iFi iDSD Micro DSD512 / PCM768 DAC and Headphone Amp. Impressions, Reviews and Comments.
Jul 28, 2015 at 11:34 AM Post #4,217 of 9,047
When can we expect IFI to release USB driver that enables DSD playback for Mac OS (like ASIO for Windows)?
DSD playing is working for me on Macbook Pro with Audirvana, but it is done by encapsulating the stream inside PCM, DoP, right?
And the Apple Coreaudio is still involded?
Are any differences between DoP and DSD directly to iDSD micro? I don't have a computer running Windows to verify which
one sounds the best playing DSD.
Can some one that have done comparison shed a light with me?
 
Cheers /T
 
Jul 28, 2015 at 3:27 PM Post #4,218 of 9,047
When can we expect IFI to release USB driver that enables DSD playback for Mac OS (like ASIO for Windows)?
DSD playing is working for me on Macbook Pro with Audirvana, but it is done by encapsulating the stream inside PCM, DoP, right?
And the Apple Coreaudio is still involded?
Are any differences between DoP and DSD directly to iDSD micro? I don't have a computer running Windows to verify which
one sounds the best playing DSD.
Can some one that have done comparison shed a light with me?

Cheers /T


I think you misunderstand what DoP is. That is NATIVE DSD. It just moves the DSD bitstream within a PCM one but it is decoded natively as DSD. No driver needed.

On Audirvana, just select DoP and off you go.
 
Jul 28, 2015 at 3:45 PM Post #4,219 of 9,047
I think you misunderstand what DoP is. That is NATIVE DSD. It just moves the DSD bitstream within a PCM one but it is decoded natively as DSD. No driver needed.

On Audirvana, just select DoP and off you go.


The side effect of DoP is that the encapsulation requires additional bits and finally enables on Mac "only" DSD256.
 
Jul 29, 2015 at 1:25 AM Post #4,221 of 9,047
The problem(s) with DoP is the overhead it requires which can be taxing on the CPU and USB bus which can introduce excessive noise in the stream from the fan etc running in overdrive to keep up.  Second of course is the infamous click/pop that happens when DAC is in PCM mode and recognizes the DSD markers then switches from PCM to SDM creating that annoying click/pop.  Its still "Native" just a different way of transporting the DSD stream by encapsulating in PCM packet which tricks Core Audio.  Unfortunately DoP is limited to DSD256 on OSX "Core Audio" but the good news is DSD256 is the sweet spot of the iDSD Micro.  I tried both DSD512 and DSD256 not a huge difference in sound SQ a touch smoother a few slight subtleties overall nothing to really jumping out that differentiates the two sample rates.
 
Jul 29, 2015 at 1:11 PM Post #4,222 of 9,047
My micro idsd (FW 4.06) is connected to two devices; USB to Rpi2 running runeaudio and optical SPDIF to Minix 8H box. Using the two device always went without a glitch, meaning I can listen to Rpi2 and the Minix box back and forth without powering off any device. I could even use the two device and have sound from the two devices superimposing each other lol.
 
After upgraded to FW 4.10 ,I couldn't get any sound from the Minix box unless I disconnect the attached Rpi2 USB or turn the power off of the Rpi2. But I can have sound from Rpi2 even whe minix box (SPDIF) is still attched to IDsd.
 
It seems the Idsd USB FW 4.10 won't let the two inputs to work concurrently as in the case of FW 4.06.
My temporary solution is to roll back to 4.06. I hope IFi can address this issue on next FW.
 
Sorry for my english.
 
Jul 29, 2015 at 1:22 PM Post #4,223 of 9,047
   
Tell us about your setup first before we can help.

my set up is simple
 
xperia z ultra connected to ifi dsd and using neutron player, the light is always yellow on ifi no matter what bit rate of the recording i am listening to , so how i can play my files without being upsampled
 
Jul 29, 2015 at 2:59 PM Post #4,224 of 9,047
  my set up is simple
 
xperia z ultra connected to ifi dsd and using neutron player, the light is always yellow on ifi no matter what bit rate of the recording i am listening to , so how i can play my files without being upsampled

 
Since early this year, the new audio driver in the Z series automatically up-samples everything  to 24/192 via Sony's HSEE engine. As far as I know, there is no way to disable it.
 
There is however a way to work around it, and some already mentioned it - you need to use a third party app that has its own USB audio driver, that means either HibyMusic, Onkyo HF Player or USB Audio Player PRO. Since they don't rely on Sony's audio driver, you can get native playback.
 
Jul 29, 2015 at 3:03 PM Post #4,225 of 9,047
   
Since early this year, the new audio driver in the Z series automatically up-samples everything  to 24/192 via Sony's HSEE engine. As far as I know, there is no way to disable it.
 
There is however a way to work around it, and some already mentioned it - you need to use a third party app that has its own USB audio driver, that means either HibyMusic, Onkyo HF Player or USB Audio Player PRO. Since they don't rely on Sony's audio driver, you can get native playback.

thanks now it makes sense
 
Jul 29, 2015 at 3:41 PM Post #4,226 of 9,047

 
 

 
 

 
 
FYI - I've sent in the iDSD to an hifi shop in The Netherlands (http://www.daluso-audio.nl) at ifi's request.
It had problems recognizing digital formats and to be recoginized by a computer.
They exchanged all boards by new ones and also checked the digital format recognition and locking.
 
I have to say that the ifi support was very professional, clear and fast.
 
Jul 29, 2015 at 3:56 PM Post #4,227 of 9,047
Yep they are great with trying to get you back and running as quickly as possible.  Really good service IME.  When do you expect your unit back?  Fingers crossed that it solves all your issues. 
smile.gif

 
Jul 30, 2015 at 2:47 AM Post #4,230 of 9,047
   
Since early this year, the new audio driver in the Z series automatically up-samples everything  to 24/192 via Sony's HSEE engine. As far as I know, there is no way to disable it.
 
There is however a way to work around it, and some already mentioned it - you need to use a third party app that has its own USB audio driver, that means either HibyMusic, Onkyo HF Player or USB Audio Player PRO. Since they don't rely on Sony's audio driver, you can get native playback.

 
 
Hi,
 
Right on the money.
 
This is down to the way Sony has implemented Audio. It was in one of the recent software updates.
 
The only solution is to use USB Audio Player Pro.
 
Don't get us wrong, the Sony Hi-Res is still not bad sounding - its user interface is still slicker than UAPP so we still use it at shows for demos etc.
 
Cheers.
 
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