I just moved the DSD into my 2nd system to try with the Lumin T2. I connected the two via an older USB cable I had just to hear what it would sound like. I get the stream from Lumin to DSD, the DAC locks fine. However, there is no analog output into the preamp.
The whole setup is as follows:
Roon core running on my desktop PC.
Roon streams to Lumin via LAN cable.
Lumin USB output into DSD USB in.
DSD analog outputs into preamp.
I have never used USB before, in fact the only thing my DSD has ever been connected to was DMP via HDMI. Is there a setting I need to change somewhere? I’m running Windom (which runs fine via HDMI) if that helps.
Thanks!!
Ian
Go into the Lumin menu you may have to designate which digital output is active.
Thanks I will try that, but Lumin seems to be outputting signal fine. The DSD locks at 352.8k bit rate. There is just no volume. I will try that though.
I made the change in the Lumin app, but then Roon wouldn’t work. It kept cycling through music without advancing on any song. As soon as I set Lumin back to analog outputs Roon worked again.
If the DS says 352.8k then it’s getting 352.8k. If you were sending single rate DSD then something is changing it to PCM or upsampling to double rate DSD. If you were sending double rate DSD then something is doing some kind of PCM processing: perhaps a volume change or something more complicated.
You can tell if it’s DoP by turning the volume up. Corrupted DoP has the DSD bits, but down about 40dB so that they don’t blow someone’s speakers when played as PCM.
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Ted, I usually up-sample through Roon. In this case it should have been sending DSD512. However, even if I turn off up sampling in Roon so it’s sending 24/96 FLAC the Directstream Dac still shows 352.8k PCM and there isn’t any audio.
I think I got it. It’s a couple of settings in Lumin:
Active Audio Output :USB
MQA Mode: Digital Out
It seems like the DS Dac doesn’t like the DSP processing in ROON either. It seems to work only when I have Roon set to native. I’m going to play around with that.
I’m going to guess that even Native it will still sound better through the DSD than through Lumin’s built-in DAC.
Ian
OK, here’s the deal. If I up-sample to DSD128 everything is fine. So is native, of course. Anything above DSD 128 seems to be a no go; the output mutes.
The DS doesn’t support anything above DSD128 at this time. We may get DSD256 over I2S in the next release. With lower probability we may get DSD256 via USB with Native DSD.
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That’s what I figured. Right now I’d say Lumin upscaled to DSD512 and Directsream at 128DSD are about even in SQ. I have a cheap Wireworld cable from the Lumin to the PSA DAC though so it’s not a fair comparison. I am going to order a high-end USB cable today and see where we end up.
Thanks all for your help.
Are there any DACs that accept DSD512? How about DSD256. I love the PSA directstream DAC but I would really need to be able to output higher rate DSD streams.
Denafrips Terminator and T+A DAC 8 are two.
I am not sure why you need 512? I honestly prefer the sound of DOP. You are less likely to find DOP and the DS has it. Do not forget that the DS is in fact 20x DSD internally, The conversion has already been done to 1024.
It could be the cheapo USB cable I’m using right now (it was what I had handy), but DSD512 from the Lumin is at least as good, and probably a hair better than using the PSA DAC. You wouldn’t think that would be the case. That’s why I was curious if DSD512 through an external DAC would be better than the Lumin’s internal one.
Different but not better I would think without spending a bunch. The alternative would be to sell both pieces and look at an X1.
In all fairness…
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PS Audio DAC had been unplugged from power for months before I plugged it in, waited an hour and ran the comparison.
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The USB cable used was a cheapo I had at home. I just bought a highly regarded Final Touch Audio Calista that should be here mid-week.
I don’t want to trade in the PSA DAC toward an X-1. I love how this DAC sounds with the DMP and I still have a ton of music on disc (though I move more over every month).
DSD will work with PCM 256 so I want to see how that sounds with the DAC warmed up for a few days and the new cable in place.
Fair enough but maybe another alternative in the end might be to swap the T2 for a U1 Mini plus an Sbooster LPS or even an Aries G1. I use the G1 and the combo is superb.
I find “optimizing” the USB is huge. I use a Intona 3.0 and SOTM 500 with the 500 PSU and Cardas high speed cables(3.0) with my DSS. I feel the change in sound is night and day. Or for less money and perhaps even better their is the Matrix route.
Like I said though, don’t worry about 512. The DSS already converted it to 1024 and then you can use DOP. I feel with optimized USB or I2S the sound is great.