Is it possible to force DSD to PCM conversion during playback so I can apply Audio Units effects? I’m trying to use Sonarworks SoundID reference to EQ my headphones, but it doesn’t seem to be applied to DSD tracks and the playback chain indicates that everything is being kept in DSD format. When I connect a DAC that doesn’t support DSD and isn’t specifically recognized by Audirvana (e.g. Schiit Modi+) I see an option to enable DoP, but here I’m using an iFi Zen DAC V2 and that option doesn’t appear. I’m using Audirvana Origin (2.5.5) on macOS 14.1.1.
and if you click ‘‘override manufacturer official settings’’ on ?
or it might be a settings inside your DAC not in Audirvana?
Oh, I didn’t think to click that checkbox. Never tried it.
Of course I tried it. It just enables the controls that are visible on the screen. Also this isn’t a DAC setting. How would that even work? The DAC would somehow know that the original source was DSD and then prevent the host from converting that to PCM, to the point of removing any controls that would make that possible?
Please don’t reply to this topic again. I’m asking for help because I’ve already tried the obvious things.
Well ‘Mr. Obvious’: People are not mind readers here and are just trying to help.
Please try to stay polite and respectful. If you can not do that, please don’t post your questions here. This is a public forum and you are not the one to tell people to reply here or not. Respect the fact that people are trying to help you, even if you don’t like the answers.
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Welcome to the forum Mr darmok, might I suggest that you try the obvious thing to do and contact support@audirvana.com for more expert help.
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Welcome… You cannot apply Audio Units plug-in DSP to the DSD → PCM decimation/conversion…
You will need to decimate DSDxxx to PCMxxx in a separate application, in-order to apply plug-in DSP…
I am headphone-centric and I decimate DSDxxx (except binaural DSD recordings) to DXD… Creating the PCM files via Bit-Perfect “DSDMaster” as DXD (24/352.8kHz) and then upon playback I apply HRTF DSP prior to modulating all PCMxxx files to DSD128 via r8Brain in Audirvana.
Just a note… you asked for help and you got some responses that you insulted… consider yourself lucky today, that I help you understand that AU processing is done before any up-sampling or sample-rate conversion processing in Audirvana.
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Hi @darmok,
Can you send us a copy of the “Debug Info” when you have selected your iFI Zen DAC V2? You can get it in Audirvana Settings>My account
Note: By clicking on the Debug Info button, Audirvana automatically copies all its content, all you have to do is paste it in response to this message.
No DSP can be applied to 1-bit DSD (PDM) signals in any DSD capable DAW, only simple file splicing… In post production where tracks are mixed and level and EQ changes are made, PDM signals (DSD) are decimated to DXD (PCM) for processing and then these files are modulated back to the original 1-bit DSD sample-rate (from the now decimated DSD → DXD file)… In Audirvana, the plug-in DSP architecture is bypassed when playing DSD files (as to be expected, as explained above).
@Antoine
On iFi DACs this option does not appear.
Probably because there are different paths between the DSD and PCM signals.
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I believe it is something else… If you are trying to correlate this with the BB chipset, my DAC has a BB1793 chipset, and I see the option to decimated DSD to PCM… so there is something with the “Plays with Audirvana” UI.
Hi-res audio support is state-of-the-art with True Native® playback. It handles PCM data to 32-bit/768kHz, DSD up to DSD512 and single and double speed DXD.
Thanks to the Burr-Brown DAC chip’s four-channel True Native design, PCM and DSD take separate pathways – this enables DSD, as well as PCM, to remain ‘bit-perfect’ in its native form right through to analogue conversion. This is not the case with all DAC devices from other brands – even if DSD compatibility is stated, many such DACs convert DSD signals to PCM.
All iFi DACs work the same.
Yes I know… this is inherent, as I have pointed out several times (In previous threads) regarding how BB handles PDM (DSD) versus how ESS handles PDM (DSD)… What you are seeing with “Plays with Audirvana” device configuration settings windows seems to be iFI-Audio-centric as far as what you get parametric access to…
By default, we do not display the DoP option for iFi devices. It is something that has been done since legacy versions but I understand your point about being able to disable it and having the option to play DSD as PCM.
It will be in the next update of Audirvāna Studio/Audirvāna Origin.
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