Cannot play DSD64 with PWD + Bridge2

Audio Components DACs
1

Hello everybody,
I use to play FLAC files (various resolutions) with PWD through Brigde2 without any issue, my current source setup is:
UPNP Renderer:

  • PWD Firmware 2.9.3
  • Bridge2 Firmware 1.2.1
    UPNP Server:
  • NAS Synology DS416play
  • Minimserver 0.8.4 update 114
  • Minimstream 0.7.4
    UPNP Controller:
  • BubbleUPNP 2.8.14 on android Sony Xperia Z tablet

I know my PWD/Bridge setup is not the latest, but I am happy with it, since I don’t need the latest streaming capabilities, I like the current SQ as it is and would not like to change it with new firmwares.

I understood that with the Bridge2 I should be able to play DSD (only 64), I tried with Minimserver without success, I read that Minimstream is needed for allowing Minimserver to send DSD to the Bridge2 using DoP, so I installed it on the NAS.

Now, the bridge displays all relevant information: The title, 176.4k 24Bit WAV and the time counter runs normally, but no sound can be heard, only a humming noise.
I know that DoP is built such that a bad decoded DoP file will generate a humming noise for preventing loud speakers destruction.

So obviously, the Bridge2 does not decode the DoP file, while, on the PWD display, everything is fine.

Does somebody have a clue for helping me?

Many thanks.

2

  1. Did you set MinimServer to play DSD via DoP? You can find the setting in the MinimServer user guide (I’m away from my computer now but I can check the exact commands later if needed).

  2. It’s been a long time since I owned a PWD, so my memory may be faulty. But as I recall, the PWD plays only PCM, not DSD. If that’s correct, you can get around this limitation by having Minimserver transcode DSD to PCM (not the same as playing DSD over DoP— The latter preserves the native DSD data stream, but makes it look to the Bridge as though it’s receiving a hi-res PCM file; this would explain why the screen shows 24/176 ).

Hope this helps.

3

Thank you magister,

1 - I set the stream.transcode to: dsf:dopwav

2 - Yes the PWD plays only PCM through digital inputs, but the Bridge2 (not the Bridge1) allows playing DSD through DoP formatting WAV 24/176.4, it should rebuild DSD from WAV and then play it. I guess it plays in native mode, so the PWD must be able to process DSD coming from the Bridge2.

I am a bit confused.

4

Sorry but no. Magister is correct–the PWD does not play DSD, even over Bridge II. DoP is not PCM–it is just DSD packaged to look like PCM so it can be transmitted over UPnP. Magister is talking about transcoding DSD to actual PCM, not DoP.

5

Thank you Stevem,

I know what DoP is and understand what Magister is talking about, I did it and it worked.

But I wanted to test actually DSD, since when you read this page: http://www.psaudio.com/products/perfectwave-bridge/#tab-features

you have:

  • 192kHz 32 bit compatible
  • PCM or single rate DSD
  • Audible improvement over Bridge I
  • Gapless Playback
  • High speed, low jitter architecture
  • Built in Digital Lens
  • Decodes all popular formats
  • Enables cover art and titles on the DAC touch screen
  • Connect via Ethernet or WIFI (with a commonly available Wifi Ethernet adapter)
  • Easy install
  • UPnP compatible
So I expected to play DSD using DoP through UPnP and Bridge2, but it does not work.

So I will use PCM transcoding.

6

That page could be better worded - The Bridge passes DoP thru to the DAC so if the DAC doesn’t support DoP the DAC and the Bridge together won’t support DSD via DoP. That line was trying to let people know that the Bridge won’t support double rate DoP.

7

The description could certainly be more clear on that point.