Flux: Stereo Tool V3-x64 and DSD

Being very frustrated with Audirvana’s lack of a simple balance control I scanned these forums for advice and decided to try Flux: Stereo Tool v3-x64. It’s a free download so it looked good. I installed it and configured the playback in Audirvana’s AU menu. All went fine with PCM based files. However, I don’t seem to be able to get it working with DSD. I also tried Blue Cat Audio Gain 3 with the same result.

So… the balance control with these two AUs works fine with PCM but not DSD - can anyone help please.

Audirvana 3.2.18 on Mac 10.15.2

Make sure you have the “Realtime control” disabled for VST plugins - that feature does not work with DSD playback.

Hello @Beacon,

Has @JotBF2 said, you can’t use the AU capability in real time mode while listening to DSD but if you change your AU settings before listening to your DSD you’ll then get your AU enhancement while listening yo your DSD file.

Audirvana 3.2 for Mac has been replaced by Audirvana 3.5 for Mac.
You can get the new Audirvana 3.5 that brings the strongly improved user interface, and further improved sound quality.
To get your free upgrade, you need to enter your license key on https://audirvana.com/upgrade-3-5/

Hi Damien3,
Thanks for the reply. I have just tried setting the AU as suggested prior to playing a DSD file but it did not work. I turned the R channel completely off but it played through my HPs normally. Realtime control was off but Use Audiounits Effects was on (checked the box). PCM files, on the other hand, work as expected. For me DSD does not work in AU on Audirvana 3.2 for Mac Catalina 10.15.3. I tried Audirvna 3.5 last year but did not like the user interface and went back to 3.2 as I believe it gives you more control over playback (except AUs!!!). I’ll be staying with 3.2.

Maybe your programming team could take a look at this problem with DSD and AU. :sunglasses:

Hi again Damien3,
I just tried setting Audirvana 3.2 to convert all DSD files to PCM and, guess what - that worked fine with the AU settings (balance control turned off in R channel). When I switched back to DSD over DoP1.1 and restarted Audirvana I had no balance control through the AU. Realtime control was off in both instances! Cheers :sunglasses:

Hi Audirvana team,
Please could you implement a good and efficient balance control integrated to Audirvana without the need of a thirdparty plugin?
This is asked for years and us, customers, would appreciate to be listened sometime.
Thanks. Regards,
David

DSP cannot be applied to 1-bit PDM (DSD) signals… volume control, etc, requires 1-bit DSD to be decimated to multi-bit DSD-wide (PCM 352.8kHz DXD) or some PCM sample-rate and subsequent of this DSP on the PCM signal, it is modulated back to the original 1-bit PDM sample-rate for output…

:notes: :eye: :headphones: :eye: :notes: