how does a pc sound card convert dsd??

[mistersprinkles]

I've downloaded the 'DSD' files (.dsf format) and playing them with 'JRiver'.

 

 

Ok so basically what you are listening to in that case is viciously, horrendously downsampled DSD via PCM. Your soundcard is incapable of DSD. I was able to listen to DSD files with my old Arcam rPAC which I believe is only a 24 bit 192Khz DAC, but I wasn't listening to them at full resolution. You need a proper native DSD (not DOP) DAC to hear DSD in its native format.

 

What you are hearing, rather than 2.8 or 5.6MHZ sample rates is likely to be somewhere between 44.1 and 96Khz with an older soundcard. You might even have your soundcard's settings locked at 48KHZ.

 

In any case, you're not getting the full effect. With no soundcard can you really get the full effect because internal soundcards are at the mercy of a hellish environment with so much interference it's ridiculous. The inside of a PC is a baaaad place to process sound. That's one of the many reasons why you want your sound processing done away from the PC.

 

I can tell you that, if you have decent speakers or headphones, you're really missing out by not enjoying DSD natively. Sure, you can play the file back, but at only a fraction of it's actual sample rate.

 

You don't have to spend a fortune on a DSD DAC. There are some cheap gems out there. It's well worth it

 

Also, don't knock high grade PCM. A good 24/192 PCM rip of an SACD or Vinyl, when done right, can sound spectacular. I'm listening to a 24/192 Diana Krall album right now which is something like 8500kbps and it sounds very niec.