Native DSD versus DOP comparison

[Jud]

Thanks for those important infos. Is there a link explaining the "maths/physics" behind those numbers ? They remind me of the advice that transcoding a DSD64 to PCM is best done at a 176.4 frequency, DSD128 at twice that frequency, etc. (advice coming from minimserver author who has implemented such a trancoding possibility in his excellent software).

 

 

Isn't there a small (or not so small) overhead inside the DAC (as opposed to the external music server) to recover the DSD signal from its DOP "camouflage" and which could impact SQ ?

 

Thanks

 

The math is very, very simple. A "word length" of 16 bits is used to pack the DSD bitstream for DoP. Multiply 352,800 by 16 and you get 5.6M, in other words DSD128. So that's why you need 352.8K PCM capability to transmit DSD128 over DoP, 705.6K to get DSD256, and so forth.

[Jud]

Is the DoP marker/flag read at the USB receiver? If so you make a great point. Where is the marker read when DoP arrives via SPDIF, for example?

 

Doesn't DSD require SDIF rather than SPDIF?

[Jud]

My point was that there are many DACs that support DoP via digital inputs, for example SPDIF inputs (like Chord, etc). I wondered where the marker was read in that signal path.

 

"Many" might be a little strong according to your/Jesus/Brian's invaluable DSD Database (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GPtrINDXXFW9Nm7A7YJ6Jsiu54hKXD7vUmrAbtwrSG0/edit?pref=2&pli=1#gid=0) , but it's a worthwhile and interesting question to which I don't know the answer.