What DSD DAC/Device?

Audio Formats DSD
21

Have you checked Marantz receivers via HDMI?

22

Also Onkyo and some Yamaha receivers will do multi channel DSD over HDMI.

23

Yes, we own a Yahama receiver that plays multi channel DSD over HDMI from our Oppo and Sony blu-ray players. However, I would expect streaming DSD from Audirvana might sound better and it would offer a much better user interface than the primitive UPNP/DLNA browsing interface in any of these devices, which require a screen to be on.

24

Did you try to play from Audirvana through HDMI? I see that Audirvana shows the HDMI as interface when the Mac is connected to a TV or Monitor with audio output.

25

Yes, I’ve tried sending DSD over HDMI from Mac mini to Yamaha RX-A3060 receiver, but unfortunately that didn’t work. I can only get Audirvana to work when I set it to convert DSD to PCM.

When I play from Audirvana to the receiver over the network (UPnP), it plays native DSD64 (or anything upsampled to DSD64) with very high fidelity – clearly better than stereo over HDMI. When I play a 5.1 channel DSD64 file though, Audirvana sends it out as DSD64 stereo. So I get DSD streaming to work fine, but not for multichannel.

Below is the relevant section from Audirvana’s debug info. It contains the line “DSD capability: Raw DSD (MSB)” and:
Can play native DSD: Yes
Number of channels: 2
Use as stereo device only: No

This makes me wonder… if the Yamaha can play native multichannel DSD from our blu-ray player, then why not multichannel over the network? Clearly Audirvana is obeying the “2 channel” limitation… but what would happen if Audirvana ignored this and sent out the multichannel DSD instead??? Perhaps I should contact Damien and ask whether he has tried… Multichannel DSD to the Yamaha receiver would be a breakthrough for multichannel sound quality without us having to spend a significant amount of money on a multichannel DAC (which would require us replacing the receiver as well because it doesn’t have analog multichannel inputs)…

Cheers,
– Mark

=================== AUDIO DEVICE ========================

Preferred device: Mastering Room Model UID:Yamaha Corporation Mastering Room UID:uuid:9ab0c000-f668-11de-9976-00a0ded9d439

Selected device:

6 available sample rates up to 192000Hz

  • 44100*
  • 48000*
  • 88200*
  • 96000*
  • 176400*
  • 192000*
    Volume control: No
    MQA capability
  • Auto-detect MQA devices: No*
  • Not a MQA device, user set to not MQA*
    DSD capability: Raw DSD (MSB)
    Device audio channels
  • Preferred stereo channels L:0 R:1*
  • Channel bitmap: Ox3, layout:*
  •   Channel 0 mapped to 0*

  •   Channel 1 mapped to 1*

UPnP/DLNA supported protocols:

