DSD via USB

[drdkey]

Has anyone tried Bit Perfect's DSD master? I currently use a mac-mini and separate hard drive with iTunes/iPad as an interface with my D250 and Magico V2 speakers. I enjoy the easy interface/categorization with iTunes/iPad and can't get this with Audirvana yet.

Yes, I have. It works as it says on the tin. I like what I hear, that's about all I can say as I don't know what to expect from DSD in contrast to PCM...

I also remember reading somewhere "seriously audiophile" (I can't remember exactly what website) that converting DSD to PCM with DSD Master and then playing it as a PCM file sounded not just different (read better in this case) from "official" PCM files for that same record, but actually better that the original DSD... Something of course difficult to prove, but if you want the message to read is that using DSD Master and converting DSD files to PCM actually allows those who have DSD files to listen to them in a non DSD DAC, and listen to a better version in the end! I guess only your ears will be the true judge on that.

Cheers!

L


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
MBPro 2008 > Dev 120 > KEF LS50. Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Thanks for the reply. I will give it a try and report back.

[Music or sound]

Has anyone tried Bit Perfect's DSD master? I currently use a mac-mini and separate hard drive with iTunes/iPad as an interface with my D250 and Magico V2 speakers. I enjoy the easy interface/categorization with iTunes/iPad and can't get this with Audirvana yet.

Yes, I have. It works as it says on the tin. I like what I hear, that's about all I can say as I don't know what to expect from DSD in contrast to PCM...

I also remember reading somewhere "seriously audiophile" (I can't remember exactly what website) that converting DSD to PCM with DSD Master and then playing it as a PCM file sounded not just different (read better in this case) from "official" PCM files for that same record, but actually better that the original DSD... Something of course difficult to prove, but if you want the message to read is that using DSD Master and converting DSD files to PCM actually allows those who have DSD files to listen to them in a non DSD DAC, and listen to a better version in the end! I guess only your ears will be the true judge on that.

Cheers!

L


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
MBPro 2008 > Dev 120 > KEF LS50. Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

My interpretation of my DSD experience is that different DSD conversion algorithm sound different (I have not heard obvious sound differences by converting PCM to different PCM formats as long as rate/bit depth is not changed). 
Most DSD recordings have intermittent PCM conversions and back for mastering/mixing purposes. I have never heard a pure DSD recording on a pure (1bit) DAC (not the standard sigma/delta converters). Would be interesting to compare it to a recording of the same event in PCM on a pure R2R ladder DAC!

[GuillaumeB]

Has anyone tried Bit Perfect's DSD master? I currently use a mac-mini and separate hard drive with iTunes/iPad as an interface with my D250 and Magico V2 speakers. I enjoy the easy interface/categorization with iTunes/iPad and can't get this with Audirvana yet.

Yes, I have. It works as it says on the tin. I like what I hear, that's about all I can say as I don't know what to expect from DSD in contrast to PCM...

I also remember reading somewhere "seriously audiophile" (I can't remember exactly what website) that converting DSD to PCM with DSD Master and then playing it as a PCM file sounded not just different (read better in this case) from "official" PCM files for that same record, but actually better that the original DSD... Something of course difficult to prove, but if you want the message to read is that using DSD Master and converting DSD files to PCM actually allows those who have DSD files to listen to them in a non DSD DAC, and listen to a better version in the end! I guess only your ears will be the true judge on that.

Cheers!

L


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
MBPro 2008 > Dev 120 > KEF LS50. Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

My interpretation of my DSD experience is that different DSD conversion algorithm sound different (I have not heard obvious sound differences by converting PCM to different PCM formats as long as rate/bit depth is not changed). 
Most DSD recordings have intermittent PCM conversions and back for mastering/mixing purposes. I have never heard a pure DSD recording on a pure (1bit) DAC (not the standard sigma/delta converters). Would be interesting to compare it to a recording of the same event in PCM on a pure R2R ladder DAC!

Very interesting. I'd quite like to find out how the Devialet MAT algorithm compares to other conversions. I have very limited experience with DSD only owning 2 DSD albums... 

I tried comparing Jazz in the Pawnshop 64 DSD played through the Devialet (i.e. MAT) to converted on the fly by the totaldac d1 (which converts to 176.4kHz PCM), I did feel that MAT was superior but I probably need to do a bit more experimenting to form a proper view.

Just based on the 2 albums I have I have been very impressed with DSD. I just wish Devialet would hurry up and get 8.0 fixed so I can actually use it! 

Guillaume

[Antoine]

Perhaps for some interesting background info on DSD decoding/conversion:

http://archimago.blogspot.nl/2015/04/ana...s-mac.html
http://archimago.blogspot.nl/2015/04/ana...-sacd.html

I don't always agree with his conclusions but he (Archimago) writes nice informational articles.

[AllenB]

Well I'm a little confused!!

I tried out DSD via Audirvana Plus 2 on USB to my Dev 200 with 8.0 firmware. Nice.

I have posted elsewhere that I felt sound quality had stepped down from 7.1.3, so I reverted back to that firmware at the weekend. A couple of days later (this evening) and I hit play on the DSD files in A+2, forgetting that I had downgraded the firmware, and it has played, no problem.

Only I can think is that A+2 has converted the DSD to PCM prior to feeding my 200. Am I barking up the wrong tree here? Or just barking?

[Antoine]

Well you're the only one who can check your own Audirvana settings and page 27/28 of the manual...RTFM!

[AllenB]

Well you're the only one who can check your own Audirvana settings and page 27/28 of the manual...RTFM!

Doh! yes I should RTFM, in my defence I am new to all this DSD format

[miro]

BTW, which DSD64 format is supposed to sound better on Devialet via USB:


DSF or DFF

[rwjr44]

BTW, which DSD64 format is supposed to sound better on Devialet via USB:


DSF or DFF

They should sound the same. But there is some controversy about that. The big difference is DFF doesn't do well with metadata and DSF does.

[Antoine]

Well you're the only one who can check your own Audirvana settings and page 27/28 of the manual...RTFM!

Doh! yes I should RTFM, in my defence I am new to all this DSD format

Of course I didn't mean to offend you! On page 27/28 you can check the meaning of the settings you have set up. Audiorvana has an auto convert option which can convert DSD to PCM if it doesn't detect DSD/DoP capabilities from your DAC.