T+a dac 8 dsd

[bmoura]

Are there any plans for T+A to demo this DAC at some of the upcoming audio shows in the US (AXPONA, The Show Newport, RMAF 2016)?

 

I'd like to hear it in action.

[bmoura]

Rutherford Audio should have the DAC 8 DSD, I don't have the booth # handy, but I know the booth will be in the marketplace. We are waiting on our T+A shipment from Germany, that will have the DAC 8 DSD on it.

 

Hmm, if it's at a table in The Marketplace at AXPONA vs. a Room, would this be a demo with headphones vs. speakers?

[bmoura]

That is correct, however we are no longer 100% confident it will make it. The pallet has not left Europe last time I checked. I will keep you guys updated.

 

The Newport show will have it for sure in a room. (Sunny Components will have it)

 

 

 

Sorry for the late reply here. I will send you an email. Robb the CEO and Norm the President of US sales will both be at Munich.

 

Hmm, time for an assist from Federal Express?

 

A room at The Show Newport should be an attention getter. In it's new location (Hotel Irvine), The Show Newport was sensational last year.

 

On the Munich demo, I hear that Jared Sacks will be bringing some of his favorite DSD music from the Native DSD Music store for DSD 512 upsampling. That sounds like fun. Not planning to be at Munich, but looking forward to reports from that event.

[bmoura]

I'm actually quite happy about how latest Intel CPU combined with latest nVidia GPU performs. CPU is good at doing few very complex non-parallel things at high speed. And GPU is good at doing many simple things in parallel at high speed. This combined with several gigabytes of very high speed RAM provides tremendous possibilities for things like complex adaptive/look-ahead algorithms. Entire album can be pre-analyzed to know upfront what is coming up and when. Combining the two gives best of both worlds. And nVidia's new Pascal microarchitecture seems to give a huge boost for HQPlayer-style applications

 

I don't see a lot of advertising of PCs and Laptops with CUDA architecture. But it looks like a tempting combination. And perhaps an alternative to strictly focusing on higher powered Intel CPUs for upsampling to Multichannel DSD 256 on your exaSound e28 or the NADAC.

 

Are there examples on the market of CUDA-equipped machines you would recommend with HQ Player - and DSD 512 playback on the T+A?

[bmoura]

It's not really something they would advertise directly, since CUDA is a software library.

 

So, to look for CUDA capabilities, you actually look at the video cards (or integrated Graphics card if a laptop). NVIDIA will have de facto CUDA support.

 

[EDIT] I will add that a certain amount of direct marketing is done towards segments which do make a lot of use out of this, namely gamers and also AI researchers/users.

 

That's what I thought.

 

When CUDA was first released, Nvidia made a big deal about it. Lately, it's rarely mentioned, if at all.

 

These days you usually have to go into Windows Control Panel to get the info on the Graphics Card and how many CUDA cores it has (if from Nvidia).

 

I'm guessing that the rise of Intel's Integrated Graphics Chips for Laptops means that you'd need to look at gamer laptops to get one with some CUDA processing power.

 

With HQ Player supporting CUDA, might be time for systems built for audio downloads streaming to highlight that feature. And maybe even show the CUDA logo. CUDA Inside?!

[bmoura]

Nope, they can also process in the analogue domain.

 

Depends on the producer and recording engineer. As Ted noted, Jared Sacks uses a custom Analog Mixing Board for his DSD sessions. Cookie Marenco does the same - she has a full analog mixing desk at Blue Coast Studios for DSD.

 

So DSD without DXD is indeed possible.

[bmoura]

Whilst PCM DAC chips have a mass production cost advantage, it seems in the mid price range PCM is going to have a hard time catching DSD 512

 

Or DSD 256.

[bmoura]

How does your DAVE play 2L's 5.1 channel DXD content? You know, 2L is all about multichannel audio. I'm playing it all fine upsampled to DSD256 through my exaSound e28 DAC.

 

So my objective is to make cheaper DACs less compromised by providing uncompromised upsampling and delta-sigma modulators. And in addition allowing cheaper no-compromise DACs because DAC doesn't need to perform any digital processing, just convert digital input to analog at highest possible quality - which is actually the connection to T+A DAC8 DSD in this thread!

 

Yes, and when it comes to playing Multichannel DSD 256 files, or Multichannel DXD files, the exaSound e28 is a very attractively priced DAC. Worth checking out by 2L fans.

[bmoura]

After our DSD 512 Fest in Munich, let's talk about what we have on our overflowing shelves which might work for you for multichannel

 

Recently we have been testing out a Octocore i7, which does not cut it SQ wise for 2 channel, but might be interesting for you for multichannel. (no easy way to attach an OCXO)

 

Do keep us up to date on Multichannel solutions for the e28 and the NADAC. I'd like to hear more about that as well.

[bmoura]

Yes, good stuff; true all that. I was simply/mostly responding to the DXD discussion and our labels to-date. And...what will be really cool is when full DSD editing will be accomplished in DSD. Folks we've mentioned are already working on it. Let's just hope the market is there.

 

Agreed. I'm sure that some of the producers and recording engineers working with DSD today would love to see full DSD editing. Bring it on!

[bmoura]

Quite correct, you can get super results with $ 700 worth of parts + case. We did that 2 weeks ago at Larry's

 

But when you have a mobo power supply with microvolt ripple, add a OCXO with its own power supply, a dedicated power supply for the SSD, select the best sounding RAM, tune the RAM settings, build a optimized OS for the software that's running, the sound quality rises to another level

 

That's what we have been doing since July 2015, and will be announcing is 3 weeks time :-)

 

Nice. Something that takes the place of the PC and has enough CPU and CUDA power for HQ Player upsampling to DSD 256 Multichannel and beyond would be of interest here.

