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[felix2]

Today DSP Studio Output Format controls what kind of audio files can be played. You configure for PCM, Dolby Digital or DSD.

Why not able to sense type of file and play automatically? So that user does not need to go through DSP Studio reconfiguration when switching between PCM and DSD files.

In a library full of mixed PCM (and FLAC) and DSD files, manual switching is a big pain.

[Awesome Donkey]

Does setting bitstreaming to DSD not address this issue? PCM will output as PCM and DSD will output DSD (if supported).

[blgentry]

You are probably thinking that you need to set the Output Format > Output Encoding to play DSD.  That's not what that setting is for.  That setting is to convert *everything* to DSD on the fly.  This is to be used if you have a DAC that ONLY plays DSD.  It's almost never correct to use that setting.

You don't need to manually switch to play DSD and PCM.  By default, DSD is converted to PCM at 352.8 kHz, so will play to any PCM DAC.  If you have a DSD capable DAC, you can turn on bitstreaming for DSD.  When MC sees a DSD file, it will pass it straight through to the DAC with no conversion, no EQ, no nothing.  Just straight DSD to the DAC.

Tools > Options > Audio > Settings > Bitstreaming > DSD

It's automatic once that's set.  Play PCM and it goes through your PCM rules in DSP Studio.  Play DSD and it gets bitstreamed.

Or leave bitstreaming OFF and DSD gets converted to PCM on the fly.  Either way, it's automatic; no switching required.

Brian.

PS:  The Donkey (who is Awesome) seems to have said all of this in a much shorter way, while I was typing a small book... 

[felix2]

Thanks Donkey and Blgentry for replies.
Yes Bitstreaming skips my mind on this one. Turned it on and the automatic switching works. BUT there is one big problem - I lost volume control on DSD (well, its bitstreaming...). I use volume control (and using my remote) all the time. So now PCM plays with volume I set but DSD plays at maximum volume without control!! The dramatic difference in volume drives me nuts ...
Quite disappointing.

[Hendrik]

Thats what bitstreaming means, you cannot change the signal at all, no volume control or any other kind of DSP.

[blgentry]

...so the obvious answers are:

1.  Use the volume control on your amplifier or preamplifier, or AV Receiver, or something else that's "hardware" further down the chain from MC.  That will preserve your DSD as "pure" going to your DAC and still let you adjust volume how you want it.  Just not volume adjusted in MC.
2.  Turn off bitstreaming and let MC just convert DSD to PCM. Now your volume control in MC will work for all file types, since MC is converting DSD to PCM, so it can process volume, as well as any other DSP adjustments you might have made.

Brian.

[thecrow]

A digital volume control is achieved using DSP.
DSP on a DSD signal is very difficult (one reason why most of the pro music world uses PCM rather than DSD).
So the best way of keeping a pure DSD signal path and having a volume control is to implement the volume control in the analogue world.
i.e. outside MC.

[felix2]

A digital volume control is achieved using DSP.
DSP on a DSD signal is very difficult (one reason why most of the pro music world uses PCM rather than DSD).
So the best way of keeping a pure DSD signal path and having a volume control is to implement the volume control in the analogue world.
i.e. outside MC.

Thanks all for helping me!!!
Yes I understand bitstreaming means just that, bypass DSP and loss of controls. Have to await for some genius to figure out digital volume control for DSD. In the meantime, I will use bitstreaming for auto switching and have to adjust my operation. I do want native DSD, without conversion to PCM or DoP because it just sound so superior.

This close the thread. Until I post feature request to do digital volume control for DSD to drive JRiver guys mad.

[blgentry]

I do want native DSD, without conversion to PCM or DoP because it just sound so superior.

DoP *is* native DSD right?  It's just the DSD bitstream packed into a PCM header.  The DSD data is intact and gets reassembled into the exact same bitstream by the DAC at the other end.  Unless I'm missing something.

Conversion to PCM *is* a conversion and is not native.  But!  I've read some people say that with really good DACs, the PCM section is better than the DSD section and DSD converted to PCM sounds better than native DSD.  I have NOT heard any myself.  Just passing along something I read.

Brian.

[Oliverlim]

On my iphone, I do not seem to encountering this DSD volume issue.  Wheather PCM or DSD it ouputs the same DAC at the volume it is currently setup. However, it works differently in JRiver. I understand one of the reason is that I am using JRiver as my actual volume control and do a "line out" volume at the DAC.  But I was hoping there was a easier way to do this. Otherwise, it just defeats the purpose of trying to do native decoding.

[blgentry]

On my iphone, I do not seem to encountering this DSD volume issue.  Wheather PCM or DSD it ouputs the same DAC at the volume it is currently setup. However, it works differently in JRiver. I understand one of the reason is that I am using JRiver as my actual volume control and do a "line out" volume at the DAC.  But I was hoping there was a easier way to do this. Otherwise, it just defeats the purpose of trying to do native decoding.

I can't figure out what you're trying to ask.

Brian.

[corcorac]

I'll tell you why you get the same volume, haha. iPhones DEFINITELY don't do DSD. PCM vs PCM, of course, it'll be the same volume....I'm surprised you even got DSD files on the iPhone without Apple blocking it due to incompatibility. (No, the 6s doesn't do DSD, mi Madre has one and I can confirm her phone doesn't like it)

[Oliverlim]

I can't figure out what you're trying to ask.

Brian.

Basically I would like jriver to be able to control the volume of dsd files

[mb01]

Tools > Options > Audio > Settings > Bitstreaming > DSD

as the discussion is not so old... I tried DSD play with my new Mutec mc-3+usb. Works on PC laptop with jriver MC20. Does not work on MacMini jriver MC20. Identical settings. I tried Audivrana with native DSD, works on MacMini... is there any hint what could go wrong on the Mac?
Thanks !

[JimH]

Did you try MC21?

[Awesome Donkey]

as the discussion is not so old... I tried DSD play with my new Mutec mc-3+usb. Works on PC laptop with jriver MC20. Does not work on MacMini jriver MC20. Identical settings. I tried Audivrana with native DSD, works on MacMini... is there any hint what could go wrong on the Mac?
Thanks !

Since you're using the Mac build, can you try the possible solution posted in this topic? http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=101076.0