Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
SACD + Devialet solution
#1
Hi

I am sure many have this issue with SACD and Devialet Expert and I am trying to see if there is a solution out there.  The problem with playing SACD and using Devialet Expert is this:
1.  DSD data from SACD - Most SACD transports now extract the DSD data via an I2S link into their same-brand DAC which is the only way DSD is allowed to be extracted from SACD as stipulated by Sony.  This is the best way to realize the full benefit of SACD but unfortunately DSD cannot be fed into the Devialet Expert.
2.  Downsampled PCM (normally 88.2/24) - A few SACD transports are capable of this but most of them are being phased out.  Whilst the downsampled PCM 88.2/24 can be fed into the Devialet Expert (via AES) it is not the most ideal as one is not getting the full benefit of the SACD because of the downsampling 

Therefore my questions are:
1.  Are there any solutions for the Devialet Expert to receive the full DSD data from SACD?
2.  Assuming that one decides to go down the route of purchasing the same-brand SACD transport and DAC, this would mean that the DSD data would be extracted from the SACD and processed into analog signal by the DAC before being fed to the Devialet Expert.  However, the Devialet Expert would then digitize the analog signal from the DAC and convert the digitized signal once again to analog signal before outputting to the speakers.  By going through this Devialet 'digitization' process, would the DSD data be 'colored' or even 'corrupted' further as it has gone through two rounds of digital-analog conversion, once by the DAC and a second time by the Devialet Expert?  Or is the sound still very close or true to the full DSD sound despite having gone through the second round of digital-analog conversion in the Devialet Expert? I have read many who use combination of same-brand SACD transport-DAC and monoblocks that the resulting sound from SACD is amazing as it is the full extraction of the SACD DSD data. And I am wondering if using same-brand SACD transport-DAC and feeding into Devialet Expert will produce the same amazing sound? Ideally, the best most 'uncorrupted' way would be to extract the DSD data and feed it directly into the Devialet Expert but this is not possible because it does not have an I2S link input

Just as background, for a long time, I was using the PS Audio Directstream Memory Player (DMP) as transport for my SACD.  The DMP had the option of downsampling the SACD data to PCM 88.2khz/24bit which would be fed via AES directly into my Expert Pro 1000 which sounded great.  However the DMP had many issues and I was presented with PS Audio's new version of the transport (Perfectwave Transport).  Unfortunately this new transport will no longer downsample SACD to 88.2/24 via AES (in other words the AES will only output the 44.1/16 CD layer of the SACD).  Hence I can't play SACD now - because it is not possible to feed DSD data from SACD to my Expert Pro 1000 and the new transport does not downsample the SACD data to PCM 88.2/24.

Would really appreciate your feedback and experience.  Thanks.
Reply
#2
Hi

Do you have a streaming solution, it is quite easy to rip SACD these days and stream the DSD file to the devialet.

If that’s of interest I can point you in the direction of what you need.

Cheers

Chris
Roon/RAAT - Dev 250 Pro - AQ Castle Rock - SF Olympica ii
Reply
#3
@ryann ,

The problem is that you can only get DSD data from a player via an i2S link and, while the Devialet will accept DSD data it does not have an I2S link. As far as I know there is no device that can accept DSD data over an I2S link and output it over an AES/EBU or coaxial/optical SPDIF connection so there's nothing you can stick between the player and the Devialet to solve the problem.

That leaves you with limited choices. You can either:

- rip the DSD data from the SACD, store it on a computer drive, and stream from that drive to the Devialet as Chris Marshall suggests which is what I did with my SACDs. I have them stored on my server and stream DSD via Roon to my Devialet over ethernet. That works extremely well.

- you can use a player that converts DSD to 88.2/24 PCM and feed that to the Devialet. If you still have your old Direct Memory Player you could go back to using it to convert DSD to 88.2/24 and feeding that to your Devialet. It's worth noting that the Devialet's DAC is not a DSD DAC so DSD signals are first onverted to PCM in the Devialet before being passed to the DAC so this solution simply transfers the DSD to PCM conversion step from the Devialet to the player.

- there is a 3rd option. If you use a streaming service which offers high resolution streaming such as Tidal or Qobuz, you could check whether they have any of the music you have on SACD available in a high res PCM format and simply stream their version of the album to your Devialet. If they have the music available that should give similar quality results to using a player to convert the DSD to PCM. If you no longer have the Direct Memory Player and you do have a Tidal or Qobuz subscription then this may be a reasonable alternative for you.

