SACD Player With Hi Res Coax SPDIF Output

[LarsT]

I will be experimenting with an Aurender A30. The plan is to use the preamplifier section straight into my amps. This will preclude me from playing SACD since the A30 does not have analog inputs, and my current SACD player does not have hi res output through Coax.

I am wondering what players allow for a hi res signal to pass via coax. I know the Directstream Memory Player has the feature, so I may look for a used one. Are there others?

And, yes, I do occasionally spin discs since I really enjoy the sound more than a ripped version.

Thanks

[TommyC]

Spdif cannot output DSD (from SACD). It is converted to 16bit / 44.1khz due to copyright reason.

The only players that can output DSD (from SACD) via Spdif are the OPPO 103 / 203 with a special Audiopraise Vanity card.

PS Audio Directstream Memory Player can only output DSD (via spdif) into its own DAC, not to other DACs.

Other companies have similar restrictions. DSD output (via spdif ) only to its own DAC.

[LarsT]

From the Memory Player Manual:

In non-PS Audio connected DACs, choosing an SACD later will provide a down sampled PCM version at DMP’s outputs. This down sampled PCM version, output at 88.2kHz/24 bit,is generally superior to the RedBook CD layer.

I only know this to be true because I previously owned a DMP and ran it into a non-PS DAC for a while.

[TommyC]

Interesting. SACD players that I owned cannot output SACD higher than 16bit/44.1 khz on the DSD layer. Perhaps I had the settings wrong?

You're right, according to the PS Audio manual, SACD will be downconverted to 24bit/88.2khz for output. But cannot do DSD unless using a modified OPPO.

[W9TR]

Sony locked down the digital output of the SACD specification to prevent digital copying of the DSD data stream directly.

This is true of any SACD player made by any manufacturer. So you won’t find an SACD player with an optical or coax output that is DSD.

Many SACD players have a PCM output which is sampled from the DSD data stream. The performance of this output is player dependent.

The OppO players mentioned earlier in this thread have a bug (feature ?) that allows access to the DSD data via a bit of bit wrangling.

[audio bill]

The Bryston BDA-3 DAC is able to convert the true DSD signal (not down converted) from SACD playback when connected via HDMI from an appropriate disc player with HDMI output and SACD support. You could check with a Bryston dealer to see which specific players are compatible with such a connection.

[Weirdcuba]

My direct stream memory player does very well, but not DSD, with my lampizator. The combo of a DS memory player and the PSA dac gets every last ounce out of an SACD - truly outstanding,

[Kal Rubinson]

The only way that I know of to do this is to either (1) rip the DSD to DSF files and play those back via JRiver, Roon, Audirvana, etc. or (2) get a D-BOB to take the HDMI feed from a player and output DoP* over coax to your DAC/player.

D-BOB review in May Stereophile.

*DoP = DSD Over PCM.

[cmarin]

Originally Posted by Kal Rubinson

The only way that I know of to do this is to either (1) rip the DSD to DSF files and play those back via JRiver, Roon, Audirvana, etc. or (2) get a D-BOB to take the HDMI feed from a player and output DoP* over coax to your DAC/player.



D-BOB review in May Stereophile.



*DoP = DSD Over PCM.

Hi Kal,

I recently acquired the DBOB and am very pleased with its performance for the price, even with an inexpensive hdmi cable (from oppo 203 to DBOB) and an equally inexpensive optical cable from the DBOB to a TotalDac d1-12 MkII dac.

My interest in getting the DBOB was to use the oppo203 for musical bluray discs (and SACDs - My Kalista transport doesn’t okay SACDs) through the higher performing HDMI out while keeping the TotalDac for playback.

So far I’m pleased with the results and plan to upgrade the cables on the oppo-DBOB configuration and possibly even the oppo 203 itself.

My question is whether you were able to do an apples-to-apples comparison with the oppo UDP-205/DBOB combo versus an SACD transport, both playing an SACD disc and putting out a digital signal to the same DAC?

Thanks

[Kal Rubinson]

Originally Posted by cmarin

My question is whether you were able to do an apples-to-apples comparison with the oppo UDP-205/DBOB combo versus an SACD transport, both playing an SACD disc and putting out a digital signal to the same DAC?

My report covers what I did while I had the unit. What sort of transport are you referring to that will output DSD over S/PDIF or USB?