Next DSD firmware update in 2020 or 2021?

Audio Components DACs
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@tedsmith

I have really been enjoying all of your DSD firmware updates - most of all Windom.

Just curious(no rush) should we expect another DSD firmware update this year or should we expect one next year?

Ryan

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Iā€™m not sure at this point. Tho I probably will get my part done (tho not necessarily), listening and doing whatever else PS Audio wants in a new release takes some time too.

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@tedsmith

Any hints on what will be updated? :slight_smile:

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The biggest feature is that Iā€™m trying to allow DSD256 (quad rate DSD) input via I2S. Doing it via USB is less likely - it would require new XMOS firmware and new USB drivers for the host. After I have that working Iā€™ll see what I can also do to increase sound quality.

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Thanks Ted!

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Thanks for asking this question!

Iā€™ve been wondering with all the talk of the other projects going on whether firmware upgrades have been shelved.

The Directstream DAC hardware is getting long in the tooth, but itā€™s the continual firmware improvements that keep it interesting and relevant. Iā€™d love to see that optimization continue!

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Ted, would the PCM rate also be increased via I2S?

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Naaā€¦weā€™re gonna be ok.
Look to how itā€™s been done before?

Just one Manā€™s opinion, but PS Audio and (especially) Ted Historically are ALWAYS coming from a good place, so I say try and be ā€œa little bit more Fonzieā€ about our DS Dac updatesā€¦?

Weā€™ll be ok.
They havenā€™t ā€œjumped the Sharkā€ yet? :grinning:

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Or they could just be be Evil folks wanting to pollute our water supplyā€¦?

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352.8k would still be the max.

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I am looking forward to DSD256 support over I2S and, as always, improved sound quality!!

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I find it always ridiculous when I see recordings offered in such high sampling rates which sound 10 times worse than other good recorded CDā€˜s.

Of all options to generally improve sound, such high sampling rates are probably the least effective.

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Only my experience with original DXD, DSD256/512 (jRiver convert to PCM) from Japan, DCC i2S to DSD, I like all of them especially DXD. For my ear almost everything exaggerated, irritating or hifi character have gone. Guess for some it might sound flatter, for me itā€™s way easier to accept then enjoy.

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@speed-racer

Slightly off topic, but do you have a good online source to download DSD256 content?

So far ive just been ripping SACDs - so DSD64 only.

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@tedsmith

I hate to ask thisā€¦but as RichW said the DSD Sr is getting some age on itā€¦personally it still sounds amazing imo. Butā€¦are we getting to the point that firmware upgrades may end? Are we reaching a point of diminishing returns? Or is the FPGA immune to that thought process?

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No, I upsample PCM and DSD64 to DSD128 using HQPlayer and want to upsample to DSD256ā€¦

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There are plenty of threads about that around. As long I as I find ways to make the DS and DS Jr better with software changes Iā€™ll keep doing it. After all the DS Jr was discontinued a while back and we release software for it near the time we release the DS software. When the TSS is out any new software for it will probably have at least some part of it back ported to the DS and DS Jr.

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@tedsmith

Completely off topic - There is currently a hardware upgrade path for perfectwave to DSD (which I took advantage of).

Are there any talks of an upgrade path from DSD SR to TSS-(ish) hardware-wise? Or is that not possible?

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I donā€™t speak for PS Audio on this topic, but they have always been generous with trade-in credit, etc.

The TSS will have virtually no parts in common with the DS (tho at itā€™s core itā€™s essentially the same design.) The cases and panels, etc. wonā€™t be compatible between the DS and the TSS.

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@tedsmith

Thanks for that reply Ted.

So, regarding the firmware upgradesā€¦this is gonna sound kinda crazy and I know it would be a-lot of workā€¦BUT

From from forum threads like ā€œWindom: Sound Impressionsā€ it just seems the there is some subjectivity in how people like specific firmware upgrades. Some like RedCloud more than Windom or parts of Pikes/Yale etc.

What if your team created a firmware environment which allowed the user to pick attributes which they liked best and then that firmware environment was able to spit out a custom firmware that fit that specific userā€™s picky needs best?

The userā€™s choices could even be logged and used as a data metric to drive future overall firmware and hardware direction.

Is that possible?

(Edited to add part about data metrics)