer than spec’ed.

Disable or normalize (“100 %”, 0dB etc.)  all audio processing in your system - even mixing functions, volume and balance settings - to get a 1:1 pass of the signal to the output.

6. No, no other DAC does know the special pattern of the bit test signal and has the testing routines built in.

Re: Bit-perfect test - Newbie

Thanks guys, much as expected.

Looking forward to receiving the DAC in the next few days...!