One of my source’s is a Windows10 Pro machine, with iTunes/Roon/Tidal, connected to my DirectStream DAC via the USB 2.0 connection. I tried streaming DSD from PrimeSeat and the DAC shows it’s decoding PCM.
I am reading elsewhere that Windows won’t send DSD out the USB port, and that, if your manufacturer’s USB driver can convert it to DoP, you will enjoy many of the benefits of the original DSD file.
Is there anything I need to do on this Windows machine to get the best quality?
Hi, I use JRiver, but when I was using my Benchmark Dac2, with Windows 10, I could output straight DSD. Do you have the option to use WASAPI? If so that bypasses the Windows audio completely. Unless something changed in one of their updates Win 10 can output DSD.
Why are you using iTunes with Roon? If you saved your audio files to the folder Music, and tell it to use Roon as the default, you should be able to avoid iTunes completely.
I’m sorry I can’t speak of using the Directstream, but I thought it accepted DSD through the USB input, no DOP needed. I think it is a setting somewhere. With JRiver you have to use the Bitstream to output DSD.
I think only the I2S connection handles Native DSD. Ted ran into issues when he tried to get it work over USB (unless he fixed it, or I’m totally misremembering). So you would need DoP for the USB connection.