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[wdesbrow]

I just downloaded my first HiRes 128 file (Jazz at the Pawnshop) from Native DSD.  I extracted the zip file and saved it to a separate music file on my internal drive, moved it to my NAS drive music Library -- and finally imported it into my MC Library.  All normal for me, and all seemed to go fine. 

My Question:  Is there a "Best" group of settings I should be using on MC assuming I do not want to change the character of the music in the file?  When a track is playing, if I click on the music path button at the upper right of the screen, Looks like the settings I see are:

"Safe Low-pass Filter Enabled"   AND...

"Resample:  706.6 to 176.4 KHz"   and also...


At the top and bottom of the screen:

"INPUT:  705.6 64 bit 2 ch from sours DST"

"OUTPUT:  176.4    24 bit   2 ch   Using Direct Sound  (Not a direct connection)"

Could someone enlighten me please?  THANK YOU!

 

[Dawgincontrol]

I would start by getting away from "Direct Sound" if you're able.

Options>Audio> Select Audio Device at the top, click your device and see if you have a WASAPI option.

After that, you can get in the weeds with various tweaks in the DSP Studio, but I'd do it.  Everyone's ears are different and the two you have are different from each other.   

[wdesbrow]

Thanks, Dawg, for the quick response!  I made that change to the OPPO Cd player dac I am using, as you suggested.

I also have a MC ID in another room that only uses the same music library.  Do I need to check for a similar setting on the ID's software?  I believe, at present, it's set for all the normal defaults. (?)

Much appreciated.

[dtc]

What you were seeing with Direct Sound was your DSD being converted to PCM.  If you are sending native DSD to the Oppo, then you will see that in the Audio Path, rather than PCM conversion you were seeing.

What Oppo do you have and how are you connecting to it? If you have a 10x or 20x you should be able to play the DSD in native form, not converting to PCM.

I believe the new Oppos (20x)accept native DSD via usb if you are using the WASAPI driver.  Older Oppo's (10x) only do DSD from a connected drive or using DLNA, not usb.

[wdesbrow]

Hi dtc.  Thank you for joining the conversation.

I'm afraid you lost me with some of the terminology.  But to answer: I am running an OPPO 105with a usb connection with my PC desktop.
Now that I switched my setting to the OPPO option, I checked the path indicator, and it reads:
"Output: 176.4 KHz  24 bit  (padded)  2 ch  using Wasapi  (Not using enough bits to output the input directly.)"

Does this tell me I should stay with the OPPO setting, switch back to "Direct Sound," or some other?

Does this also mean that my current OPPO dac can't "process" any more than a certain quality level?  (Don't wan to waste money!

THANKS again!
wayne

[dtc]

What you currently have is DSD being converted to PCM within MC. That is very good quality, but it has undergone a conversion. Some people believe native DSD without conversion will sound better, but that depends on a lot of factors.

As I understand it, the 105 may not be able to handle DSD via usb, although you can test it.  To do so go into Audio Options and turn on Bitstreaming for DSD. See if that works. Audio Path should change to saying DSD via DoP is being sent.

I think the 105 does do DSD via DLNA, which requires WiFi or Ethernet, but that takes more to set up. It depends on how much you want to work on getting DSD direct working.

As a test, you can put a DSD file on a thumb drive and connect that to the Oppo. That will read the DSD file directly.  You can see if you hear any difference between the usb PCM signal and the DSD direct.

 

[wdesbrow]

Got it.. thanks.

Assuming I am satisfied with the conversion  you describe, should my path in jrmc be set to to the oppo "Wasapi" or the earlier Direct Sound setting?  Is there any advantage of one vs the other?

And do I need to change any settings in my ID software?   With my path set on the OPPO selection I am getting frequent dropouts going through the ID.  Not sure whether I will experience the dropouts in the "Direct Sound" setting. I will try that next!

Thanks again.

[Dawgincontrol]

Wasapi is much better than Direct Sound.  Here is some info:

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/WASAPI

I can't speak to the Id.  Maybe someone else can help there.  If nobody stops by in the next 24 start a new post specific to the Id. 

[Manfred]

It depends on the DAC:

My Devialet does only DSD64 and has its own algorithm to convert DSD to PCM (taken from 8.1 Firmware Manual)
" MATŪ DSD Core technology converts the DSD format into Expert internal native PCM 40 bits / 384 kHz format thanks to an optimized algorithm, limiting the amount of computational operations on the audio stream. Using only 15 bit perfect additions (no multiplication, no storage), the MATŪ algorithm performs a 128 taps, linear phase FIR (Finite Impulse Response) digital filter ensuring the conversion of the DSD format into internal native PCM format with truly outstanding performances"

I do typically the DSD to PCM conversion for DSD 256, DSD 512 in MC using SoX re-sampling to 192 kHz. I also do general upsampling in MC to 192 kHz instead of doing that in my Devialet. Its hard to  hear a difference. I have set the DSD->PCM filter to medium in MC.

In my home office I have also a ADI-2 DAC FS, he can do DSD native or DSD over DoP. That requires in MC to set bitstreming up to DSD 256. DSD 512 is then converted to PCM 705kHz with medium filter set in MC.

If there is an ASIO Driver I prefer the ASIO driver for USB (RME, Devialet USB ASIO) over WASAPI.  If I use Devialet AIR - best SQ - I must use WASAPI.