Is there any rationality in software upsamplers?

[Mohmm]

I notice that many members in this forum seem to use one of the numerous audio players instead of, or in addition to iTunes for sending/streaming their music to the D. As most of these players allow upsampling of 16/44.1k material, I am wondering, if there is any rational justification for using the upsampler when sending the music to a Devialet’s DAC. 


I play from a Mac using iTunes, ensuring that the stream is bit perfect, and send it to my D800 via AIR and Ethernet. Alternatively I play from iTunes via PureMusic to switch the WEISS INT203 to the native resolution and send the bits via AES/EBU into the D. In this setup I use PureMusic only for switching and have disabled all DSP including the upsampler. 

Additionally I apply Dirac room correction to the stream before AIR.

I would argue that my Devialet’s DAC is at least as good, if not much better able to upsample the stream to 24/96k. Hence, I try to avoid any tampering with the music material by an intransparent software in my computer. Most of us have no idea how good the software solutions are and if they introduce artefacts, audible or not, into the stream.

My question, hence, is: Does it make technological or SQ sense to upsample via software on a ‘noisy’ computer when there is a machine as the D at the end point that’s more than perfectly suited to the upsampling task? Any opinions?

[f1eng]

I notice that many members in this forum seem to use one of the numerous audio players instead of, or in addition to iTunes for sending/streaming their music to the D. As most of these players allow upsampling of 16/44.1k material, I am wondering, if there is any rational justification for using the upsampler when sending the music to a Devialet’s DAC. 


I play from a Mac using iTunes, ensuring that the stream is bit perfect, and send it to my D800 via AIR and Ethernet. Alternatively I play from iTunes via PureMusic to switch the WEISS INT203 to the native resolution and send the bits via AES/EBU into the D. In this setup I use PureMusic only for switching and have disabled all DSP including the upsampler. 

Additionally I apply Dirac room correction to the stream before AIR.

I would argue that my Devialet’s DAC is at least as good, if not much better able to upsample the stream to 24/96k. Hence, I try to avoid any tampering with the music material by an intransparent software in my computer. Most of us have no idea how good the software solutions are and if they introduce artefacts, audible or not, into the stream.

My question, hence, is: Does it make technological or SQ sense to upsample via software on a ‘noisy’ computer when there is a machine as the D at the end point that’s more than perfectly suited to the upsampling task? Any opinions?

I do as you do (when streaming). Of all the digital file comparisons I have done the only one which was noticeably different sounding was one of the sample rate changing bits of software.
With a "good" bit of software the files were indistinguishable (to my ears) with a less good piece of software the file was audibly degraded.