Hey guys, in my second setup, I am coming back to hqplayer + matrix + Dsd dac.
I am trouble getting the dsd dac to play songs originally of the 48khz family converted to dsd by hqplayer. The 44.1 family works just fine up to 2x DSD. But I get no sound when playing any song in the 48khz family, even though the matrix blue light lights up.
If I upsample the song to 176, using roon, all is fine again.
I am using the i2s connection. Has someone run into similar issues?
I don’t use HQPlayer, but I suspect that with 48k, etc. it upsamples by 64 or 128 (which makes sense) but as you noticed the DS doesn’t accept 64 or 128 * 48k… It accepts 64 and 128 x 44.1k. I don’t know the options on HQPlayer, but if it supports converting 48, etc. to some multiple of 44.1k and then to DSD should work.
Thanks @tedsmith. I can’t seem to get hqplayer to convert to dsd to a 44.1 family rate. I will contact the developer.
Look here:
Thanks. I guess this was the missing piece of the puzzle for me. I will try out the filters, to find which convert from 48k to 44.1k dsd
Hello! I just purchased a Matrix X-SPDIF 2 and I have it connected from my Mac Mini using a Curious USB cable and to my DS using a PS Audio IS2 cable. Everything works, but my light is green and the DS shows the input as PCM even when I am playing DSD files from the Mac mini using Roon. Does this all sound correct? I have been reading this post looking for answers. I apologize if someone already covered this and I missed it. Thanks
I don’t think thats possible.
The matrix will only convert the non-native file to a native, such as DOP(DSD over PCM) to native DSD. Otherwise it will simply passthrough PCM/DOP files. It can’t convert DSD files to PCM etc.
I have a feeling you are playing a PCM file and not a DSD file…which is why it shows it as such.
I am definitely playing DSD files which is why I am confused. I sent the same question to the manufacturer and I haven’t heard back yet. Thank you for responding. I still figure I must be doing something wrong or I must have missed something.
The Matrix X-SPDIF-2 is a USB input only device, so you can not send it native DSD files.
You must be sending it DOP(DSD over PCM) files from USB.
How are you converting your DSD files to DOP?
I’m kind of new to all of this. but I don’t think I converted anything. They showed as DSD files when I played them from the Mac mini straight to the DS using USB from when I downloaded them. Since hooking up the Matrix the same files show PCM on the DS. Did I miss a step? Thank you!
USB is not capable of transmitting native DSD. USB can only transmit PCM and DOP(DSD over PCM). The DS Sr/Jr then reconstructs the DOP input stream and plays it as DSD format.
The I2S connection normally only between a DMP and DSD Sr uses HDMI to transmit DSD files when playing SACDs. HDMI can handle the higher bandwidth of native DSD.
**What is the format of your files? What are the letters after the file name? It should read [File Name].(format)
-Ripped DSD files are normally [File Name].(dsf)/(dff) format.
-Converted DSD files to DOP(DSD over PCM) will be [File Name].(m4a) format on mac.
-Native PCM(non-DSD) files are also [File Name].(m4a) format on mac - note, they can also be [File Name].(alac) format on mac.
**What is the size of the album?
-Most DOP .m4a album sizes are 1.5gb to 2gb on average.
-Native PCM(non-DSD) .m4a/.alac album sizes are 500mb to 700mb on average.
Note, this is only true for 16/44.1 PCM files…24/192 PCM files will be much larger…closer to 1.5gb to 2gb.
USB supports native DSD fine. The Matrix supports native DSD fine. The PS Audio USB drivers don’t support native DSD, but that’s actually the rarity these days.
If your software is configured to not do DSP on the data stream you can configure it to send native DSD or DSD over DoP to the Matrix and have it delivered to the DS. There’s a switch on the bottom of the Matrix which configures how it passes native/DoP.
I stand corrected, thanks Ted for correcting that. I was mostly responding to what he said earlier, which was…
…If he is referring to sending the DSD Sr native DSD files over USB then that is not possible…and that is what I was commenting on.
Thank you mr-ryan-eickmeyer and Ted! I really appreciate both of you trying to help this novice out. Ted, I hit the switch on the bottom of the Matrix for native/DoP and with a DSD file playing it still shows a PCM file is playing on my Directstream DAC. Weird.
This is not accurate. HDMI is not used. An HDMI cable is used to transmit the I2S signals. I2S can handle the higher bandwidth requirements of DSD.
Under “Device Setup” for the zone, do you have “DSD Playback Strategy” set to “DSD over PCM v1.0 (DOP)”?
Sorry if I missed that: What software are you using?
**What is the format of your files? What are the letters after the file name? It should read [File Name].(format)
-Ripped DSD files are normally [File Name].(dsf)/(dff) format.
-Converted DSD files to DOP(DSD over PCM) will be [File Name].(m4a) format on mac.
-Native PCM(non-DSD) files are also [File Name].(m4a) format on mac - note, they can also be [File Name].(alac) format on mac.
**What is the size of the album?
-Most DOP .m4a album sizes are 1.5gb to 2gb on average - for DSD64
-Native PCM(non-DSD) .m4a/.alac album sizes are 500mb to 700mb on average - for 16/44.1
I really appreciate all the help everyone! I am using a Mac mini and Roon. I did set Roon to DSD over PCM. I am playing files that end .dsf and m4a. My albums are all in the range mr-ryan-eickmeyer specified. Is there anything I need to configure on my Mac?
