Yes, I know that it’s complicated “under the covers” where you work. But for a user, the GUI is Volumio, i.e. if the GUI doesn’t know any different, it says that it is sending DSD. I was trying to simplify it for those who don’t know a lot about Linux (and probably never will). It might help others if you restate this, keeping in mind what a typical user knows and doesn’t know. Going into the details helps those who know a fair amount about Linux, but it’s confusing for the rest of the Volumio users.
Which DSD capable DAC do you use, which is not supported by the x86 kernel? That I can fix for a future release. I just need the Vendor ID from you.
I have a Chord Qutest DAC and an RME ADI-2 Pro. The docs of both of them state that they only support native DSD from an ASIO driver. The Qutest is driven by Volumio on an RPi4, and its ID is 245f:0815. The ADI-2 Pro is driven by Volumio on a mini-PC, and its ID is 2a39:3fd2. It would be great to have them use bit-streams. Thanks for your efforts! If you could let me know when it’s available to try, that would be nice.
OK for the PC, PI kernel we have no control over). I added both and will send you a download link by PM in half an hour or so for testing.
When they switched to the Volumio 3.xxx series, I got a very pleasant surprise. I use a DoukAudio DAC, from USB output. With the previous 2.xxx series, I could only play DSD files in DSD DoP mode, max. in DSD 5.6 format. When I updated Volumió (PC version) to the 3.xx system, my DAC came to life in native DSD mode and now plays quadruple DSD files beautifully. The DAC correctly shows in what mode and what type of stream it is receiving. Yes, the DAC is equipped with an XMOS208 chip.
There are certain DACs which are now treated slightly different.
When they have XMOS or Thesycon as Vendor ID (as an example) they are automatically considered DSD direct capable. Since Volumio 3 we are using kernels for the PI and x86 (plus some community portings) which implemented this rule. So that is why your Douk Audio now works.
Please keep it that way. It gives me a lot of joy and since it works like this I only buy quadruple DSD albums on the NET. I would be sad if this idyllic state was destroyed. 
Volumio has no influence here, the Linux usb audio driver has been modified that way, not by us. As long as the kernel developers stick to this rule (and I see no reason why they should not), you are safe.
It is a pity that registration in the audio driver needed to be done this way to start with, I consider it a little DSD design flaw, but who am I?
Wouldn’t it have been nice when an OS could “ask” a DAC whether it can do DSD direct instead of the vendors now having to register the DAC so that it is recognized as such.
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