DSD256 Playback Mac

[Outlaw]

Is there anyway to get DSD256 playback on Mac OS X.Are there drivers available ?My Dac is capable of DSD256 playback but no drivers are provided for Mac

[bibo01]

Normally Mac OSX handles DSD through DoP. Therefore your DAC has to be capable of DSD512 to do DSD256 under OSX - like for example with IFI DAC.

However, ExaSound DAC uses its own special driver under OSX and it is capable of DSD256 on Mac.

Which DAC do you have?

[Outlaw]

I have the Moon 280d DSD Dac.It is capable of DSD256.No drivers for Mac OS X so I can only get DSD 64 and 128 ?

[bibo01]

Yes.

[zaumator]

Use Bootcamp

[Russell_L]

I'm getting DSD256 out of my Mac using Audirvana Plus 2.2.4 and an ifi Micro iDSD DAC. No separate drivers installed. (A+ seems to be the only Mac software that can handle DSD256 via DoP--I also have JRiver for Mac, but it converts DSD256 to 176.4 PCM.) The downside is that I get occasional-to-frequent dropouts, which are pretty annoying, to say the least.

[Outlaw]

You can play DSD 256 on Mac because your Dac supports DSD 512

[Cemil]

Old topic, but I'm still not clear.

 

I'm using Roon running on a Mac mini to feed a a Playback Designs MPD-8 DAC. 

 

The DSD256 file gets converted to to DSD 128 (from 11.29MHz to 5.645 MHz) - The DSD 128 goes in unaffected.

 

The MPD-8 DAC goes up to DSD 256. In the Roon setting configuration for the MPD-8, max DSD is shown as DSD 128. 

 

Is this a problem with Roon or with the Mini?

[Ipoci]

If you are an HQPlayer user, I suggest to go for a Linux based NAA ... Then DAC will be drived by NAA in DSD native mode, in addition to that, NAA can be a small computing device with few working processes compared to default OS X setup.

 

Have a nice day. Massimiliano

[57gold]

What's a Linux based NAA and how does one use one with a Mac Mini?

[AudioDoctor]

On 11/3/2018 at 4:08 AM, Ipoci said:

If you are an HQPlayer user, I suggest to go for a Linux based NAA ... Then DAC will be drived by NAA in DSD native mode, in addition to that, NAA can be a small computing device with few working processes compared to default OS X setup.

 

Have a nice day. Massimiliano

 

Who are you replying to?

[AudioDoctor]

On 11/3/2018 at 3:45 AM, Cemil said:

Old topic, but I'm still not clear.

 

I'm using Roon running on a Mac mini to feed a a Playback Designs MPD-8 DAC. 

 

The DSD256 file gets converted to to DSD 128 (from 11.29MHz to 5.645 MHz) - The DSD 128 goes in unaffected.

 

The MPD-8 DAC goes up to DSD 256. In the Roon setting configuration for the MPD-8, max DSD is shown as DSD 128. 

 

Is this a problem with Roon or with the Mini?

 

neither, it is a result of the way the Mac OS works, the easiest way to play native DSD is to not use a Mac but a dedicated player instead.

 

Such as this one, then you have to do nothing but plug it in and control it with an iPad or iPhone.

https://wyred4sound.com/products/music-servers/roon-nucleus

[AudioDoctor]

20 minutes ago, 57gold said:

What's a Linux based NAA and how does one use one with a Mac Mini?

 

Good question, I googled it and I still don't know.

[asdf1000]

On 11/3/2018 at 7:45 PM, Cemil said:

The MPD-8 DAC goes up to DSD 256. In the Roon setting configuration for the MPD-8, max DSD is shown as DSD 128. 

 

Is this a problem with Roon or with the Mini?

 

From your manual, DSD256 is only supported natively (with Windows using PD's ASIO driver but I believe they also now support native DSD via Linux, but check with PD), not via DoP.

 

For your DAC (and most DACs) Mac only supports DoP, hence DoP128. So this is a Mac thing in your case, not limited to Roon on your Mac Mini.

 

If you want DSD256 with your DAC, you need a Windows Roon endpoint with the ASIO driver installed - maybe also Linux now but double check with PD.

 

You can also check with Sonore if you were interested in an ultraRendu - they have PD customers and may also be able to confirm if native DSD256 works with their custom Linux operating system. I'll tag Jesus from Sonore @vortecjr

 

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, 57gold said:

What's a Linux based NAA and how does one use one with a Mac Mini?

 

NAA refers to a HQPlayer 'endpoint'. A bit like Roon uses RAAT (Roon Bridge or Roon Ready) 'endpoints'. If you don't use HQPlayer, don't worry about it.

 

 

[Miska]

Most PD DACs should work with my bootable NAA and HQPE images. Although I don't have any to test with.

 

[Cemil]

Thank you very much.

 

I looked at the microRendu. I don't know if it supports the PD natively; I couldn't find any information on their web site.

 

Pricing wise, it is pretty close to the new Mac Minis. Would it sound any better ? All that is required from the unit is take the input from Roon core/server via ethernet and feed the Playback Designs DAC.

 

As a clarification, I am running Roon core/server on the NAS (QNAP). Currently, I'm using an old headless Mac Mini (2012) purely as a renderer/bridge to feed the Playback Designs DAC (mac doesn't do much else). The Mac is nearing the en of its life, so I'm looking for a replacement.