The Processor Menu

The processor menu shows all DSP plug-in options. If an external processor is connected via Lightning Link, the ARIES G2 software processor is disabled, and options shown here apply to the external processor. Use the ‘Up’ and ‘Down’ buttons to highlight a menu item, and use the ‘Play/Pause’ button to select it. Use the ‘M’ button to quit the Streamer menu.

1. ‘PCM Auto Detect’: When this feature is enabled your AURALiC streaming device automatically detects the maximum sampling rate supported by USB-connected DACs and ensures compatibility by resampling the signal only when it is more than the DAC can handle. For example, when playing 384KHz music with a DAC that supports a 384KHz sampling rate the signal is delivered to the DAC unchanged. However, if your DAC can only support rates up 192KHz your AURALiC device would resample that 384KHz music to 176.4KHz. The result is a signal that’s always compatible with your DAC and the best sound quality possible from your system.
2. ‘Convert DSD to PCM’: Your streaming device will convert DSD signals to PCM. Use this option for external DACs that do not support the DSD format. (Due to technical limitations only DSD64 music can be converted to PCM.)
3. ‘DoP Marker’: Chooses between DSD-over-PCM markers. (Early versions of DoP enabled the use of 0xAA while most devices now accept 0x05/FA.)
4. ‘Filter Mode’: The resampler has four built-in filter modes each employing five digital filters optimized for corresponding sampling rates. Developed using a combination of objective data models and subjective testing these modes optimize sonic quality for varying music types and formats.
   • ‘Precise’: A traditional filter design using a single filter algorithm for all sampling rates. Precise mode provides the most exacting sonic representation of source material.
   • ‘Dynamic’: With the same pass-band and stop-band performance as Precise mode but providing less group delay. Dynamic mode is the ideal balance between measurable precision and subjective quality.
   • ‘Balance’: Balance mode is designed to achieve minimum pre-echo and ringing effects. Slow roll-off filters show moderate pass-band and stop- band performance; however, group delay is minimized.
   • ‘Smooth’: Smooth mode scored highest on subjective listening tests during development. All filters in this mode are minimum phase type which means there is no pre-echo at all. Smooth mode filters are designed with very small group delay to eliminate ringing as well.