[Yuri Korzunov]

assuming the record/mastering is the same

This information is known for producers of the recording only.

hardware (headphones) are the same

You can set bit-perfect playback only (transferring of unaltered file content to DAC).

But DAC works differently for PCM and DSD. Even if you use single DAC, that natively support both DSD and PCM. There are different electrical circuits and processings for DSD and PCM.

You are saying in that scenario there should be no audible difference in sound quality between flac and dsd?

Real audible difference may be detected in proper blind test only. Read details https://samplerateconverter.com/educational/hifi-blind-test

But result depend on the several variables again: recording, hardware, software.

 

[chef8489]

There really is no true DSD or it is vary rare. During the recording, mixing, mastering process the dsd is converted to pcm and back several times over.

 

[Matpar]

I am in the same "evaluating process", where I incidentally came across some DSD/DSF files, and I've try an A/B testing on some of them.

Well, DSF ones seems "richier" meaning there is a bit more "punch" over each instrument/vocal, as if the Flac sounded more "flat".
For sure there is some placebo effect + it depends on flac settings (compression etc.) perhaps, but in general I'd like to convert some PCM to DSF given the option... so far I couldn't find a proper tool to do it btw (only the other way round it seems!).

 

[Yuri Korzunov]

so far I couldn't find a proper tool to do it btw (only the other way round it seems!).

Check audio converter list https://samplerateconverter.com/audio-converter/list

 

[Accel137]

Believe me. You cant distinguish DSD and FLAC if you dont use HE1

 

[Matpar]

Well.. if not resampled, and apart from a difference in gain I get between formats, I could a/b test Pretty easily FLAC from DSD on my humble Aune M2 Pro...

 

[Asim Siddiqui]

I listen to bass a lot and somehow I tend to like DSD more than I prefer FLAC.

 

[Whazzzup]

For myself using a music server renderer with roon dsp, these are 2 questions. Upsampling converted flac 16/44 to max pcm say 386 24 bit versus dsd 128 is preference thing. Detail goes to dsd, while weight comes from pcm. Second, then there listening to dsd hi res files in dsd versus flac and that comes down more to the mystery of how well the master came out in said format. For my system preferred signal path matters but preferences always has the last say.

 

[audiobomber]

I have a couple of universal players, Oppo 980H and Pioneer DV-563a, along with a few SACD discs. Higher quality, higher cost CD players sound better playing CD than SACD through the universal players, so format is not a game changer.

I now have all of my music stored in a NAS, mostly zero compression FLAC. I have a handful of DSD's and 2X DSD's (5.6MHz). I have several systems, a couple of which play DSD and 2X DSD natively. I have software that can upsample FLAC or convert FLAC to DSD or 2X DSD.

IME, there is a slight softening of the sound in SACD and DSD replay. Some say this is more analog sounding. My LP system sounds better to me than digital, but DSD softness is not appealing to me, as I find it negatively impacts PRaT (pace, rhythm and timing). I prefer vinyl to digital and PCM to DSD.

In my systems, I play DSD and 2x DSD in native resolution. I upsample CD and my ripped vinyl (24/88.2) to 176.4kHz.

 

[tomb]

Short conclusion: it is impossibly to say what format is better as format. It is matter of implementation of playback audio system.

This ^.

One other factor, and this has been alluded to by at least one poster, PCM has been around much, much longer. It's currently almost impossible to be certain that DSD is even used without PCM conversion in the total signal trek from artist microphone to consumer headphone/speaker. PCM DAC chips and their technology are improving all the time. New PCM DAC chips hit the market and cause a splash because they sound better, have more detail, etc. This has been happening with PCM since the 80s. DSD has a long way to go to match that.

 

[abuanw]

Check user manual of your DAC.

To native playback DSD, foobar2000 should be ajusted https://samplerateconverter.com/educational/play-dsf-foobar2000




It is not technically correct comparison. It is hardware and software issue.

Read details https://samplerateconverter.com/educational/dsd-pcm

Hello Yuri,

I tried your flac-DSD converter and had the 2-secs. silence in the middle of the song.
I am very interested to convert all my flac to DSD 2.8MHz but I can't afford your software's full package.
Is there a lower price package just to have the "flac to DSD 2.8MHz" conversion?
Thanks,

 

[Yuri Korzunov]

Is there a lower price package just to have the "flac to DSD 2.8MHz" conversion?

Hello @abuanw,
Thank you for interest to our software.
Here minimal prices for PCM (FLAC, WAV, etc.) to DSF configuration: https://samplerateconverter.com/#pcm-to-dsf