The opposite behavior of the DSD settings

Help and Support
61

Hi,

I was testing yeasterday DSD sample files on Volumio and my receiver. I have follwoing DAC:
McIntosh DA1 (McIntosh MA8900 integrated amplifier);
USB: 44.1kHz to 384kHz, 32-Bit (PCM)
DSD64, DSD128, DSD256,
DXD352.8kHz, DXD384kHz
According to my information, this DAC is using Sabre ES9016 hardware.

/$ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 2afd:0005

In the meantime I have contacted McIntosh and asked about this issue. They told me, DA1 is built to work with Windows and IOs computers…so I have tested the DAC with windows 10 and some sample file from NativeDSD Music Starter Pack - NativeDSD Music . There are nice .dsf files like in folder 3 (Eden Atwood sample with DSD64; DSD 128 and DSD256).

On windows PC I have set-up foobar 2000 with components like ASIO+DSD (foo_out_asio+dsd), DSD Processor (foo_dsd_processor) and Super Audio CD Decoder (foo_input_sacd). I can send you via E-Mail print screens.
Setting the SACD for DSD output I got what I was expecting-alls .dsf file was displayed as DSD and PCM was displayed as set sample ratio.

What do you think?
Regards,
Adam

Ps…here some comparison data /proc/asound/card5/stream0 playing DSD256 using Direct mode vs DoP mode:

  1. Direct
    McIntosh McIntosh HD USB Audio at usb-0000:01:00.0-1.1, high speed : USB Audio

Playback:
Status: Running
Interface = 2
Altset = 2
Packet Size = 300
Momentary freq = 384000 Hz (0x30.0000)
Feedback Format = 16.16
Interface 2
Altset 1
Format: S16_LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 3 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
Bits: 16
Channel map: FL FR
Interface 2
Altset 2
Format: S24_3LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 3 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
Bits: 24
Channel map: FL FR
Interface 2
Altset 3
Format: S32_LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 3 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
Bits: 32
Channel map: FL FR
2. DoP
McIntosh McIntosh HD USB Audio at usb-0000:01:00.0-1.1, high speed : USB Audio

Playback:
Status: Running
Interface = 2
Altset = 2
Packet Size = 300
Momentary freq = 384000 Hz (0x30.0000)
Feedback Format = 16.16
Interface 2
Altset 1
Format: S16_LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 3 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
Bits: 16
Channel map: FL FR
Interface 2
Altset 2
Format: S24_3LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 3 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
Bits: 24
Channel map: FL FR
Interface 2
Altset 3
Format: S32_LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 3 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
Bits: 32
Channel map: FL FR
Using this set-up, I do not hear DSD256 file.

Now comparison for DSD128 file:

  1. Direct mode with 384kHz on display
    McIntosh McIntosh HD USB Audio at usb-0000:01:00.0-1.1, high speed : USB Audio

Playback:
Status: Running
Interface = 2
Altset = 2
Packet Size = 300
Momentary freq = 384000 Hz (0x30.0000)
Feedback Format = 16.16
Interface 2
Altset 1
Format: S16_LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 3 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
Bits: 16
Channel map: FL FR
Interface 2
Altset 2
Format: S24_3LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 3 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
Bits: 24
Channel map: FL FR
Interface 2
Altset 3
Format: S32_LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 3 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
Bits: 32
Channel map: FL FR

  1. DoP with DSD128 on DAC-display
    McIntosh McIntosh HD USB Audio at usb-0000:01:00.0-1.1, high speed : USB Audio

Playback:
Status: Running
Interface = 2
Altset = 2
Packet Size = 300
Momentary freq = 352800 Hz (0x2c.1999)
Feedback Format = 16.16
Interface 2
Altset 1
Format: S16_LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 3 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
Bits: 16
Channel map: FL FR
Interface 2
Altset 2
Format: S24_3LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 3 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
Bits: 24
Channel map: FL FR
Interface 2
Altset 3
Format: S32_LE
Channels: 2
Endpoint: 3 OUT (ASYNC)
Rates: 32000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000
Data packet interval: 125 us
Bits: 32
Channel map: FL FR

Does it help you?

62

Hi, my first post. I hope it’s okay to step in here on this 2 years old entry, but I think it fits perfectly:
I have a Volumio Rivo, newest possible Volumio 3.569 installed. When connecting to my SACD-Player/DAC Marantz SA-12 SE (similar SA-KI Ruby), it plays DoP as DSD, and if choosing DSD Direct, it converts to PCM. However: from my Android smartphone via the app USB Audio Player Pro it takes DSD native. Moreover, the SA-12 SE plays DSD2.8 and DSD5.6 files from a USB drive directly connected to it.
I have switched Multiroom Playback off, I have Volume Mixer set to Off (I also tested with Hardware and Software Volume Mixer, always Volume to 100%), and I have no DSP installed.
I checked with Arch Linux on a USB Stick attached to my Windows Laptop and the SA-12 SE connected to the laptop and it says that it has DSD_U32_BE. Shouldn’t it be possible to play DSD natively then? One screen photo attached to show you the output.
Not really getting answers neither from Volumio nor Marantz support. Maybe someone (or especially you, gkkpch) can shed light on this.
Thx!

20231222_112614
20231222_1126141920×2560 334 KB

63

I would like to, but I can’t help you here. This seems to be some specific behavior of the DAC as these issues have been resolved and I’m currently not aware of still existing issues. Just to be sure, as I don’t know whether you have audio releated plugins installed, disable them and try again.
For the DAC, ensure to have the latest firmware installed.

2 Likes
64

Thanks a lot for your quick answer. Good to know at least that the general issues have been solved and that you can’t help. I had only one plugin installed and even uninstalled it just to be sure, no change in behaviour. The DAC is also a (SA)CD-Player, there is no possibility to install firmware (just a Windows driver for a computer to “feed” the DAC with music).
I may in some weeks or months try to install a Linux system on a PC to check the possibilities with it on the DAC and depending on the outcome insist at the Marantz (DAC supplier) helpdesk again.

I welcome any comments from people using Volumio with DSD on Marantz devices (that is, SA-12/ SA-12 SE, SA-KI Ruby, SA-10)!

65

perhaps people with an amanero DAC could chip in here who had issues before. Just to verifiy the initial volumio related issues are solved.
As for previous posts, also make sure you have the latest firmware version for your DAC.