Bit rate of Vox Player when external DAC connected

#1

I have an Oppo HA-2. It can covert up to 32bit/384Khz. If I have a Hi Def file (FLAC for example), what resolution will Vox Player play the file?

#2

Vox for iOS always sends 32-bit float to audio output (it's recommended by Apple engineers as a most suitable & quality format). It's up to DAC characteristics and iOS to decide which sample format will be sent to device.

#3

Okay- is the answer, "Yes." to "Is 32 bit is the bit depth of Vox Player, for iOS and Mac OS X, when external dac is connected."

#4

I am not sure I understand Your question... Did You mean resolution used for signal path thought the app? Or the output resolution?

Internally:
Vox uses 32 bit float for internal signal path, the output depends on output device.
Optionally, for "bit perfect" file formats, Vox will use 16, 24 or 32-bit integer internally, if output device allows and other settings allow, to minimise conversions.

Output:
Regarding iOS - You already have reply.

As to which resolution output has on DAC on OS X, this depends on DAC! Most external interfaces nowadays understand 24-bit integer so the Vox output will inevitably be 24-bit...

#5

What I am asking (as the original poster) is, if I have a higher resolution file, and that I play of from VOX, and the DAC attached is able to play that higher resolution file, will it be played at the highest resolution? I ask because the files on iTunes will be at lower resolution ,and as I understand it, even if you have ALAC, they will still be played at lower resolution when output on the iPhone through the built in DAC.

#6

Robin, since You are asking about mobile platform, that's all I can tell You for sure - what I've done and what I control: Vox outputs 32-bit float. That makes it possible to easily convert to 32-bit integer, or down-convert it to 24-bit or 16-bit integer. On iOS, developer has no means for app to control (and even not able to get to know) the output capabilities of attached device, except for sampling rate and buffer size.

However, I have Apogee Duet USB which can do 192kHz 24-bit and I am able to play a file with the same characteristics without down-sampling.

The device has to be preconfigured with parameters You want, Vox just adopts to them to deliver best possible.

Optionally, You can enable "Sync Sample Rate" - Vox will try to set best output device sample rate for each file automatically.

#7

Robin clarified his statement and sound guy, you were able to answer the question. So, Yes. 32bit to an external DAC.

Vox is a great app!

#8

One clarification: max Sample rate that Vox currently supports with "Sync Sample Rate" On, is 192kHz, so the higher SRs will be downsampled to this value.

#9

I have a related question that I do not think was answered.

Does Vox for Mac auto-select the bit depth and sample rates of the file in AudioMidi when a file type is changed? For instance, when using iTunes, external DAC capable of playing high resolution PCM and DSD files, and playing 16/44.1 files, I set the AudioMidi to the same. Now when I want to play a high resolution file, such as a 24/192, when using iTunes, I have to close iTunes, go to AudioMidi, change the settings and then re-open iTunes to play those files. Does Vox do this automatically ? Hope this question is clear.

#10

in short, currently, Vox allows to auto-select sample rate, but not bit depth, because Vox output is always 32-bit float.

With Vox, all You have to do is once set device to highest bit depth (24 or 32 bit) possible, and in Vox Preferences->Audio enable "Sync Sample Rate" option.

Beware that currently Vox plays DSD files by converting to PCM, hence, different sample rate at the output (88200 Hz).