To DSD or not to DSD?

[Bunpei]

... looks like clipping... Level looks quite high, did you convert this to PCM with 6 dB gain? I would suggest redoing the PCM conversion without extra gain.

I had added no special conditions on the DSD -> PCM conversion by Korg AudioGate. I will check it again this evening.

As for a microphone used for the recording I have no information.

[Miska]

I had added no special conditions on the DSD -> PCM conversion by Korg AudioGate. I will check it again this evening.

As for a microphone used for the recording I have no information.

 

Waveform plot under the spectrogram seems to get close to 0 dBFS. DSD converted without gain should stay largely within -6 dBFS.

[vortecjr]

Bunpei, thanks for sending me the file. I was finally able to play it via a modified Rendu into my PureDSD DAC prototype. My PureDSD DAC takes whatever DSD rate as input and converts it directly to analog without digital conversion. It's truly is a wonderful recording and has left me thirsty for more:) Can you convince the recording engineer to record a Stradivarius cello?

 

Jesus R

[SoNic67]

My PureDSD DAC takes whatever DSD rate as input and converts it directly to analog without digital conversion.

Your 'PureDAC' still has a DAC chip inside - the latest fad: ESS one. What they say is:

The PureDAC's balanced preamp is integrated with the DAC's current-to-voltage converter, which converts and filters the DAC's current, eliminating the need for an extra stage.

That means that the IV stage following the DAC is part of the preamp section. Big woop. See below your DAC chip:

 

[vortecjr]

Your 'PureDAC' still has a DAC chip inside - the latest fad: ESS one. What they say is:

 

That means that the IV stage following the DAC is part of the preamp section. Big woop. See below your DAC chip:

 

 

Sorry, but that's not my DAC.

 

This is my DAC

 

Jesus R

[hifitubes]

Sorry, but that's not my DAC.

 

This is my DAC

 

Jesus R

 

Big woop

[PhilipAC]

Hi Jesus

 

When do you expect your PureDSD prototype to be commercially available please- sounds very exciting!

 

Philip

[Bunpei]

Waveform plot under the spectrogram seems to get close to 0 dBFS. DSD converted without gain should stay largely within -6 dBFS.

 

I repeated the process of DSD -> PCM conversion once more without increasing gain. The result was the same.

The portion where so many harmonics peaks appear suffers no clipping.

 

As the original recording was not for a SACD production, I guess that the modulation ratio limit rule for a SACD was not applied.

[SoNic67]

Sorry, but that's not my DAC.

OK. Great. One bit DSD was tried and abandoned already for a decade now...

[JavierS]

OK. Great. One bit DSD was tried and abandoned already for a decade now...

 

You sure you read it right?

 

 

Bunpei, thanks for sending me the file. I was finally able to play it via a modified Rendu into my PureDSD DAC prototype. My PureDSD DAC takes whatever DSD rate as input and converts it directly to analog without digital conversion. It's truly is a wonderful recording and has left me thirsty for more:) Can you convince the recording engineer to record a Stradivarius cello?

 

Jesus R

[Miska]

OK. Great. One bit DSD was tried and abandoned already for a decade now...

 

Just like multi-bit R2R ladders too?

[vortecjr]

Hi Jesus

 

When do you expect your PureDSD prototype to be commercially available please- sounds very exciting!

 

Philip

 

I'm not sure how long it will take to finalize it....

 

Jesus R

[vortecjr]

Just like multi-bit R2R ladders too?

 

LOL

 

Jesus R

[SoNic67]

Just like multi-bit R2R ladders too?

Kind of. Only difference is that R-2R ladders where abandoned due to price and consumers lack of desire for good audio quality (it was mp3 era), while 1 bit DS was abandoned due to poor results (even for mp3). Manufacturers had to shift back to limited multibit (DS), even if meant slightly more expensive chips (problem solved with advance in CMOS fabs).

