[jvvita]

I can confirm alma has nagra on their showroom. They have a big showroom. Here is the picture of their main room (YG Sonja, Wilson, Msb, nagra HD preamp, nagra classic amp, dag m400 amp, arc ref160). I always have a great time there. You should given them a call.

 

[Kenng]

Thank you! Very helpful!!

So I think to get them to fit in 17cm of height, I would forego the VFS base and spikes. That should save about 6cm.
Or the VFS base without the spikes, just using the stock rubber feet.
What do you think?

Hi SurgeTO,

tube dac + classic psu = 7.6+7.6 = 15.2cm, the VFS base is very close to 2cm, i think you only can give up both VFS + two sets of spikes to fit up within 17cm

 

[SurgeTO]

I am currently using a Mac Pro as the Roon Core, and streaming over Wifi to a MacBook Pro that is then connected to the Tube DAC via USB (C to B). This setup limits the max resolution to DSD 2X, even though the DAC can support 4X.
I also don't like the forced conversion to PCM (DSD over PCM v1.0 DoP) - perhaps it doesn't degrade the sound quality, but I can't see how it wouldn't...

What's the best way to enable DSD 4X?

 

[jvvita]

I am currently using a Mac Pro as the Roon Core, and streaming over Wifi to a MacBook Pro that is then connected to the Tube DAC via USB (C to B). This setup limits the max resolution to DSD 2X, even though the DAC can support 4X.
I also don't like the forced conversion to PCM (DSD over PCM v1.0 DoP) - perhaps it doesn't degrade the sound quality, but I can't see how it wouldn't...

What's the best way to enable DSD 4X?

You could try swapping the MacBook pro for a raspberrypi4 with ropiee imagine. Works like a charm, and it is cheap enough to experiment.

How are you upsampling to dsd256?

 

[SurgeTO]

You could try swapping the MacBook pro for a raspberrypi4 with ropiee imagine. Works like a charm, and it is cheap enough to experiment.

How are you upsampling to dsd256?

Thanks!
The DAC upsamples everything to DSD256…

 

[jvvita]

You should differentiate 3 situations.

First, the content format or sample rate. You will very rarely find content on dsd128 it is non existent on dsd256. So, if you are playing content bit perfect through Roon, the maximum you would get (on the dad's display) is indeed dsd128.

Second, you could upsample outside the da, to be able to select your filter of preference. You can do it in roon or use especific software, the best of them is HQplayer. Roon integrates with hqplayer pretty nicely. Should you want to try out, we can help. Using roon upsampling or hqplayer you can send dsd256 to your dac. then (and only then) the DAX display will show dsd 256

Third is the dad's internal upsampling. It will upsample every signal, that is not dsd 256, to Dsd256. But the display will show the format and sample rate of the content. So, if you feed it Redbook, the display will show PCM 44.1, but the dac will internally upsample to dsd256.

All the magic is: what upsampling filter/algorithm do you prefer? The dac or the external (HQPlayer)? I use HQPlayer, and I find it better then the dac's.

In any case, you should experiment with a rasp4. You should not need to use your laptop to connect to the DAc. It is a waster of processing power. But the rasp4 will not influence on the content's format or sample rate.

 

[SurgeTO]

Thanks. NativeDSD has a lot of content in DSD256. I just bought 4 albums, all in DSD256…

You prefer upsampling using HQPlayer to the Nagra’s built-in upsampling? That’s surprising…
Yet there’s no need to upsample since the source files are already DSD256 in this case.

But the real issue is output from the Mac over USB - it cannot be higher than DSD128, and it’s converted to PCM, which I want to avoid. I will try the Raspberry Pi with the software mentioned above!

 

[jvvita]

For this, the rasp4 + ropiee should be more than enough

 

[SurgeTO]

Will the new MacBook Pro 13” output DSD256 without converting to PCM? They use USB 4, or is there still a limitation in OSX that can’t handle DSD output?
Not to say one would only buy this just for this purpose, as it can obviously be used for other things too

 

[jvvita]

You could check the Audio midi configuration. As far as I know, OsX has always had problems with DSD, and will resample everything, unless the application uses exclusive (hog) mode.

Roon raat (the roon bridge) works in exclusive mode and should output dsd without any trouble, bypassing osX resampling.

 

[SurgeTO]

Roon raat (the roon bridge) works in exclusive mode and should output dsd without any trouble, bypassing osX resampling.

So if I install the Roon Bridge, the Macbook will pass through bit perfect DSD256 over USB (3.1 Gen 2)? I didn’t think that was possible…
I have the Roon app installed, I guess that’s the Remote for OSX, not sure. The core is on another Mac on the network.

 

[jvvita]

Roon has 3 apps: one that is only the core (roon server), one that is only Raat (roon bridge) and the big one that is controller + core + bridge. If you have the big one installed, it will act as bridge should the core be I another machine. You would not benefit from installing only the bridge.

Post a signal path from roon when playing a dsd256 file, and we can have a clearer hint of what is amiss

 

[SurgeTO]

Great, thanks, will do.
I've read it's a limitation of OSX, and perhaps USB 3 - DSD cannot be output natively from Mac OSX, so it's converted to PCM by Roon, and the max resolution is DSD128.
Was wondering if the new Macs with USB 4 have solved this?
I guess I should just get the Raspberry Pi...

 

[jvvita]

I have also heard complaints about the T2 security chip that runs with new apple's USB. Definitely, not a friendly platform

 

[paulchiu]

Into my 6th year with the Nagra HD DAC!
Been running with Roon over the last 2 years, added their Nucleus + to the mix.
It's a lot smoother this way.

Big day today as I await the new Western Electric 300B from their American Rossville, GA plant.

Hope you are all safe!