Try the following:
1. Tools->Audio->Audio Device->XMOS USB Audio 2.0 ST 3033 [ASIO]
2. Tools->Audio->Audio Device->Device settings->Output: check DSD bitstream in DoP format (I think is not critical because of the next step)
3. Tools->Audio->Settings->DSP & output format->Output Encoding: Choose 2xDSD in DoP format (requires DSD capable DAC)
4. Tools->Audio->Settings->Bitstreaming->None
I always used the device just in regular Pcm. Whatever I did, whatever filter I used, I missed something.
Now Whenever I went listening to high end gear, I saw people getting exited, with sound that was "detailed", but for me, just too much highs and "flat "music. I never could experience the thrill of live music. Yes you heard things in the mix, but for me it lacked 3 dimension (in french called "timbre"), and became very tiring.
My listening room is not perfect without being bad, but not really lives up to my gear (B&W 800 D, first generation, Mark Levinson amplifying). I had a Accuphase DSP 67, maybe faulty, never was thrilled by it (DULL). I tried some dacs, but either too agressive, either lacking placement. I tried this Dac, as it was said to be incredible bang for the bucks, comparing it to units many time its price. I was impressed by its staging, but still not get that sweet live feeling (and I am 57, so must hear less high tones). My stupid M2 tech usb dac, had less class, less stage, less separation between the musicians, but sounded more analog and less fatiguing. SO why not go on with it? I thought it was a better idea to sell the Gustard, because at that price, you want perfection. But then wanting to sell it, there was a problem with the on/off knob. So I kept it on hold. And this week manage to turn on the unit on again. WIth M-slow, it sounded a bit (artificial) analog, and was thinking of keeping it.
But then I followed your steps to play it in DSD. I know nothing about frequencies, I am technical zero, it sounds good or not to my ears. It first not worked. Not in Asio, but did with another driver x2 Mos......Kernel.
Now I was very skeptical. All nice this different ways of using your dac, but most IS in Pcm, so how can a re encode sound better, even if the format you convert to, is superior?.
Well something must be wrong, settings, or something else. My display now only says DSD 5.64 MHz, ok! I not know difference between this and DSD 125 and so on. I use my old travel computer, Jriver and a hard disc, and use the dac in Usb.
The difference is not small on my system. If I found the dac too bright, even with all his qualities, I got now a different sound. It is more powerful , bass hits bit more, but is natural. I not got that "too much highs", bit thin for some instruments, but a real strong live sound, with much more warmth, but keeping the extraordinary detail. I had to change my setting from M-slow to L-sharp. Some recording sound sometimes even a bit too warm, and could use "tat" more highs, but it seems then more the recording itself then the Dac. I cannot figure out why the improvement is so important. Beside the more controlled treble, the sound is more analog and live sounding. Until now I not hear that little digital edge.
Does the jitter affects more the sound when using PCM?
I do have just a little issue. When with my tablet, I select another track, I get a strange distortion, before the new tracks plays. I also do not know how the quality is influenced, when I play real dsd this way. Before I had a setting with J river, where it played native dsd on a SACD audio rip. Like a Franck Sinatra album. It sounded so cold that way. Now it sound like an analog tape reel, with live sound to it. Weird all this. I left my dsd filter on 47, is that ok, I have no idea, how a change in this would change something.....
Also my HD files, played this way, do they keep their advantage being 96 hz or 192 hz?