  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=2;rate=44100:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=1;rate=44100:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=2;rate=48000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=1;rate=48000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=2;rate=32000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=1;rate=32000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=2;rate=88200:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=1;rate=88200:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=2;rate=96000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=1;rate=96000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=2;rate=64000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=1;rate=64000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=2;rate=22050:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=1;rate=22050:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=2;rate=24000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=1;rate=24000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=2;rate=16000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=1;rate=16000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=2;rate=11025:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=1;rate=11025:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=2;rate=12000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=1;rate=12000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=2;rate=8000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16;channels=1;rate=8000:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/L16:DLNA.ORG_PN=LPCM
  • http-get::audio/mpeg:DLNA.ORG_PN=MP3
  • http-get::audio/x-ms-wma:DLNA.ORG_PN=WMABASE
  • http-get::audio/x-ms-wma:DLNA.ORG_PN=WMAFULL
  • http-get::audio/x-ms-wma:DLNA.ORG_PN=WMDRM_WMABASE
  • http-get::audio/x-ms-wma:DLNA.ORG_PN=WMDRM_WMAFULL
  • http-get::audio/vnd.dlna.adts:DLNA.ORG_PN=AAC_ADTS
  • http-get::audio/vnd.dlna.adts:DLNA.ORG_PN=AAC_ADTS_192
  • http-get::audio/vnd.dlna.adts:DLNA.ORG_PN=AAC_ADTS_320
  • http-get::audio/mp4:DLNA.ORG_PN=AAC_ISO
  • http-get::audio/mp4:DLNA.ORG_PN=AAC_ISO_192
  • http-get::audio/mp4:DLNA.ORG_PN=AAC_ISO_320
  • http-get::audio/3gpp:DLNA.ORG_PN=AAC_ISO
  • http-get::audio/3gpp:DLNA.ORG_PN=AAC_ISO_192
  • http-get::audio/3gpp:DLNA.ORG_PN=AAC_ISO_320
  • http-get:*:audio/x-ms-wma:**
  • http-get:*:audio/vnd.dlna.adts:**
  • http-get:*:audio/x-flac:**
  • http-get:*:audio/x-mpeg:**
  • http-get:*:audio/x-aac:**
  • http-get:*:audio/x-mp3:**
  • http-get:*:audio/x-mp4:**
  • http-get:*:audio/x-mpg:**
  • http-get:*:audio/x-wav:**
  • http-get:*:audio/3gpp:**
  • http-get:*:audio/aacp:**
  • http-get:*:audio/aiff:**
  • http-get:*:audio/x-aiff:**
  • http-get:*:audio/flac:**
  • http-get:*:audio/mpeg:**
  • http-get:*:audio/aac:**
  • http-get:*:audio/m4a:**
  • http-get:*:audio/mp3:**
  • http-get:*:audio/mp4:**
  • http-get:*:audio/dsd:**
  • http-get:*:audio/x-dsd:**
  • http-get:*:audio/x-dsf:**
  • http-get:*:audio/x-dff:**
  • http-get:*:audio/wav:**
    DLNA 1.5: Yes
    Gapless playback: Yes
    Missing events workaround: No
    Can play native DSD: Yes
    Number of channels: 2
    Use as stereo device only: No

1 output streams:
Number of active channels: 2, in 1 stream(s)

  • Channel #0 :Stream 0 channel 0*
  • Channel #1 :Stream 0 channel 1*

Stream ID 0x0 0 channels starting at 0
13 virtual formats:

  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz*
  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz*
  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz*
  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz*
  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz*
  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz*
  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz*
  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz*
  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz*
  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz*
  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz*
  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz*
  • 2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 8 little endian Signed Integer 2822.4kHz*

0 physical formats

*Current device transportInfo: *

  • CurrentTransportState: NO_MEDIA_PRESENT*
  • CurrentTransportStatus: OK*
  • CurrentSpeed: 1*
    *Current device MediaInfo: *
  • NrTracks: 0*
  • MediaDuration: 0:05:07*
  • CurrentURI: *
  • CurrentURIMetadata: *
  • nextURI: *
  • nextURIMetadata: *
  • PlayMedium: NONE*
  • RecordMedium: NOT_IMPLEMENTED*
  • WriteStatus: NOT_IMPLEMENTED*

