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[tangen]

A few days ago I downloaded JRiver MC 19 due to a recommendation on http://dsd-guide.com/. For a while I have done some reading about DSD and its virtues and was eager to try it out. Some DSD-files were downloaded to my windows 7 laptop and unzipped and imported into JRiver. I was aware that playing DSD demanded a suitable dac. At my disposal I had a diy dac with CS8416/CS4397 combo with USB connection. So I hooked it up to the dac with a USB-cable of good quality. I expected nothing to happen.

I was rather surprised that some wonderful music came out of my Tannoy speakers at first try. I first thought that the USB cable transmitted only simple 16 bit/44khz versions of the music played. But the JRiver platform said that 64bit/192khz was played. Comparing ordinary 16/44 wav/flac files and 24/192 flac files with the DSD files, the latter sounded way better.

So something extraordinary was transmitted - but what? I tried different settings, and the available wasapi worked flawlessly. My question is: is it really DSD-files that leave the laptop? Is the diy dac really capable of decoding the DSD-files?

I'm prepared to get a negative answer that the files are downsampled to other formats. But still: the sound I hear is way better than the other formats I play of the same music. So. what is going on?

Best wishes
Jan Ove
Norway

[Matt]

Welcome.

You can use Audio Path to see the complete audio chain:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Path

DSD files can sound great, just like PCM files.  Which sounds better is probably mostly a question of mastering.

[tangen]

Thank you! Your answer helped a lot. However, I am still puzzeled. In the Audio Path box it says that the output is downsampled to "192kHz 24 bits 2 ch Direct Sound (not direct connection)". Does this mean that what goes to the dac still is DSD or is it converted to PCM or something else? Sorry, but I am a noobie in this field 

All the best
Jan Ove

[InflatableMouse]

No, its going out as PCM.

Go into DSP Studio and tick Output format. Choose DoP as output format.

If your DAC doesn't support DoP, your other option is to bitstream native DSD. You can do that under Tools/Options/Audio under Bitstreaming. Choose Custom and tick DSD.

If you need DSP Studio for processing or need volume control, you can check out ASIOProxy and set it up similar as described in this post.

[InflatableMouse]

You'd also need to configure your Output device. Choose Wasapi or ASIO for DoP. DirectSound is not going to support DSD or DoP.

Do you have an ASIO driver for your DAC? If not, I don't think ASIOProxy is going to work.

[tangen]

Thank you very much for the informative and educational answers  Your answers confirmed my "fears" that my dac does not receive DSD as such, but as PCM. However, the sound is still far better than ordinary cd. I really enjoy it.

I now have this great software (JRiver) and some downloaded music. I have to look for a decent and not to expencive dac that process DSD. But the most important part is to have all the record companies to release their archives of music stored in DSD-format. To me, this is the solution to enjoy 'live music at home' 

In the mean time, keep up the good work at JRiver!