Before I started ripping the DSD layer from my SACDs I used to use my Oppo 105 disc player to play SACDs and feed its analog output to my Devialet. The sound quality was very good, better than digital output from the CD layer of the disc to the Devialet. I don't think you lose much, if anything at all, by using analog output from your disc player to feed to the Devialet if that's the only option you have. I think ripping the DSD data from the disc and streaming it to the Devialet may give slightly better sound quality but the main reasons I stopped using a disc player to play SACDs and started ripping them to my server were the convenience of server playback and the fact that it allowed me to simplify my system by removing a player and the cabling connected to it from my setup. If you aren't streaming file based music to your Devialet and you still want to use a disc player then analog output from SACDs to the Devialet is definitely a high sound quality option and it's the simplest option available.
Roon Nucleus+, Devilalet Expert 140 Pro CI, Focal Sopra 2, PS Audio P12, Keces P8 LPS, Uptone Audio EtherREGEN with optical fibre link to my router, Shunyata Alpha NR and Sigma NR power cables, Shunyata Sigma ethernet cables, Shunyata Alpha V2 speaker cables, Grand Prix Audio Monaco rack, RealTRAPS acoustic treatment.

Brisbane, Qld, Australia
Reply
#4
Besides Roon, there are software players like JRiver or HQPlayer which can convert DSD to PCM on the fly. The DCS Network Bridge does this as well.
Reply
#5
(28-Apr-2021, 19:50)Chris Marshall Wrote: Hi

Do you have a streaming solution, it is quite easy to rip SACD these days and stream the DSD file to the devialet.

If that’s of interest I can point you in the direction of what you need.

Cheers

Chris

That would be really interesting!
So far I can really recommend Qobuz which has great highres material - and sounds a lot better than Tidal Hifi.
Reply
#6
I have ripped my entire SACD collection (well over 100) using the method described in the link below, using an Oppo 105.

Time consuming, but worthwhile, as they are now all on my NAS and I can stream them to my Devialet using Roon.

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic...-its-true/
System: Roon on NUC, music library on Synology NAS, all connected via ethernet. Thorens TD-160 super (revised and restored) with SME 3009-III, Devialet Expert pro 440 CI, Marten Django XL
Reply
#7
Please use instructions from here and the ripping software from Hi Fi heaven

https://www.psaudio.com/copper/article/d...xtraction/


(29-Apr-2021, 09:52)pvanosta Wrote: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic...-its-true/

The Sonore software still works, but is much slower and less functionality.  The improved software will do for instance both the stereo and multi channel tracks, or rip a specific track.
Reply
#8
GeerFab D.BOB DSD-DVD-Converter coud it be an option.

https://audioxpress.com/article/fresh-fr...eakout-box
Reply
#9
(29-Apr-2021, 10:42)Snoopy8 Wrote: Please use instructions from here and the ripping software from Hi Fi heaven

https://www.psaudio.com/copper/article/d...xtraction/


(29-Apr-2021, 09:52)pvanosta Wrote: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic...-its-true/

The Sonore software still works, but is much slower and less functionality.  The improved software will do for instance both the stereo and multi channel tracks, or rip a specific track.

I did mine with the software and instructions from HiFI Haven, I bought a cheap used Sony Blu Ray and it works really well, takes about 5 minutes to rip the stereo tracks, a bit longer of you want multichannel. That link to the PS Audio page is great as it makes finding all the information much easier than looking through the long thread on HiFI Haven!

cheers

Chris
Roon/RAAT - Dev 250 Pro - AQ Castle Rock - SF Olympica ii
Reply
#10
I have been using SACD extract and a LG Blu-ray player in my PC.  Have done about 150 SACDs the the easiest path is to create a 24 bit 88.2KHz copy

Did some DSF copies, time consuming and a marginal improvement.  All these for other people who were wanting to get rid of physical discs

[Image: rbdEAWB.png]
                                                           Cape Town - South Africa, the home of good wine
Listening stuff:  Mercury Pi2 / Gentooplayer,  Expert 440PRO CI.  4Tb SSD.  Mogami speaker cable to ET LF8bs, B&W DB1 sub, Power from 7.5kW inverter.  2 x Dachshunds
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)