Disable DSD to PCM conversion for USB DAC

Help and Support Help
1

Hi all,

quick question, that I haven’t been able to find the answer to.

Is there a way to disable the automatic DSD to PCM conversion in Volumio?

I’m on the latest version of Volumio and using a RP3 + USB DAC(Parasound Halo integrated - which is on the compatibility list)

DSD files play fine, however my DAC has no read out to indicate file type being played.

I know how volumio processes DSD based on the settings chosen.
I’ve disabled DoP with an aim to do direct DSD, which my DAC supports.

I want to be certain that Volumio isn’t falling back to the default DSD to PCM conversion, by disabling it so that if direct DSD isn’t working no music will play.

Thanks in advance
Sam

2

My DAC shows the correct sample rates of DSD files when DoP is enabled. The DSD files shows the same rates in the DSD direct mode. In DSD direct, my other non-DSD DAC won’t play DSD files … sometimes, Volumio will automatically turns back to DoP when non-DSD DAC is connected. Not sure it answers your questions.

John

3

Thanks superuj - that doesn’t answer my question unfortunately :slight_smile:

There are three different settings\stages of DSD and conversion in Volumio as follows :

  1. DoP : currently set to OFF (plays DSD wrapped in PCM container when enabled)
  2. Direct DSD : Once DoP is OFF Volumio will attempt to play direct DSD
  3. If for any reason direct DSD doesn’t work eg DAC doesn’t support DSD, Volumio will convert DSD to PCM automatically(no setting exists for this)

What I need is to somehow disable step 3, so that automatic DSD to PCM conversion does NOT occur.

4

Bump - any help to point me in the right direction is appreciated.

5

I don’t think there’s any way to disable that in MPD.

On the other hand, if all you want to know is whether MPD is sending out DSD or PCM, I think you can find that out by following the instructions here (those instructions are about determining whether MPD is doing the desired on-the-fly PCM sample rate conversion, but the principle is the same).

6

That is exactly what I’m after.
As long as I can figure out what the output is, not fussed if I can disable DSD to PCM.

Thanks for your help prof.