Current device AVT service description:
<?xml version="1.0"?>


1
0



SetAVTransportURI


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID


CurrentURI
in
AVTransportURI


CurrentURIMetaData
in
AVTransportURIMetaData




SetNextAVTransportURI


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID


NextURI
in
NextAVTransportURI


NextURIMetaData
in
NextAVTransportURIMetaData




GetMediaInfo


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID


NrTracks
out
NumberOfTracks


MediaDuration
out
CurrentMediaDuration


CurrentURI
out
AVTransportURI


CurrentURIMetaData
out
AVTransportURIMetaData


NextURI
out
NextAVTransportURI


NextURIMetaData
out
NextAVTransportURIMetaData


PlayMedium
out
PlaybackStorageMedium


RecordMedium
out
RecordStorageMedium


WriteStatus
out
RecordMediumWriteStatus




GetTransportInfo


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID


CurrentTransportState
out
TransportState


CurrentTransportStatus
out
TransportStatus


CurrentSpeed
out
TransportPlaySpeed




GetPositionInfo


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID


Track
out
CurrentTrack


TrackDuration
out
CurrentTrackDuration


TrackMetaData
out
CurrentTrackMetaData


TrackURI
out
CurrentTrackURI


RelTime
out
RelativeTimePosition


AbsTime
out
AbsoluteTimePosition


RelCount
out
RelativeCounterPosition


AbsCount
out
AbsoluteCounterPosition




GetDeviceCapabilities


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID


PlayMedia
out
PossiblePlaybackStorageMedia


RecMedia
out
PossibleRecordStorageMedia


RecQualityModes
out
PossibleRecordQualityModes




GetTransportSettings


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID


PlayMode
out
CurrentPlayMode


RecQualityMode
out
CurrentRecordQualityMode




Stop


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID




Play


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID


Speed
in
TransportPlaySpeed




Pause


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID




Seek


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID


Unit
in
A_ARG_TYPE_SeekMode


Target
in
A_ARG_TYPE_SeekTarget




Next


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID




Previous


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID




GetCurrentTransportActions


InstanceID
in
A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID


Actions
out
CurrentTransportActions






TransportState
string

STOPPED
PAUSED_PLAYBACK
PLAYING
TRANSITIONING
NO_MEDIA_PRESENT



TransportStatus
string

OK
ERROR_OCCURRED



PlaybackStorageMedium
string

NETWORK
NONE



RecordStorageMedium
string

NOT_IMPLEMENTED



PossiblePlaybackStorageMedia
string


PossibleRecordStorageMedia
string


CurrentPlayMode
string

NORMAL

NORMAL


TransportPlaySpeed
string

1



RecordMediumWriteStatus
string

NOT_IMPLEMENTED



CurrentRecordQualityMode
string

NOT_IMPLEMENTED



PossibleRecordQualityModes
string


NumberOfTracks
ui4

0
1



CurrentTrack
ui4

0
1
1



CurrentTrackDuration
string


CurrentMediaDuration
string


CurrentTrackMetaData
string


CurrentTrackURI
string


AVTransportURI
string


AVTransportURIMetaData
string


NextAVTransportURI
string


NextAVTransportURIMetaData
string


RelativeTimePosition
string


AbsoluteTimePosition
string


RelativeCounterPosition
i4


AbsoluteCounterPosition
i4


CurrentTransportActions
string


LastChange
string


A_ARG_TYPE_SeekMode
string

TRACK_NR
REL_TIME



A_ARG_TYPE_SeekTarget
string


A_ARG_TYPE_InstanceID
ui4


Current device RootDevice description:
<?xml version="1.0"?>


1
0


<dlna:X_DLNADOC xmlns:dlna=“urn:schemas-dlna-org:device-1-0”>DMR-1.50</dlna:X_DLNADOC>
urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:MediaRenderer:1
Mastering Room
Yamaha Corporation
http://www.yamaha.com/
AV Receiver
RX-A3060
A3060
http://www.yamaha.com/
069377C3
uuid:9ab0c000-f668-11de-9976-00a0ded9d439


image/jpeg
48
48
24
/Icons/48x48.jpg


image/jpeg
120
120
24
/Icons/120x120.jpg


image/png
48
48
24
/Icons/48x48.png


image/png
120
120
24
/Icons/120x120.png




urn:schemas-upnp-org:service:AVTransport:1
urn:upnp-org:serviceId:AVTransport
/AVTransport/desc.xml
/AVTransport/ctrl
/AVTransport/event


urn:schemas-upnp-org:service:RenderingControl:1
urn:upnp-org:serviceId:RenderingControl
/RenderingControl/desc.xml
/RenderingControl/ctrl
/RenderingControl/event


urn:schemas-upnp-org:service:ConnectionManager:1
urn:upnp-org:serviceId:ConnectionManager
/ConnectionManager/desc.xml
/ConnectionManager/ctrl
/ConnectionManager/event


http://10.0.8.49/

yamaha:X_device
yamaha:X_URLBasehttp://10.0.8.49:80/</yamaha:X_URLBase>
yamaha:X_serviceList
yamaha:X_service
yamaha:X_specTypeurn:schemas-yamaha-com:service:X_YamahaRemoteControl:1</yamaha:X_specType>
yamaha:X_controlURL/YamahaRemoteControl/ctrl</yamaha:X_controlURL>
yamaha:X_unitDescURL/YamahaRemoteControl/desc.xml</yamaha:X_unitDescURL>
</yamaha:X_service>
yamaha:X_service
yamaha:X_specTypeurn:schemas-yamaha-com:service:X_YamahaExtendedControl:1</yamaha:X_specType>
yamaha:X_yxcControlURL/YamahaExtendedControl/v1/</yamaha:X_yxcControlURL>
yamaha:X_yxcVersion1813 </yamaha:X_yxcVersion>
</yamaha:X_service>
</yamaha:X_serviceList>
</yamaha:X_device>

