Author Topic: Playing dsf files...  (Read 1083 times)

latheofheaven

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Hello!  I KNOW this topic has been discussed in the past, and I did indeed read the posts that I could find.  I even found the post where the resolution and bit depth were not showing accurately on the DAC.  But, no matter what I try when I play dsf files using the WASABI (I know it's not spelled like that but I don't quite remember the word :)) Exclusive, the dsf file plays, but on the DAC (SMSL DO200 - both codec and DAC set in 'Event' mode) no matter what I do or change, the panel consistently shows a resolution of 88.x and no bit depth.

I tried, as others had with their DACs, selecting the ASIO codec, where I guess you CAN go in and specifically set it for playing raw DSD files, but the result is the same.  I'm not 'telling' MusicBee to convert to PCM or use DoP, so why is my DAC always showing a lower resolution of 88.x?

According to another post, I even replaced a number of the files with the 'Patch' provided.  No change.  The mystery of it is, I don't really know if I AM actually hearing the full DSD sound and the DAC is showing the wrong data, or if somehow MB IS converting the DSD to PCM (although with the WASABI codec I have no options at all) and that is what I am really hearing.

Since those other threads were several months old, has there been any clarification or update on the PRECISE settings to be able to play DSD (dsf) directly to your DAC and/or if there indeed is a bug and the correct, full resolution is simply not displaying accurately on the DAC?

Thanks kindly for any help and input!
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SOUNDROOM / SYSTEM / COLLECTION
Comments added to lower-right of some pictures giving more details about how my system is set up

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9ja3UKob7tppW4Y38

hiccup

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Just to be sure, did you install the drivers for your dac?

edit:
I think the driver also makes a control panel available that might give some useful info on what is going on.
Last Edit: April 02, 2022, 08:38:43 AM by hiccup

latheofheaven

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Thanks kindly for replying Hiccup!  I don't know quite what you mean by 'Drivers for your DAC'  because you can't install drivers ON the DAC.  So, I'm guessing you mean drivers associated with playing to your DAC from the PC, right?  Such as the WASABI & Asio drivers (I know it's not spelled that way, but I can never remember just exactly how it is spelled  :) )  

So, for the MusicBee I have the WASABI Exclusive setting out to my DAC, and both have the 'Event' setting.  BTW, since I posted this earlier, I actually found that there is a way to play full SACD ISOs with Foobar!  I would rather use MusicBee because it is WAY cooler, but the steps shown to do that with Foobar are very specific and not so nebulous as it is trying to figure out how to do it with MB.  Just so you know for comparison I installed the specific drivers for Foobar to decode DSD, and they have a separate driver just for SACDs!  So, once you have them installed and set to play native DSD, then you can see easily on the player that it is outputting DSD64 and it says 'lossless'

Still my SMSL DO200 does not specifically show that.  It shows the 44.1 but that is it.  But, on my system I can tell that the sound quality is very good from what I was playing.  I'll show  pictures here IF I can post them to show you.  However, with MB with all the discussion and vaguery surrounding this I just can't seem to get a solid, concrete way to do this AND to show that it is doing it properly.  Now, with the MB playing dsf files supposedly natively, my DAC shows 88.x  but MB is NOT set to convert to PCM, so I've tried and tried and it just doesn't seem to be super CLEAR how to do it, OR to display that it is in fact actually doing it.  It would be GREAT to be able to have the player display exactly what it is outputting like Foobar does.

Please though, by all means, if you have any input on SPECIFICALLY how to be SURE that MB is definitely playing the dsf files or the DSD natively, that would be great!  But, I will admit that since I happen to have a lot of ripped SACD ISOs, the convenience of just clicking on the ISO and playing it with Foobar is pretty dang nice!

Here are those pictures if I can post them:





Here is the system I'M playing it on, so you can see that I can really tell the difference in the quality of the sound and imaging:

Sound Room
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SOUNDROOM / SYSTEM / COLLECTION
Comments added to lower-right of some pictures giving more details about how my system is set up

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9ja3UKob7tppW4Y38

hiccup

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Your dac needs usb drivers that you install in Windows.
You can download the driver from their website.
The driver also comes with a control panel where you can set and check things.

hiccup

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And make sure you also frequently clean the usb ports the same way you clean your vinyl ;-)
https://bit.ly/3Dxj7K2
(great listening room b.t.w.)

latheofheaven

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Heh, thanks!  :)

Oh yeah, I see now what you mean.  Yep, the DAC is playing perfectly fine and I did of course install the Windows drivers for it when I got it.

I guess trying to use the MB to play DSD is just going to be one of those ongoing murky mysteries  :D

Thanks again!

Cheers!

Jaime.

PS:  Oh, I THINK I understand what you mean about the driver.  The actual SMSL driver that I see in the players when I set the settings as the output device.  I don't know if it itself has any 'settings' except those found within the players' settings, but I'll check to see.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOUNDROOM / SYSTEM / COLLECTION
Comments added to lower-right of some pictures giving more details about how my system is set up

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9ja3UKob7tppW4Y38