Theoretica Applied Physics BACCH

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Thank you!

I wish Edgar would get over his foul mood about DSD. I wouldn’t mind just playing DSF files like a normal fool. Yup yup yup.

I just texted him so. Oops. I am listening to Moanin’ in 24/192 streaming from Qobuz even though I have a DSD256 version of it on my NAS. Bah.

I’ve found that I don’t like playing DSD files over BACCH. There is something lost in the conversion to PCM that is unpleasant on my system. Native DSD over BACCH would be nice.

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If I want to listen to random music I let Roon convert DSD to PCM. No big deal. If I want to listen to DSD in all its glory, I just play and listen to it on my MU2. Oh my goodness, it does such a nice job.

But still…

I think the MU2 must do a far better job of converting DSD to PCM. My Mac mini is being asked to do that whilst also processing BACCH and I don’t think it likes it

The MU2 does not convert DSD to PCM. In fact it offers no way to do it. It plays it pure. When I had the MU1 it converted DSD to PCM and downsampled it. Due to the limitations of AES/EBU or SPDIF cables required, it had to be downsampled. Eelco Grimm stated that the removal of Jitter was a big enough improvement it made the downsampling no big deal. But the first time I heard pure DSD on the MU2 I realized that in my opinion, he wasn’t truthful. It’s night and day better to me. Huge difference especially with DSD256. As the internal connections between the streamer and the MU2 DAC have no limitations, it sends a clean full signal to the DAC. But streaming to another endpoint it sends the pure DSD which the BACCH does not accept.

So if I want to hear DSD at its best, it’s Grimm MU2 with no BACCH.

The MU2 is so good though I warm to it quickly. I can BACCH if I want to. It has this one silly limitation though. Edgar tried to explain to me why he can’t and won’t deal with DSD, and I have forgotten. It might be that he can’t process in one bit.

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Thanks for enlightening me, Al.
I know, I know - I’ve gotta get me a Grimm MU2. I know this in my heart and soul, but it’ll just have to wait for now.
:slight_smile:

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You are most welcome my friend.
I am convinced a BACCH-SP adio is crucial. The Grimm MU2 seems nice.
If I had to pick between the two it would be the adio. No question about it.
The MU2 is very nice, but I could live without it.

(Shhhhhhhh!)

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Moaning is one of Edgar’s favorites. I wish that he would embrace DSD - I have in 256 also.

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Agree with you… wish Theoretica would be more open to using DSD with the Bacch.

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To VMAX and anyone else with experience:

Earlier you commented on how one might play DSD via BACCH. I originally purchased a DIO box, only to discover BACCH is allergic to DSD and therefore my SACD collection. I will soon have an upgraded ADIO box and am hopeful the converted DSD files will benefit from the BACCH filter.

Anyone with experience passing DSD through a DAC, then converting back to digital, then passing the BACCH filter?

Edgar seems confident this will be successful. I surely hope so.

Thanks in advance,

Paul

I own an adio. To play DSD via Roon I use the Roon option to convert DSD to PCM. DSD will play on the adio, but it plays for 2 seconds, drops to silence, plays for 2 seconds, drops to silence. It isn’t fun. The only way you can play DSD on the adio is to have something upstream convert it to PCM. Trust me on this.

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What server do you use?

Like Al said, you would be better off keeping all processing on the digital domain, rather then multiple digital to analog conversions.

No server, no wifi. SACDs and high res files only.

Edgar thinks I can use my DAC to convert DSD to analog, then the ADIO’s A/D back to digital, then its D/A returns it to analog.

Well, he should know. We’ll see.

Don’t forget that Edgar believes DSD is forbidden poison. :nauseated_face::rofl:

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Noooooooooooooo!!!
(I can’t)

You need a DAC that converts DSD to analog like DSMK2 then feed analog signal into ADIO for PCM or into BabyFace FS with Bacch4MAc and another DAC.

I disagree. Using a DAC to convert DSD to an analog signal will work, but it’s going to color the sound. You won’t be listening to DSD, you will be listening to what the DAC does with it.
I don’t know what your source is as you have mentioned it. If it is Roon, Roon can convert DSD to PCM. I use Roon to do this in my setup. Then you have PCM going to Bacch which it handles without trouble.

Don’t trust Roon to convert DSD to PCM? There are other ways. HQP can also do this. The point is using this conversion process all happens in the digital realm. No DAC output stage to color the sound. No DAC power cable. No DAC interconnects. It will work, but its wonky at best.

I have a choice in my system. I can stream pure DSD from my MU2 to its built in DAC. Absolutely pure and dang, it sounds amazing. But no Bacch. Boo hoo. Instead I setup Roon to convert DSD to PCM and send that to my BACCH-SP adio. It sounds fine, no issues, and full BACCH processing. It is extremely easy to do.

I have 1512 albums in DSD. I have an adio. I know what I am talking about.

If you don’t use Roon, whatever player software you use could perform this DSD to PCM conversion.

Edgar has told me due to DSD being 1 bit, there is no way to perform the processing that Bacch does. He has no option. I have asked him to create and provide an Edgar designed DSD to PCM converter that he can make available. He has declined.

I am fine with this. If I am so concerned with listening to pure DSD, I can. Just not with Bacch. I choose the conversion and I encourage you to try it. Instructions available.

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Al (is it Al?):

Thanks much for the explanation.

I am also very pleased with my current DSD listening, via PST and Aurender, through a Holo May DAC. Most of my musical library is classical DSD, so this would be my primary BACCH use, unfortunately. I have no streaming capability, so Roon won’t help.

Are there hardware DSD to PCM options?

If the D/A/D conversion produces a ‘wonky’ result, why do you think Edgar recommends it?

Thanks :smiley:

Paul

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Oh no!!!
Another Paul, lol
A different Paul
The other Paul
and now another Paul

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