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How should I listen to DSF files on a Chord DAVE?


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Thanks Mr. Rubinson.

(By the way, thanks for the reply; it's a real honor since I've been reading your Stereophile columns since the mid 1990s.)

Yep,  I thought things would be easier since, as you point out, the Dave does handle DSD natively.

 

As far as I can tell, there is only one official driver (by Chord) for the Dave in Windows.

 

And Jriver, which has a few settings for DSD (I've tried them all), generates an error message in a pop-up box about not being able to handle the file unless I allow it to process it as 176.4, which it says is the recommended solution.

 

I'm actually not even sure it's converting to PCM, since it doesn't say that explicitly.  I just assume that, since all the dsf file are shown as having a 5644 bit rate, that's what it is doing. That's what prompted my question here.

 

The DAVE has no indication of what it is actually doing. You choose PCM+ or DSD processing, but either of those modes will process anything.

 

It's not clear to me what DAVE does with DSD.  A few DAVE owners have told me that they never use DSD mode ever, even with dsd files. Clearly, the DAVE is primarily meant to function as a PCM processor, so maybe that has something to do with this.

 

Best to you and thanks again.

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Dave has nothing to do with this. You are feeding it a PCM downsampled files from DSD. I use Jriver with Dave without any issues.

Go to Jriver settings and select Chord ASIO. Then enable bit streaming for DSD.

Tools > Options > Audio > Settings > Bitstreaming > (select DSD )

 

Also make sure that you keep all sample rates unchanged.

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Thanks! I was trying exactly that before but Jriver was complaining . I uninstalled and reinstalled Jriver (version 23) and now it's working.

Thanks for motivating me to start again from scratch. 

Sorry, I am new at using DSD from files. I only used redbook-sourced files before.

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17 minutes ago, bellhead said:

Thanks! I was trying exactly that before but Jriver was complaining . I uninstalled and reinstalled Jriver (version 23) and now it's working.

Thanks for motivating me to start again from scratch. 

Sorry, I am new at using DSD from files. I only used redbook-sourced files before.

You are welcome, if you need any help, just let us know!

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Thanks again. 

Things were OK, then out of nowhere I get this message again:

 

Something went wrong with a playback.
Playback could not be started on the output 'Direct Sound' using the format 'DoP 2.8 MHz 2ch'

 

Then if I try to play another dsf file this popup labeled [Automatically Configure Output Format] appears:

 

Playback could not be started using the format 352.8 kHz 64bit 2ch.
This format would work: 176.4 kHz 64 bit 2ch
Would you like to have your DSP Studio > Output Format settings changes automatically?

 

If I say yes, it will play, but says 176.4 and doesn't quite sound as good.

 

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Ok I see your problem. In the first window, under sample rate, set the output of all sample rates to “unchanged”

 

In the second window, under audio device, you are currently selecting “Direct Sound” 

Go to Device settings and select “Chord ASIO”

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8 minutes ago, bellhead said:

AhHa! That worked. (The Chord Driver is WASAPI, not ASIO though. I don't think that should matter from what I read.)

Awesome. Thanks a million!!

 

 

Both drivers work fine, glad it works, enjoy your Dave now :) 

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Be sure to toggle the DAVE into DSD+ mode when playing DSF files.  See page 8:

 

https://chordelectronics.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Dave-User-Manual.pdf

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  • 9 months later...

I don't even know what jriver is...  I know its some music player I'm not familiar with.

 

Hmm.. Dave handles PCM better 

 

DSD/SACD: It converts native DSD (64 to 512) or handles DoP (64 to 256) and converts it to PCM with a 200 dB plus filter that eliminates all out of band distortion and noise from DSD. This supposedly sounds better than the DSD+ mode with DAVE. Filtering at this level is vital for a number of different reasons.

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5 hours ago, The Man said:

DSD/SACD: It converts native DSD (64 to 512) or handles DoP (64 to 256) and converts it to PCM with a 200 dB plus filter that eliminates all out of band distortion and noise from DSD. This supposedly sounds better than the DSD+ mode with DAVE. Filtering at this level is vital for a number of different reasons.

 

...and then it again re-creates the "out of band distortion and noise" with it's own DSD-style modulator. ;)

 

The out of band noise is essential property of all SDM type converters, including all Chord ones. It is supposed to be removed by analog reconstruction filters at the DAC output. Without it you again have all the traditional problems of PCM.

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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6 hours ago, Miska said:

 

...and then it again re-creates the "out of band distortion and noise" with it's own DSD-style modulator. ;)

 

The out of band noise is essential property of all SDM type converters, including all Chord ones. It is supposed to be removed by analog reconstruction filters at the DAC output. Without it you again have all the traditional problems of PCM.

 

no noise.... that's what is says above and since I own one I can attest to that

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1 hour ago, The Man said:

no noise.... that's what is says above and since I own one I can attest to that

 

Did you measure it? I'd like to see the measurement results. Since we are talking about ultrasonic noise.

 

I have only Mojo and it indeed spits out some noise with PCM inputs:

Mojo-1k_441-wide.thumb.png.0ddc2246f3e5907e66eebd6b20a10bb3.pngMojo-sweep_441-wide.thumb.png.b7e0a188b5ba88e02394a2654935b361.pngMojo-sweep_441-narrow.thumb.png.2d2806f105f2bf8c9cf69fc70652d896.png

 

While I have DSD DACs that don't:

HoloSpring-sweep-dsd512-wide.thumb.png.d65b4ddf9ad3fc25347541b7aad56f61.png

 

 

So, you know, it depends...

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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