DSD Files from NAS do not play

Hello,

I am just starting to experiment with playing DSD files on my DS with Bridge II. To date I have been playing all forms of PCM file from my Synology NAS and this has worked very well, and it sounds great, btw. DSF files however do not play. I am using Minimserver with BubbleuPnP and controlling everything with a iPad running Kazoo. I can see the file on Kazoo, but they just don’t play.

The research I have done indicates I need to add streamer.transcode (DSF:DOPWAV) to the minimserver,via minimwatch, but this appears to be an obsolete command, since stream.transcode is not an option in the latest version of Minimwatch properties. Also, I thought the DS with Bridge II palys native DSD files??

So the long and short of it is, I need some help, please.

Thanks,

Arnie

Hi Arnie,

I also run a Synology Nas with BubbleuPnP and Kazoo on my iPad. The first thing to check is if you have installed minimstreamer (an addon for minimserver). You can check this using minimwatch. Go to Properties, then click Packages in upper tab. Is minimstreamer 0.5.25 listed in right side window. If not, you should be able to download it using the left side. It usually is listed there, just click install. Then give it a few minutes for the NAS to do it’s thing, open up minimwatch again, go to properties, System, and stream.transcode should appear at the very bottom. Enter the test dff:dopwav,dsf:dopwav. I just had to redo this after I downloaded a new version of Minimserver. Btw, MConnect and MControl are very good remote control apps for the iPad and MControl does Tidal. Hope this information helps you.

Cory

Arnie,

Cory has given you the info about MinimStreamer so you should be good to go. You also might want to try some of the other transcoding options with MinimStreamer. Some people (including me) find improved SQ by having MinimServer transcode PCM files from whatever format they are stored in (FLAC, for instance) to WAV rather than having the Bridge do this. Details are in the MinimStreamer manual.

The DS plays native DSD files only via its i2s inputs; the Bridge requires the use of DoP.

I’ve tried about every control point for iOS and ended up preferring Kazoo (which requires also running BubbleUPnP server, but you seem to have gotten that figured out already). I used mconnect and mcontrol for some time, but got really frustrated with them because they a) sometimes [not always] had trouble finding the Bridge and b) lost the contents of the playlist if you went away from the app for any length of time. The latter drove me nuts. It may be that these issues have been fixed, since I haven’t tried the most recent update.

Cory said Hi Arnie,

I also run a Synology Nas with BubbleuPnP and Kazoo on my iPad.


Great first post, Cory.

Arnie, please let us know if you solve your issue.

Cory, All,

Thanks for the help, the process was simple, especially the way you explained it.

Does this “path” provide the SQ improvement that the DS should be providing with DSD files over high rate PCM files? My thought would be no, since the DSD is being converted to PCM before the DS.

Thoughts?

Thanks again to all for the help,

Arnie

Ok, maybe 3 minutes of research are required before I post a silly question.

http://forums.linn.co.uk/bb/showthread.php?tid=31204

Other thoughts would be welcome.

Thanks,

Arnie

DoP is indeed using PCM as a container for the DSD bits - the actual DSD bits are being sent unmolested, just wrapped so that they 1) can go thru hardware/software designed for PCM and 2) won’t blast your ears if something goes wrong along the way.

You can just look at the DS’s screen to verify whether it’s receiving PCM or DSD (or DoP).

All,

I am able to run single rate DSD using MinimServer and Bridge II, but am not able to run high rate files. How are the rest of you doing this?

Thanks,

Arnie

Single rate is all the Bridge II can handle, so anything more than that and you need to down convert it. I do this with JRiver on the fly but I don’t know MinimServer well enough to tell you if it can be done or if you need to transcode your files in advance.

MinimServer can do the transcoding on the fly, but AFAIK there is no way to tell it to differentiate single- from double-rate DSD; in other words, you have to downconvert all DSD or none.

Hi Magister

I am setting up a new DS with Bridge II. I am connecting to a Synology server, using Minimserver, and mconnect on an ipad.

PCM, and single DSD play perfectly, but I cannot get 2xDSD files to play. Can you tell me how to downconvert all DSD files on the Minimserver.

My knowledge is fairly limited, so a step by step would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Carl

Carl,

You need to install MinimStreamer, which is an optional component of MinimServer. Then you tell it to change all DSD files to WAV. See this page; under Transcoding, note in particular the second paragraph under dsf. In the System tab of the MinimStreamer properties, under stream.transcode, you will put something like dsd:wav24.

Czapp, keep in mind the Bridge II will not play 2X DSD files, only 1X DSD. The DS DAC can play 2X DSD but only through the USB input.

Thanks Magister! In addition to converting the file - dsf:wav24 - I also had to change the sample rate - dsf:wav;192

All working well now