26

Damien is looking into whether multichannel DSD playback over UPnP to our Yamaha receiver or to our Sony UDP-X800 is possible. Both of these currently playback stereo DSD music (either .dsf files played or any stereo source upsampled to DSD) in Audirvana, sounding really good. In its Pure Direct mode, our Yamaha receiver playing DSD containing SOX-upsampled music from Audirvana approaches the sound quality of our high end Benchmark DAC. We can test this easily because we use the Benchmark as a pre-amp in both cases, using the same Classé amplifiers. Playing upsampled DSD from Audirvana to a home theater receiver holds a LOT of promise. It sounds way better than Airplay.

I found the following article in which someone says that playback of DSD over HDMI from a Mac or PC is impossible because it would require a hardware modification in the graphics subsystem that creates the HDMI signal. You may find it interesting:

1 Like
27

Hi John, I don’t know if you’ve followed the in depth discussion, but to get back to your original question about great ways to play back DSD: In our mastering studio we have a high end Benchmark DAC which we feed upsampled DSD from Audirvana through a Sonore UltraRendu streamer (which is connected to the Benchmark DAC through an Uptone ISO Regen). I guess this is a high end setup and it sounds stunning.

Interestingly enough, we can also stream stereo DSD over the network to our Yamaha RX-A3060 home theater receiver over UPnP. This setup costs much less, but I can testify that stereo music upsampled to DSD by Audirvana and streamed to the receiver over UPnP sounds really good. Anybody who owns a DSD-capable receiver should definitely try it!

1 Like
28

Hi mhsmit, did you get an answer from Damien? I have basically the same setup as you (Yamaha RX-A880 receiver and Sony UBP-X800 CD player) and would like to play my files on my Mac. Thanks.

1 Like
29

Ok to be complete, I realized that Audirvana CANNOT stream (wirelessly) 5.1 multi channel. I verified this with Audirvana support.

So I ended up with the Exasound e38 DAC that does native DSD and their Sigma Streamer, plus Roon. (By native I mean no conversion to PCM or up sampling.) They work absolutely wonderfully and seamlessly. Love it. I was perfectly happy with Audirvana, but really wanted to be able to stream my library of ripped SACDs and multi channel downloads. Lack of this support on Audirvana was a deal breaker.

I also moved from Yamaha Aventage receivers to a Marantz 8012 because the Yamahas don’t have multi channel analog line inputs from the DAC to the receiver. (You’re not going to find a DAC that does native DSD over HDMI. Believe me, I tried. Marantz 7x/8x receivers all have analog multichannel inputs and don’t do any audio processing on between the signal path from the DAC to the speakers. I checked by looking at the circuit diagram in the service manual—I’m a computer scientist and electrical engineer.

So yes, it required revamping my setup, and required a bit more money than I was prepared to tell the wife about, but am very happy with it. She seems to be too, except for having to relearn the remote.

2 Likes
30

Hi there. Probably unforgivable, but for some reason, I’d entirely forgotten about this Thread and my question. But downloading the Audirvana Studio trial and then trying to get my head around having to commit to yet another Subscription model has concerned me and I’m poking 'round the Forum to get a feel for what’s going on.

So I’ve read the DAC DSD ideas above. For DSD files I’m presently using an SSL 2+ USB audio interface in PCM mode 192 kHz max but it downsized according to content. Sounds ok. I have quite a number of audio interfaces for recording mainly - as I’m a musician

Please keep your suggestion coming for DSD interfaces.

Thanks.

31

Hi there. I’ve only just checked in here (see my recent Post) but thanks guys for all the ideas.