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How to play double-rate DSD?

#1

The DS will play single- and double-rate DSD. I am very much liking the single-rate DSD files I have. In my quest for best sound, at some point I will want to experiment with double-rate and see what difference (if any) I hear.

Normally I play music from my NAS via the Bridge. Bridge I and (unfortunately) the upcoming Bridge II are limited to single-rate.

So I have to use a computer. I have gotten foobar working with single-rate DSD via USB (apparently it will not work via the Bridge). Does foobar play double-rate? (So far I haven’t invested in any such files, since I’m not sure I can play them.)

I try to stay as far away from JRiver as I can, but I know it can play DSD. Double or single?

There may be hardware solutions, such as a Sonore Rendu with the i2s output option.

Any other possibilities? Thanks!

#2

Yep foobar2000 plays double rate just fine. I don’t think you have to set any options at all.

If you want to convert to DSD in your foo_dsd_asio proxy control panel : you need to set the Fs(s) to DSD128.

JRiver also plays single and double DSD just fine.

Yep we can receive double rate DSD (raw or DoP) over the I2S as well.

#3

Is there a way to get Korg Audiogate 3 to work without Korg hardware? I understand that it was possible in earlier version? I would like to convert DSD128 DSF to DSD128 DFF since my player doesn’t play DSD128 DSF files.

#4

@magister: you can experiment/try double DSD files using free samples from https://justlisten.nativedsd.com/albums/just-listen-1-compilation

#5

Korg previously offered a method of activating Audiogate through Twitter. They removed this option some months ago. Now one most own the hardware.

The Super Audio CD Decoder for Foobar will reportedly play both DSF and DFF, if this is of interest.

HFX offers a DFF to DSF converter, but I do not know if it goes the other way or if they have another offering.

It may be worth contacting Jesus at Sonore. He offers free software that converts ISO to DSF or DFF, and another which converts wither to FLAC DoP, etc. He may have something or can point you to a program which does so.

You may want to identify the player you are using as someone may have a work around or know of a plug-in.

#6

Foobar with SACD plugin does play both single- and double-rate DFF and DSF files.

The HFX converter only goes DFF–>DSF.

#7

I have Auraliti and if I understand correctly it does support double rate dff, but not dsf. I hope they make update some day.

I just bought one album that is 128DSD dsf and I thought it would work angry_gif.

#8

Argh! Are there no other options to stream double rate DSD to my DirectStream over the bridge?? I just bought a double-rate album… no where is there any documentation saying it wouldn’t work over the bridge???

Is ripping the DSF files to a DVD and playing through my PerfectWave transport an option?

#9

You can do it over I2s and maybe over USB in the future.

#10

Bridge I and the upcoming Bridge II are restricted to a maximum of 192/24 for PCM files. Double rate DSD requires DoP files that appear to be 352.8/24 PCM files so there is no way to send double rate DSD over the Bridge (I or II). Single DoP files look like 176.4 PCM files so those can be sent over the Bridge (I’ve done it using JRiver Mac and PC, for example). Double rate DSD can be played over USB or I2S. I don’t think the PWT can play anything above 192/24 so I don’t think you can burn double rate files (even as DoP files) to DVD discs and play them using the PWT even using the I2S connection, but I don’t know that for certain.

#11

I don’t think the current USB driver can cope with double rate DSD.

#12

If you’re referring to USB connection between DirectStream and a computer, rather than anything to do with Bridge or PWT, then I can confirm that double rate DSD via DoP is currently supported. As is DXD (352.8kHz PCM).

#13

Yes, I think I mixed this up a little.

It was double DSD raw that the USB currently didn’t support.

#14

You are correct, the current USB drivers support double (and single) rate DoP but not raw DSD. Support for raw DSD over USB is on our wish list, but no idea when we’ll get to it.

#15

Is there any practical benefit to be had in supporting “raw” DSD over USB? DoP does the job just fine and I find it hard to imagine any USB source which could handle raw DSD not also supporting DoP.

And where exactly does the constraint lie in supporting double-rate DSD from the Bridge? Is the circuit which drives the I2S lines not capable of being reconfigured to perform native DSD signalling on two wires? Which component imposes the 192kHz (ie 9.216Mbps) rate limit for PCM-style transmission?

#16

There’s no technical advantage to raw DSD over USB for the DS. There are always 2nd order effects when you change the code running on the PC - DoP may be better in that less of the PC is doing something at 2.8 or 5.6MHz. Some DAC chips apparently are less jitter sensitive with a 2.7mHz derived input clock vs a 176.4 derived input clock so raw DSD may sound better on those chips. We’d only do it for the marketing check list :)

#17

Is anyone aware of any freeware or cheap programs that will convert double rate dsf file to single rate? I spent $30 on a double-rate Jazz at the Pawnshop that I can’t listen to… My PC is across the room so I lean on my bridge to stream all my music.

#18
jtrimm said Is anyone aware of any freeware or cheap programs that will convert double rate dsf file to single rate? I spent $30 on a double-rate Jazz at the Pawnshop that I can't listen to... My PC is across the room so I lean on my bridge to stream all my music.
Korg's Audiogate will do that for you:

http://www.korg.com/us/products/audio/audiogate3/

It’s free, and easy to use.

#19

Unless you own their hardware, I think for free you can only get the Lite version which is just a player. They used to let people use the full version as long as they sent an advertising tweet every time but I understand they stopped that. I’d be happy to learn I’m wrong.

#20

Correct