Popular Post barrows Posted January 8, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted January 8, 2021 On 1/6/2021 at 9:17 AM, firedog said: Hi George- AFAIR, all ESS chips convert DSD to PCM internally, they don't do one-bit conversion direct to analog. There are AKM chips that convert DSD directly to analog, without internal conversion as an intermediate step. Maybe that's why you don't like the sound of the Oppo. I would suggest that this is not quite accurate, at least not IMO, but some of this depends on what one calls PCM and DSD. Typically, most DACs which one would say covert DSD to PCM, would end up converting a DSD data stream to a known PCM format, like 176.4 24 bit, or 352.8 24 bit, or perhaps 32 bit. The ESS chips do not do this, indeed they do not reduce the sample rate at all for DSD 64 input. The ESS chip does create a multi bit format out of DSD, at 5, 6, or 7 bits according to the settings of the chip: this is the bit rate the actual chip conversion stage runs at: this process is a re-modulation and does pass through the ESS SDM, but in the 9038 Pro, the SDM is actually very good and should not be of much concern, if at all. On the other hand, if the manufacturer configures the ESS chip with a non synchronous clocking approach (which is the common way the chip is implemented) the sample rate will be entirely asynchronously re-sampled, and IMO, this really messes with the sound. If the DAC manufacturer configures the ESS 9038 with a synchronous clock though, all is good and any oversampling is at integer values and sounds very good indeed with DSD 64 input. DACs such as Ayre use the ESS chip this way, and it can be accomplished with DIY ESS 9038Pro based DACs as well. Teresa and blue2 1 1 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
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