[bmoura]

Sorry to disappoint, but we are focusing on 2 channel for the time being

 

Oh well, on to other options....

[bmoura]

I am pretty sure there will be a healthier market for binaural DSD 256 than standard stereo or even mch.

I really hope this is the first of many future DSD 256 binaural recordings from Channel Classics.

Bring it on asap please!

 

Binaural DSD is interesting over stereo headphones. Not sure it will overtake Multichannel DSD or Stereo DSD as a download format anytime soon.

 

There are six DSD 64 Binaural DSD Downloads over on Native DSD, one of which (Dreams & Prayers by A Far Cry) is also available in DSD 128 Binaural. You might want to check those out in the meantime. The Misa Criolla on Cobra Records is very effective in Binaural DSD 64 on my system.

 

https://www.nativedsd.com/homepage/binaural_dsd_music

[bmoura]

Thanks Brian but I think I already mentioned the wonderful a Far Cry DSD 128 binaural release. It is since its release one of my absolute favorites both musically and SQ wise.

The Beethoven excerpt from opus 132 is simply heavenly!

Another favourite DSD binaural recordings being the Brahms quartets.

But for those not already aware of those. Strongly recommended!

 

But I am also looking forward to Mahler's 7th in binaural from Channel Classics and hope it is the beginning of more large scale symphonic music in binaural.

Judging from the many online sites devoted to headphone listening I think there is a so far underestimated market for binaural recordings.

 

Speaking of A Far Cry in Binaural DSD 128, Native DSD has extended their practice of giving you the lower DSD bit rates on a purchase to their Binaural DSD downloads.

 

So, if you bought A Far Cry in Binaural DSD 128, you can now download the Binaural DSD 64 version at no added cost.

[bmoura]

Holy cow 7 pages of stuff has happened since I last visited this thread! Have a lot of reading to catch up on, but just so everyone knows, the DAC 8 DSD will be at AXPONA with the AMP 8 in the Marketplace.

 

Yes, I'm definitely looking forward to putting on the headphones at AXPONA and giving the DSD 512 demo a listen!

[bmoura]

The marketplace may simply be a static display (often they end up like that) or if a working demo (as he mentioned earlier), do we think he will have an HQPlayer-like upsampling or another way of doing DSD512 Brian. Unless I am missing something.

 

I was told the Marketplace display at AXPONA would have headphones to allow auditioning the DSD 512 system. We'll know for sure later today when it opens.

[bmoura]

I think that now means you can download the binaural as part of the same purchase.

 

They give you the Stereo DSD 64 if you buy the Stereo DSD 128. Or the Binaural DSD 64 if you buy the Binaural DSD 128.

[bmoura]

My point is: I don't think he ever said DSD512. It takes a decently powerful and efficient server to get to 512 cleanly. Hope for the best though. Let me know your impressions; I must miss Axpona this year.

 

You are right.

 

It's a static display (no people at the booth) with a Mac Laptop and the T+A DAC playing the Ray Charles album Genius Loves Company in PCM.

 

No DSD 512 or DSD for the T+A at this show.

[bmoura]

No, that's not what I'm talking about. Binaural includes the stereo free of charge. (See the NativeDSD newsletter of 26 March 2016, and the info on the website)

 

Even better.

[bmoura]

LOL, thanks for taking the time educating me on your absolute opinion and facts, no offense taken. Surely my 30+ yrs as a musician I have no ref point from live, acoustic and studio settings. Yep, it is difficult to deal with for some.

 

That gives you some serious credibility in my book.

[bmoura]

Write-up from AudioStream on the BMW event with the T+A DAC and the upcoming server in DSD 512 in Munich.

 

Sound Galleries SGM Demonstration | AudioStream

[bmoura]

No, the Win 10 production version is very soon.

 

Eliminating the need to get Windows Server. That sounds quite interesting!

[bmoura]

Chord's FPGA is just a bespoke "chip" with DSD subject to massive processing and in most cases, decimation. Both these brands treat DSD as a red headed stepchild. Don't get me wrong, the DAVE is wonderful on PCM and I guess the BenchMark is good there too.

 

Neither would be considered a DSD reference by me. I have heard the Hugo on DSD head to head with better DAcs and it was crushed by them.

 

As to material, you don't need original DSD material with using Jussi's wonderful up sampling engine! Simple rebook will do. Just make are to mate with a "chipless" engine, i.e. an elaborate discrete filter box. I would not choose PS Audio Stream for this as they make compromises to play back PCM source music in the same pathway.

 

Everyone has their preferences when it comes to DACs.

 

I agree with wisnon on DSD playback. The Chord DACs (Hugo, Mojo, Dave) pale in comparison to other DACs with DSD that I have heard including the Lampizator, NADAC and the new Merlot from Playback Designs, among others to my ears.

[bmoura]

Will the T+A DAC8 and the Sound Galleries server be demonstrated at the upcoming RMAF audio show in Denver (Oct 7 - 9) ?

 

Didn't see it mentioned in the list of exhibitors.

[bmoura]

Rutherford Audio will be there (Marketplace), and they're the US distributor for T+A, so I'm assuming they'll have a DAC 8 DSD there.

 

--David

 

Rutherford had an unattended static demo of the T+A at AXPONA. I'll check to see if they have something more ambitious with the T+A at RMAF.