NEW Discovery: Getting the Oppo DSD Output to a Dac.
Getting the Oppo DSD Output to a Dac.
I’m no longer using a Preamp. So it’s been a long time since I have been able to play my SACD’s. I really didn’t want to pay for new digital downloads after paying so much for the many SACD’s that I currently own.
I saw an adapter listed on EBay from China that caught my attention. It costs $18 bucks including shipping! It looks to be well made and fairly small. It comes with a wall wart AC adapter. But, I found that it is not needed. It seems the little adapter gets its power from the HDMI via the Oppo. At one end of the adapter is the HDMI input. The other end outputs Optical or Coaxial and both are assessable at the same time.
Now with this little adapter I have been able to take the extra HDMI output from my Oppo 95 and convert that output digitally to my PS Audio Direct Stream Dac. And, it is outputting the DSD stream! The PS Direct Stream Dac shows 24/88.2 Hz as the input. Now, I can now play my SACD’s again and they sound fantastic!
So, I have been copying my SACD’s into my hardrive. To do this, I first copy the 24/88.2Hz signal using my Tascam DA 3000 onto a SD card. Just for the heck I’m also recording that Oppo output at 24/192 HZ. Then I simply transfer that recording to my Hardrive.
If it is true DSD output from the Oppo then the DS should be showing DSD as the input. Sounds like the Oppo is converting to PCM and then dithering it down to 24-88 in order to get it through the optical/coaxial cable.
the only way I have been able to get DSD output from my Oppo to the DS is by streaming DSD files as DoPs from my NAS to the Oppo using minimserver. The Oppo is fooled into believing they are PCMs and will output it to the DS over optical or coax. The DS recognizes it as true DSD.
I agree with the others, I don’t think what you are getting out of the Chinese adapter is a DSD stream and you aren’t recording one on the Tascam either. But if you are happy with the down of the DSD down converted to 88.2 PCM, and then upsampled to 192, then it’s all good.
Another option is rip the SACDs using a modded PS3, put them on a NAS, and then stream them directly to the DS using the Bridge II.
Agreed. There’s no way to get true DSD out of the Oppo. That’s one of the reasons we created the new and upcoming DirectStream Transport - which will do exactly what you want - stream true DSD to DirectStream. There are many legal hurdles to doing this and we got through ours by coming up with an encryption scheme so the new transport will output DSD only through I2S into DirectStream.
But it is exciting to think about finally hearing what’s on our SACD collection. Now, where’s my feather duster? I gotta extricate the many SACD I have but never listen to.
Paul McGowan said
That's one of the reasons we created the new and upcoming DirectStream Transport - which will do exactly what you want - stream true DSD to DirectStream. There are many legal hurdles to doing this and we got through ours by coming up with an encryption scheme so the new transport will output DSD only through I2S into DirectStream.
Tell us more, please? I assume the DS Transport will only work for SACD players that route their SACD output over HDMI outputs, correct? I think most players will only output DSD streams after they're converted to analog form by an internal DAC.
So, I guess this means a dedicated OS for the DS when connected to the PWT-MKII and Yale (or its successor) when no PWT-MKII is connected to the DS via I2s 1 or 2?
Paul McGowan said
That's one of the reasons we created the new and upcoming DirectStream Transport - which will do exactly what you want - stream true DSD to DirectStream. There are many legal hurdles to doing this and we got through ours by coming up with an encryption scheme so the new transport will output DSD only through I2S into DirectStream.
Tell us more, please? I assume the DS Transport will only work for SACD players that route their SACD output over HDMI outputs, correct? I think most players will only output DSD streams after they're converted to analog form by an internal DAC.
Due to SACD license issues, the new PWT will only work with the DS as a combo over I2s, with regard to DSD transfer. You cannot connect a player with HDMI output carrying DSD (HDMI Audio 2.0) to an I2s input on the DS. The electrical characteristics also differs. The new PWT will contain a disc drive that are able to decode SACD discs and output this to the DS over its proprietary I2s port (HDMI connector). The I2s protocol will contain a 'flag/handshake' of some sort that other renderer (DAC) brands cannot decode, but a DS with new OS will know that a PWT is connected.
Well, this is at least how I understand it. I stand corrected if this is not correct…
Oddeophile, Paul said in another post that there are too many changes to the PWT to do a retrofit/upgrade. He said they will be offering a generous trade in on original PWT’s.
Ksalno, the PWT II will be an SACD/CD/DVD(audio only) transport. It does not work in conjunction with an SACD player. Paul has said it will be Oppo based with “extras”, similar to how the PWT has “extras” compared to a standard CD player (e.g. Memory play and digital lens).
Frode, according to Paul the next OS update that Ted Smith is working will have the hand shake included. It should be a two for one, i.e., an upgrade to the OS for better sound and the ability to accept DSD from the PWT II. A short while back Ted said the next OS will be coming in 3-6 months.
ozzymilton said ksalno Your wrong. I am recording that High Rez signal.
The Tascam can also record at 24/88.2 But, just as many of us copy LP’s at 24/192 to preserve the highest quality so am I.
Ozzy, I said you aren’t playing or recording a DSD stream, which is correct. I said nothing about 24/88.2 not being Hi-Rez. As I did say, if you like the sound of converting your SACDs to some other format, that’s great. You’ll get no argument from me.
I just removed the Chinese adapter and ran the coax straight out of the Oppo to the Dac and it is still receiving the 24/88.2 signal. So, it looks like the Oppo CAN output the HiRez signal through the Coax, albeit PCM.
Frode said
Makes sense. Two different OS shouldn't really be required.
It isn't really a new OS in that sense - if I understand your statement. It just adds the handshake functionality and fixes a few other things - plus Ted's been busy making DirectStream sound even better (if that were possible).
Paul McGowan said
Agreed. There's no way to get true DSD out of the Oppo. That's one of the reasons we created the new and upcoming DirectStream Transport - which will do exactly what you want - stream true DSD to DirectStream. There are many legal hurdles to doing this and we got through ours by coming up with an encryption scheme so the new transport will output DSD only through I2S into DirectStream.
But it is exciting to think about finally hearing what’s on our SACD collection. Now, where’s my feather duster? I gotta extricate the many SACD I have but never listen to.
That’s a very exciting announcement Paul! Although I beg to differ with you on the point that there is no way to get true DSD out of an Oppo. The Vanity HD card will indeed output true DSD via DoP when installed inside of an Oppo 103. I know for a fact that this is true because I use mine this way every single day.