Author Topic: MusicBee and DFF, DSF, and other DSD High Resolution Music Files  (Read 18391 times)

ArthurDaniels

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I have downloaded some test files from NativeDSD.  These files are DSD high resolution music files, recorded and transferred with high-end equipment.  Resolutions of the files I downloaded extend up to 256K - as compared to standard CD 44K resolution.

MusicBee can play these files directly - which surprised me a bit.

However, these file formats cannot be edited in MusicBee.

I am curious as to what is happening when I play these files with MusicBee.

1.  Does MusicBee "translate" or "convert on the fly" or perform some other such action to play these files?

2.  Is MusicBee capable of playing these files at full HD resolutions?  If so, do I need to alter any settings - if so, which ones?

3.  Other than converting these files to FLAC or some other format, is there a way to edit these files in MusicBee? 

I am asking these questions because I am interested in the potentially superior sound which these types of files may provide.

Thanks,

Art

ArthurDaniels

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I see that a number of people have viewed this post, but no one has responded.

I would appreciate some comments from our group of highly-knowledgeable MusicBee users.

Thanks,

Art

hiccup

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Wouldn't it be great if everybody got an answer within 24 hrs. ;-)

Slightly off-topic, but as a resonse to: "because I am interested in the potentially superior sound which these types of files may provide":

I personally wouldn't bother with dsd files at all.
To cut to the chase: The reason is that the existing mastering/processing equipment in studios can not process dsd, and will need additional conversions in the digital domain.
Both before being able to process an actual raw dsd recording, and then again after the mastering processing is done, encoding it to dsd again.

And one thing that anybody who is serious about digital audio will want to avoid (or keep to an absolute minimum), is converting audio streams.

dsd is pretty much a marketing ploy.

So is it nonsense when some people say they believe a dsd release they own sounds better than a pcm release they own?
Not per-se, since there is a good chance that the dsd release has been mastered slightly different than the 'original' pcm release.
(perhaps even motivated by clever marketing)

Some reading if you're interested:
http://www.mojo-audio.com/blog/dsd-vs-pcm-myth-vs-truth/
https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/41262017-audio-myth-dsd-provides-a-direct-stream-from-a-d-to-d-a

Steven

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MB converts the DSD file to PCM at the same sample rate as the DSD file or the closest sample rate that your device supports.
In v3.2, if you ASIO device supports either raw DSD or the DOP format then MB has the option to output DSD files that way

hiccup

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In v3.2, if you ASIO device supports either raw DSD or the DOP format then MB has the option to output DSD files that way

My d/a converter can handle dsd, and I am using 3.2.
I'm not much interested in using dsd myself, but if you need testers let me know. Then I'll see if I can get a hold of some dsd recordings and see how that works out.

ArthurDaniels

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MB converts the DSD file to PCM at the same sample rate as the DSD file or the closest sample rate that your device supports.
In v3.2, if you ASIO device supports either raw DSD or the DOP format then MB has the option to output DSD files that way

Hi Steve and Hiccup,

Thanks for your two responses - especially to Steve for explaining how MB handles these types of HR files.  My DAC can handle up to 192 khz.  When I played the files, my DAC indicated 192 khz playback.  I hope to be able to compare one of the HR files to a standard CD version of the same recording -- to see if I can hear any differences.

It seems logical to me that the less processing that goes on, the better the final sound might be.

But, I also have personal experience with the process of using my 40-year-old Technics linear turntable with it's original magnetic cartridge to play LPs, while using an Inport device and Wave Corrector software for the purpose of converting the music to digital files.  Logic says that the converted files will not sound any better than the original files, but my experience is that my converted files sound noticeably better.  Other listeners have heard these "before and after" recordings and have agreed with me.

I find these experiences to be very interesting - logical or not.

Steve,  do you plan to add editing capability for these types of files?

Best,

Art

 

ra990

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MB converts the DSD file to PCM at the same sample rate as the DSD file or the closest sample rate that your device supports.
In v3.2, if you ASIO device supports either raw DSD or the DOP format then MB has the option to output DSD files that way

First of all, thanks for all your hard work on musicbee, I've finally switched over from Winamp and I'm very satisfied.

In 3.2, will the raw DSD passthrough to the DAC only work with ASIO? Will it not work with WASAPI mode?

Thanks
Last Edit: December 22, 2017, 04:36:20 AM by ra990

DaveLeeNC

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MB converts the DSD file to PCM at the same sample rate as the DSD file or the closest sample rate that your device supports.
In v3.2, if you ASIO device supports either raw DSD or the DOP format then MB has the option to output DSD files that way

I have a follow up on this old question. I have a 2.8 mhz dsd file being read by MB and feeding an ifi nano idsd DAC/Amp. What the DAC is seeing is 88 mhz PCM where this DAC will support PCM sampling rates above 300 khz. Does this make sense?

Thanks.

dave

captain_paranoia

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DSD is a bitstream. It isn't a series of sample words like PCM is.

Your 2.8Mbps DSD stream is being converted to 16-bit PCM

2.8M/(2*16) = 87.5kSa/s

actually, it's

2.8224M/(2*16) = 88.2kSa/s

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_Stream_Digital
Last Edit: April 02, 2019, 06:57:45 PM by captain_paranoia

DaveLeeNC

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Got it - thx. I am new to this stuff and when I did the math I forgot that there are two channels. Not the only stupid error that I have made in this new avocation, but this one cost me no money  :)

dave

3vilgenius

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MB converts the DSD file to PCM at the same sample rate as the DSD file or the closest sample rate that your device supports.
In v3.2, if you ASIO device supports either raw DSD or the DOP format then MB has the option to output DSD files that way
 

So just to clarify, musicbee will automatically downsample hi res tracks to the highest bitrate that my dac supports? Is that why I've been able to play songs that have a greater bitrate than what my DAC supports without getting an error like when I try to play them in other software like foobar?

MTVhike

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I thought I'd try some DSD files, from NativeDSD, so I downloaded their free sampler in DSD64 (stereo), put them into MB and they work fine on my laptop computer with no special hardware or other software. They also offer the sampler in DSD 128, 256 or 512, and in 5.1, but those are not free (although not expensive). I'll have to say that they sounded very good, but my system probably can't distinguish.

musimath

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MB converts the DSD file to PCM at the same sample rate as the DSD file or the closest sample rate that your device supports.
In v3.2, if you ASIO device supports either raw DSD or the DOP format then MB has the option to output DSD files that way

Is this the situation now? MB is not able to play DSD files without converting them to PCM? And MQA files?