[Superdad]

Kind of. Only difference is that R-2R ladders where abandoned due to price and consumers lack of desire for good audio quality (it was mp3 era), while 1 bit DS was abandoned due to poor results (even for mp3). Manufacturers had to shift back to limited multibit (DS), even if meant slightly more expensive chips (problem solved with advance in CMOS fabs).

 

I don't think you understand how the Sonore Pure DSD module works. There are no DAC chips on it at all. It only accepts a DSD stream. High speed video amps amplify the output and drive a carefully done, multistage RC filter network. It is a very clean and elegant piece--one of the very few that will do full justice to DSD recordings (or really good PCM>DSD computer conversion like Miska's HQPlayer). I'm saying this as a die-hard NOS PCM1704 lover (who upsamples with iZotope).

[elcorso]

OK. Great. One bit DSD was tried and abandoned already for a decade now...

 

Really...?

 

The original Sonore DSD DAC name was "Back to the Future IV", but "PureDSD" is nicer...!

 

Roch

[Bunpei]

OK. Great. One bit DSD was tried and abandoned already for a decade now...

 

What is your definition of "One bit DSD"?

 

How about such an internal processing method of recent Playback Designs DACs and SONY HAP-Z1ES?

I think they might not be a "multilevel-delta-sigma modulation" architecture.

[Audio_ELF]

The original Sonore DSD DAC name was "Back to the Future IV", but "PureDSD" is nicer...!

I'd skip BttF IV ... it will only be a filler movie to get us from the end of III to the start of V!

 

Eloise

[Miska]

OK, I promised, now it's time to deliver my first public, simple 1-bit multi-level DAC:

Open Hardware 1-bit multi-level DAC - Blogs - Computer Audiophile

[Superdad]

OK, I promised, now it's time to deliver my first public, simple 1-bit multi-level DAC:

Open Hardware 1-bit multi-level DAC - Blogs - Computer Audiophile

 

Wonderful! I already studied (with my lay brain) the design docs and commented at your blog. Looking forward to seeing more about this.

[matthias]

OK, I promised, now it's time to deliver my first public, simple 1-bit multi-level DAC:

Open Hardware 1-bit multi-level DAC - Blogs - Computer Audiophile

 

Miska,

thank you. Is there any chance to get your DACs as assembled and tested modules like Buffalo from TPA for people not advanced in diy? I would appreciate very much.

 

Thanks again.

KR

Matt

[Miska]

Matt,

 

thank you. Is there any chance to get your DACs as assembled and tested modules like Buffalo from TPA for people not advanced in diy? I would appreciate very much.

 

Unfortunately no. The manual assembly work I did would cost around 1200€ alone. The board pair cost me 220€ and components (without transformer) are somewhere around 200€.

 

I don't have time or money to contract manufacturing for it... (I would need to buy components on tape rolls to support robotic assembly, etc)

[Hiro]

OK, I promised, now it's time to deliver my first public, simple 1-bit multi-level DAC:

Open Hardware 1-bit multi-level DAC - Blogs - Computer Audiophile

 

Miska,

 

Can your HQPlayer be setup in such a way that it will be upsampling 44.1kHz sources to 5.6MHz DSD, and 48kHz ones to 6.1MHz?

[Miska]

Can your HQPlayer be setup in such a way that it will be upsampling 44.1kHz sources to 5.6MHz DSD, and 48kHz ones to 6.1MHz?

 

You can select the target rate in the main window before starting playback...

[Hiro]

You can select the target rate in the main window before starting playback...

 

It would be cool if there was a way to select a different sampling rate for 44.1kHz- and 48kHz-based PCM files. I believe that's how most DACs operate internally, that is, they oversample 44.1kHz PCM files 128X to 5.6MHz DSD, and 48kHz to 6.1MHz DSD. Some DSD DACs (e.g. Playback Designs, Geek 1000, or iDSD) could take advantage of this feature as they accept both 5.6 and 6.1MHz DSD input rates...