archimago.blogspot.com
The -3dB -4dB default setting, as some do, is a wise precaution... but forget about bitperfect, etc., and it allows for even more precise measurements of the precautions to be taken with positive-gain PEQs, etc.A look at the music library: How much DAC intersample overhead is enough? True Peak analysis of genres in an eclectic digital collection.
A blog for audiophiles about more objective topics. Measurements of audio gear. Reasonable, realistic, no snakeoil assessment of sound, and equipment.
Replaygain should probably help in these cases but interesting to see the Tracy Chapman track mentioned in the article actually has a positive Replaygain value making the situation worse.
Even though I shouldn't be concerned... I'm at 94%... as a minimum precaution ;-)
It's impossible by definition to take measures against the ISO present in a digital recording and to keep it bit perfect at the same time. Audiophiles should be aware of this. They can't have it all at the same time.
even 2.5db seems insufficient in many cases ;-)
I wonder how/if this even manifests in a system like mine (zero DAC; Marantz M1 amplifier is straight PCM to PWM, pure digital input, with global feedback).
and here I forget the complexity induced by the positive corrections, and positive pregain etc... (hence the interest of the true peak overload of "my current blabla" in gentle monitoring)
2.5dB? The post you quoted stated 24dB for digital sources.
If volume control is digital it shouldn't manifest at all, unless you crank the volume to maximum.
IMHO it is a bit overstated to say that +2,5dB inter-sample peak (ISP) headroom is "insufficient in many cases".
Any boosts have to be compensated by pregain and/or volume if one wishes to be certain to avoid any chance of overload, indeed.
This thing has a ton of, "gain;" I have the maximum volume capped at 50% and there's literally only like 4 tracks in my entire collection that I ever listen to at 100% in order to hit 90dB peaks at my main listening position 8 feet away from the speakers/sub. I never have to worry about clipping despite using DIRAC Live.If volume control is digital it shouldn't manifest at all, unless you crank the volume to maximum.
Just a note that gain and power are not the same thing. I.e. an amp with a lot of gain may actually clip more easily than an amp with low gain - since it will be easier to push a high-gain amp into maximum power.
If volume control is digital it shouldn't manifest at all, unless you crank the volume to maximum.
IMHO it is a bit overstated to say that +2,5dB inter-sample peak (ISP) headroom is "insufficient in many cases".
In Archimago's article we can see that in most genres +2,5dB ISP headroom handles >99% of tracks in his library without any overload at all.
For the few ISP-heavy genres +2,5dB was still plenty for the vast majority of tracks specifically:
So again we see that a very small proportion of all tracks require more than +2,5dB headroom for ISP.
- Electronica: ~94% of tracks with ISP below +2,5dB
- Rap / Hip-Hop: ~97% of tracks with ISP below +2,5dB
- Pop: ~98% of tracks with ISP below +2,5dB
If we're being honest, even 0,5-1dB of ISP headroom would cover most of the tracks. +4,5dB would certainly be a very safe margin, but also a bit of overkill. Most well-recorded and well-produced music will not have a lot of ISP.
Note also that whichever value for ISP headroom you select, you will probably find some track that needs more. The question is only where we should draw the line.
But again, ISP headroom in general is only important if the user sets the digital volume to 100%. E.g. people who buy-into the "bit-perfect" story may override digital volume controls and use an analog volume control downstream instead. These people may indeed suffer from inter-sample peak overload distortion and so may want higher ISP headroom in their DAC; but one may argue that the simpler solution would be to just use the digital volume control instead. The impact to SNR by using a digital volume control is irrelevant in practice, and you avoid the issue altogether. But anyway, that's just my two cents.
just the sum of the two...our DSP side tinkering if in positive gain....and original ISP....
I agree on both points.
I've said this myself, so that note is only useful to other readers.Just a note that gain and power are not the same thing. I.e. an amp with a lot of gain may actually clip more easily than an amp with low gain - since it will be easier to push a high-gain amp into maximum power.
Whether or not you hit clipping depends (at least) on DL/PEQ boosts, digital volume level, amplifier gain, amplifier power and speaker sensitivity.
But with level limited to 50% you are most probably safe on all points.
And for the few tracks that require more level, those are probably such quiet recordings that again there's no need to worry.
And wait, with all that... you're forgetting the additional layer that Wiim adds to all this...I agree on both points.
EDIT: We all sometimes tend to overcomplicate so it is not strange that it happens often in the audio hobby as well. But to be fair, it is sometimes far from trivial to understand which complications are necessary and which aren't, sometimes even years of study and experimentation... But we could also say that's half the fun.
As I stated before in several discussions we had on this topic, I disagree with you that DRC makes anything worse or more complicated.
Have you observed what happens at say 0.5db 1.5db 3db 6db 9db overload?As I stated before in several discussions we had on this topic, I disagree with you that DRC makes anything worse or more complicated.
On the contrary, my opinion is that it is a very helpful safeguard, especially for users that aren't deeply technical.
Regarding how to handle this complexity in general, the answer seems fairly obvious to me:
With the above you can even add significant boosts in EQ without running into level limitting.
- Prefer single-box solutions over chaining multiple audio devices (wherever possible).
- Use the WiiM digital volume control for overall system level control.
- Calibrate your system so you never need more than about 70% volume in WiiM, even when listening loud.
- Use the "No-Boost Mode" in RoomFit.
- Avoid using positive gain values in input pre-gain.
But I know this approach goes against the typical audiphile advice so I'm sure some people will argue against it.
Lastly, as I said before I do agree with you that overload indication in WiiM Home app would be helpful, and I also wouldn't mind having the option of autogain, or to be able to disable and enable the DRC/limiter.
Though I'd personally prefer to see some other features first.
