Tobbeswim Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Hi, I am new to this forum but I have searched the threads and think that I might be right. OK, here is what I am trying to figure out. My goal here is to play 5.1 SACD files from my computer. They are in SACD-R, dsd or dff format and I am playing them with Jriver. I have no problem playing them with my onboard graphiccard via HDMI to the reciver. BUT then the conversion to PCM 5.1 is done by my GPU. That can not be the best way to do this? Right? I would like to output pure DSD 5.1 from USB on my computer to a Sabre 9018 DAC of some kind. Then the signal should then be converted and output to 5.1 analog. Now this is where my real problem starts. I do not have 5.1 analog in on my Anthem mrx 710 and it will not decode a pure dsd signal. I would need the DAC to output a HDMI analog signal? But that would couse jitter? Can the SPDIF send 5.1 pcm? Is that a possiblity? My setup today is: Computer with Jriver Anthem 710 mrx Classé CA-5300 Usher 5.1 dmd speakers (8571 in front) My goal is to play 5.1 SACD files from my computer in best possioble way! Link to comment
Skeptic Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Unless you plan on spending $3000+ you're better off just converting to PCM and outputting it over HDMI. Link to comment
Tobbeswim Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 I could spend $3000+ but will that make it possible? Sincerely, Tobbeswim Link to comment
Skeptic Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Sorry, I missed the part about your Anthem AVR not supporting analog inputs. The exaSound e28 starts at $3300 and is an 8-channel DAC which supports up to DSD256. However you would also need a 6+ channel amplifier with analog inputs. I really don't think you would hear an appreciable difference in quality buying a new DAC and amplifier/AVR, compared to having your player output LPCM over HDMI. HDMI is a digital connection. There is no conversion happening in the GPU. S/PDIF can only handle stereo LPCM. 5.1 has to be compressed using Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1 Link to comment
Tobbeswim Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 OK, Thank You! I always thought there was some kind of conversion on the computer side. Why use a DAC at all then? Tobbeswim Link to comment
Skeptic Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 The DAC inside your Anthem 710 is converting the HDMI signal to analog. Normally people using external DACs are pairing them with a power amp or active monitor speakers. An AVR is a DAC+Amp in one unit. Link to comment
Tobbeswim Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 So there is no diffrence between the 5.1 LPCM signal to the reciver and the DSD signal to the reciver? I am try6ing to wrap my head around this. Link to comment
Skeptic Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Computers cannot output DSD over HDMI Your AVR doesn't appear to support DSD over HDMI anyway Your AVR apparently does not support analog inputs, so it cannot be used as a multichannel amplifier when paired with an external DSD DAC So the only way for you to get native multichannel DSD playback is to either: Find an AVR which does DSD over USB, if such a thing exists Replace the AVR with a multichannel USB DAC that supports DSD ($3300+) and a multichannel amplifier (or AVR with analog inputs) Or you could convert DSD to PCM and output that over HDMI to your existing AVR. I cannot imagine that it would be worth replacing the AVR (which appears to be a new model) just to get native multichannel DSD, instead of converting it to PCM. Even though my DAC supports DSD, I prefer to convert that to PCM, since it allows for additional processing of the signal. (volume leveling, room correction/crossfeed for headphones) I don't hear any meaningful difference - at least not in favor of DSD - when comparing DSD64 vs DSD64 converted to PCM for example (in a 2 channel system) so I cannot possibly imagine that it would be worthwhile to do this. Link to comment
Tobbeswim Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 Thanks!!!! Thanks for making it clear. Saved a bunch of money here... Tobbeswim Link to comment
seeteeyou Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 I read quite a few options so far, first one was triple-stacking DSD DAC like this http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?17298-First-multi-channel-DSD-playback-solution-with-Mytek-and-J-RIver! http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/first-multi-channel-direct-stream-digital-playback-solution-mytek-14946/ And then Merging will also offer something exciting http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?16548-New-DAC-from-Merging-Technologies-for-Home-Audio-Market http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?20003-New-Multichannel-DSD-DAC-from-Merging-Technologies http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/new-digital-analogue-converter-merging-technologies-home-audio-market-22967/ Please kindly correct me if I were mistaken regarding DSD-to-PCM conversion, almost all DAC chips cannot handle Direct-to-Analog @ 1-bit except AK4396 by Asahi Kasei as well as S1LKi by Roland Link to comment
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