I need to connect a Directstream MP to an external dac

Audio Components DACs
1

Only the CD quality happens, I believe this player will down sample the DSD to PSM 88.2 24 bit thru the coax. But so far nothing through coax when playing SACDs.

Help - thanks

2

Welcome to the forum.

Can you clarify which PSA transport you are using and elaborate upon what is and is not working at this point? Might also be helpful to identify the DAC you are using…

I am sure someone will be along shortly to offer some suggestions.

Regards.

3

If I’m reading your post correctly you have a PS Audio PerfectWave SACD transport that is connected to a Non PS Audio DAC ? Is that correct? Or is it connected to a PS Audio Directstream DAC?

You say you cannot hear the DSD layer of a SACD disc through the coax connection between the player and the DAC?

  1. have you selected the player outputs the DSD and DSD_DoP ( this is DSD in a PCM wrapper)?
    Set Layer = DSD,
    Set DoP = Stereo
  2. Note manual says for DSD(64) of SACD discs the native DSD layer is only sent via i2s, and in DoP format to the Coax and XLR outputs.

If you set Layer = CD the player only reads the CD layer on the disc. If there isn’t a CD layer (some SACD discs don’t have it) then with the player layer set to CD it won’t output anything.

Hope that helps.

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4

I think the OP wants to play an SACD in a DMP (rather than the later player) and the manual suggests that you can get 88.2/24 out of the coax socket (I don’t think the later player does this but the earlier one claimed to do that). Whether it actually does what the spec says it should do I don’t know.

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5

You are correct, well done. I’d forgotten about the DMP!
Stereophile had this to say;
PS Audio developed a proprietary handshake protocol between the DMP and their DirectStream DACs, using the I2S interface implemented with HDMI connections. This keeps both Sony and PSA happy: the handshake protocol prevents copyright violations, and gives PSA DACs access to SACD’s DSD bitstream.

If a DAC other than a DirectStream is used, or if the DMP–DirectStream connection is not made with I2S, the playback will be of the PCM-CD layer.

6

Yes, but I’m sure that somewhere they said it would be high res PCM (i.e. 88.2/24) via coax, but I’m not convinced it does it. Certainly the later player didn’t do it but maybe the DMP did/should.

7

Thanks - I am sending from a Directstream MP to a Lab12 dac 1, using coax.

I am waiting on delivery of the matching PS audio dac.