Per Sony’s rules DSD transmission by I2S is only within a brand. There were some Mod boards to earlier OPPO players that allowed it but that’s it. So for DSD transmission to the DS for now it is used DMP or nothing.
1 Like
Yeah, thats what I thought as well - dammit Sony - , thanks.
Does your current cd player, the one you play sacd’s on, have a digital output?
If you can use it as a transport only, bypassing the internal dac, then you can use it until the new PS Audio becomes available. And don’t get hung up on I2S for now.
1 Like
It was my understanding that CD’s and DVD audio can utilize the digital-out/optical toslink for their bitstream to your DAC. SACD’s, however, require too much bandwidth and must use something like the HDMI standard. Even then, as ‘dawkinsj’ said above, per Sony’s rules DSD transmission is only within brand…when sent digitally. Of course you can always send the analog signal to whichever amp you wish after the D to A conversion was accomplished.
Yes I could use my current CD/SACD player until the new PS Audio transport comes out but as stated above it wont work for SACD playback.
Using analog out to my amp it will work and then digital out to dac for CD:s. Not what Im looking for but it might do until a better option comes along.
So do I understand you correctly then that another manufacturers transport wilt I2s output will not work for SACD playback through DS dac?
I really hate the SACD format. Yes, it sounds better, but the compromises demanded make it completely not worth the tradeoff. And I say this as someone who bought in early with a Sony 333ES player and who owns a bunch of SACDs. The player would never reliably play Redbook CDs and I finally just dumped it on the curb. I’ve got a bunch of SACDs too. They sit in their box. Last year I bought a Sony Universal player (UBP-800 or something) for the 4K discs and SACD use as well. But my home theater speakers aren’t designed for good audio so who cares? Oh, and the remote on that Sony player already went tits-up. Which is REALLY bad when Sony doesn’t even bother to put a PLAY button on the player. So you put a disc in and it just sits.
I’m basically done with Sony. I was ALL Sony in my youth. And now? Their design sucks. Their policy? Sucks. They’re an “entertainment” company. And they’ll not get another dime of my money.
5 Likes
I am sure there some very descriptive words to match the SONY acronym.
As I’ve mentioned before, in the pro video/audio industry, whenever they breathlessly announced a new product at a show, the joke was that it stood for, “September or October of Next Year”.
2 Likes
If you’re looking for CD Redbook playback (no SACD), check out the Jay’s Audio CDT2-MK2. Built like a tank and has I2S output that is compatible with the PS Audio Directstream DAC. It sounds better than any transport I’ve owned in the past.
3 Likes
Agree. My feeling about Chinese made audio components is that they fall into one of two categories; cheaply made and I have no interest, or first rate quality. Jays felt first rate quality when I played around with one. And the one I was trying communicated with his DSD.
But I’m still waiting for the new PS Audio.
1 Like
I’m hoping/praying that some chinese boards I bought will strip out the video and just leave the clk/data/GND connections intact and simply plug into my I2S input of my DS Sr. Or I’m stuck with 2.0 ch 2.8MHz playback via USB direct in for now. I’d like to play my multichannel SACD’s using my Sony AVR DSD DAC (Center, Right & Left Surround channels only - DS Sr. handles front L & R always - PCM works great this way). Also I found that Dolby True HD WILL play the front L & R through the S/PDIF RCA input @ 48kHz/16Bit !
I’m running a Sony UBP-X1000ES and the built-in 2 Channel 11.2MHz is crap compared to the DS Sr… The DSD DAC I “good enough” for Center and Surround duty.
Whatever happened to the ‘good ole days” where ya just plugged crap in and just worked ?
Yes, that’s the case with my Sony SCD-XA5400 SACD/CD Player, which has an HDMI output which will pass DSD from the SACD layer to a Sony HATS receiver only. COAX or Optical output must be used to connect to any other DAC, so the SACD DSD layer won’t pass to the DAC. Those who want that will have to wait for the new PS Audio transport with their proprietary handshake protocol between DMP and PS Audio DACs.
SACD should have been Sony’s response to the Napster era. “Copy protection so onerous you can’t listen to any music you buy!”
1 Like
Prolly not an accident that they both came out in 1999.
Think I’ll stream some Prince ; )
Though arguably, streaming is the current version of The Majors winning over the artists yet again🤷🏻♂️
2 Likes
I still prefer and mostly listen to physical media. Mostly CD but I do own and want to be able to play SACD also. I think I will pick up a DS dac and continue with my current CD/SACD player for now. I will keep a lookout for a used PS audio transport or wait for their new one to be released.
You can always buy a used Oppo 103 and install an OppoMod I2S board in it.
I been using an Oppo 103 as the SACD transport for my DS for over 5 now, and its still running strong.
I just need to get a mod that lets me pull the DSD stream into a file.
They’re rippable with free software and a few of the Oppos.