[TheShoe]

Hi all -

What I want to understand:

I use OpenElec on an RPI2.

I have a huge collection of HD audio (as FLAC) files.

If love and use the Kore iOS app.

If I use its volume control, does it affect the bit-depth and sample-rate of the audio? In other words, is it mucking with the quality?

I've invested thousands into audio equipment and this is very important to me (I'm sure the vast majority couldn't care less).

I want the most pure direct path possible between my media server -> OpenElec (Kodi) -> Oppo BDP-105 -> 7.1 channel AMP -> Speakers

Trying to understand what Kodi may be doing. It sounds great, but if it can sound better, I want to try.

[Milhouse]

If I use its volume control, does it affect the bit-depth and sample-rate of the audio? In other words, is it mucking with the quality?

As I understand it, you should always change the volume using your amplifier. Using Kodi to control volume will not produce bit-perfect output except when the volume is 100%, so set the Kodi volume to 100% and leave it there.

[TheShoe]

If I use its volume control, does it affect the bit-depth and sample-rate of the audio? In other words, is it mucking with the quality?

As I understand it, you should always change the volume using your amplifier. Using Kodi to control volume will not produce bit-perfect output except when the volume is 100%, so set the Kodi volume to 100% and leave it there.

Thanks. After aot of searching I found a similar post

I did also prove this out with some well mastered music and assuming I'm not just hearing what I want to hear it does make a difference, allbeit a slight one

[Milhouse]

I have a Squeezebox Classic that can play DTS multi-channel tracks that have been encoded as WAV files (ie. DTS files with WAV "headers") - the Squeezebox knows nothing about DTS, it just plays these files thinking they're WAV data and spews out DTS data that my amp decodes as 5.1 channel DTS audio.

However this scheme only works when the volume on the Squeezebox is at 100%, because then the WAV (ie. DTS) data being output is bit-perfect. Change the volume on the Squeezebox to 99% and the "WAV" data is attenuated resulting in corrupt DTS data and white noise from the amp.

I'm pretty sure any digital device with a volume control will behave similarly, altering the digital bits that are output to reduce volume levels. Anything other than 100% volume is going to result in bit imperfect results. It's also why Kodi disables the volume control when using pass through.