Topic: Buying a SACD player

[av_phile1]

There are losses in conversion. You lose the biggest selling point of DSD if you convert to PCM.

Yeah, you lose the extended frequency response from 20kHz to 100lkHz and a dynamic range reduced from 120db to just 90db.

[timber715]

Yeah, you lose the extended frequency response from 20kHz to 100lkHz and a dynamic range reduced from 120db to just 90db.

Kaya if you plan to use dsd in the future.... Get something that will support it and not downsample it. A dsd dac is something to consider that would be somewhat future proof (at least for the next 10 years)...

[Stagea]

Yeah, you lose the extended frequency response from 20kHz to 100lkHz and a dynamic range reduced from 120db to just 90db.

Most in-device PCM conversions are done at 24/88.2kHz or higher, so it's quite a bit better than that.

Digital files converted to dsd often starts from pcm, but converting from vinyl, master tape or other analogue sources start analogue and not pcm. Here is where dsd benefits most. Like stagea said, it is actually crazy to make a dsd file from a digital file that starts from a pcm file.

The best DSD transfer is still from PDM digital gear, as it stays in one from from recording to final reproduction. DSD isn't very processing-friendly however, which makes it a less-than-ideal mastering format. If the recording is to be processed substantially before distribution, the path of least loss (minimal conversion) would be DSD-Wide 8b/128fs. FP data is superior in many ways however, and is often preferred nowadays. For PCM conversions, DXD is considered a low loss format when converting to/from DSD (and is favored by many recording companies).

[Stagea]

For those looking for a budget DSD DAC:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/teac-ud-501-dual-mono-dac-dsd-streaming-14289/

S$899 ~ 29.5k PhP

[timber715]

Yes definitely a nicely priced dac, hopefully they fix the jriver compatibility soon....

[Stagea]

Yes definitely a nicely priced dac, hopefully they fix the jriver compatibility soon....

Yup. The spec sheet is quite impressive for the price.

Teac's been in the DSD bandwagon for so long through their Esoteric brand. Now they're bringing DSD to their mainstream lineup.

[splerdu]

For some free DSD samples also try bluecoastrecords.com (signup required). The california audio shows from 2011 and 2012 are already full album samplers from their artists.
http://www.bluecoastrecords.com/free-downloads

You can play DSD/DSF/DFF files through foobar2000 with the SACD input plugin, or download the Audiogate player from Korg. It's free to use with any korg product key, or with a twitter account (it will tweet whenever you use it to convert a DSD track to CD, but for playback no problems).

SACD really has a different sound. It's organic like vinyl, but with the low noise floor and dynamic range of digital.

The aforementioned samples from bluecoastrecords.com are a good example of music that's been recorded and mastered for SACD from the start.