The DSD signal can be directly used to reconstruct the original analog signal with a simple RC filter.
This method allow to create a very simple DAC without a DAC chip with sonic performance higher than normal DACs.
At this time there is only a commercial product using this method to convert digital signal to analog output by LampizatOr.
The output wave have a DC component of 1.65V present only during DSD playing so with a normal firmware if you change track or click pause a high bump will be reproduced on loudpseakers.
I have an active collaboration with Amanero srl so I have request this new firmware that keep an empty output signal any time there is not DSD signal to reproduce (ask me about it).
Using this software there is a bump only at the switch-on and switch-off but you can add a relay to eliminate this problem.
This DAC work only with DSD but you can play any PCM tracks converting these in DSD with some setting on your JRiver or Foobar2000 player while this playing.
There is a big benefit to convert tracks in DSD also using a normal DAC DSD converters (see Korg document and Archimago’s Musings measurements).
I suggest to use PC with Intel® Core™i3 min and a RAM 4Gb but also on some Android device the convertion should work with Onkyo HF Player
I’m impressed by that DIY, although it’s not very convenient to always upsample to DSD (depending on what you use to play/stream).
but once everything is done, judging sould quality only, how does it compare to a high end DAC like the DirectStream?
I am making some test in these days with some my friends on different environments and systems.
In a first test this Pure DSD DAC (without dac chip) sound much better than my ES9018 Sabre DAC.
More info to configure this Pure DSD DAC are on my website.