DSJ General Questions

Audio Components DACs
1

Hello - I have a few general questions. Note, I love SACD and would like to know the following:

  1. If the source is simple redbook CD from a dedicated CD/SACD transport what benefits are there to converting to DSD and then analog vs a direct conversion of PCM to analog? Are there substantial benefits for doing taking this approach?

  2. Would you use the coax output of the transport or another interface to feed the DSJ?

  3. I am on the fence on MQA but willing to try it out. Does the DSJ perform all 3 steps of full MQA decoding and has gone through all the MQA qualification steps.

Thank you

2

One can build great sounding ladder DACs, great sounding R-2R DACs, etc. I chose DSD because it’s inherently linear (two points define a line) and doesn’t have to rely on high precision analog components to be linear: the “only” analog hardware that’s required is a low pass filter.

Personally I use which ever digital connection is handy, but prefer optical (if it has the bandwidth I need) and then balanced cables (AES3) just to keep ground loop effects down. Jitter isn’t (much of) a concern so some common knowledge about cables isn’t relevant.

MQA in the DS is only supported by the streaming input (the Bridge). The implementation has been qualified.

3

I am a DSJ owner. From the cheap seats:

I can;t tell a difference in cables or cable type into the Junior. Others swear this matters, but not me. As Ted alluded to above, optical cables vary in their ability to pass high frequency so YMMV.

Given your SACD player, and I assume a computer, you have a wonderful opportunity to compare various versions of the same recordings via multiple paths… have fun!!! A bit of a warning… if your source material, of the same tunes, came from different sources or purchased at different times, the povenance of each may be very different and the convesion/mastering/et al… may be different resulting in poorer sounding music from what should be a superior format. So be careful when you conclude that one type of hookup is better than the other.

Check this thread out for new owners of DirectStream, you may find it helpful: New DS owner, share your experience of the dac running in from new?

Peace
Bruce in Philly