What a long, strange trip it's been -- (Robert Hunter)

[NigelJ]

Though I have not heard music formatted in DSD I am interested. I thoroughly understand the pro-recording process. I’ve recently read about Merging Technologies system of recording and editing in DSD. Would love to work with it...

Having looked at the Merging Technologies site and some of their documentation it would appear that like others they are not editing in DSD, rather they are converting DSD to DXD (a PCM format) and then converting back to DSD. They are generally doing this in real time rather than converting to PCM, making all required changes and then converting back to DSD (although their software also allows this option); this means that the files will undergo multiple conversions during mixing/mastering (generally very small errors, but they can add up). This is not to say that there are not also conversions required during mixing/mastering PCM originated files; but they do not claim to have the 'purity' of DSD. It's not surprising that they use DXD as they supposedly created this format with Philips for editing DSD. They are at least honest that DXD is a PCM format; whereas, much consumer SACD/DSD information implies that DXD has no relationship with PCM.

PS Although I believe that there are some issues with DSD, I also think that there are some very good DSD recordings as well as bad ones, just like PCM.

 

[ehayduk]

Having looked at the Merging Technologies site and some of their documentation it would appear that like others they are not editing in DSD, rather they are converting DSD to DXD (a PCM format) and then converting back to DSD. They are generally doing this in real time rather than converting to PCM, making all required changes and then converting back to DSD (although their software also allows this option); this means that the files will undergo multiple conversions during mixing/mastering (generally very small errors, but they can add up). This is not to say that there are not also conversions required during mixing/mastering PCM originated files; but they do not claim to have the 'purity' of DSD. It's not surprising that they use DXD as they supposedly created this format with Philips for editing DSD. They are at least honest that DXD is a PCM format; whereas, much consumer SACD/DSD information implies that DXD has no relationship with PCM.

PS Although I believe that there are some issues with DSD, I also think that there are some very good DSD recordings as well as bad ones, just like PCM.

Nigel, apparently you are correct. From page 7 of a very old doc comes this: https://www.merging.com/uploads/ass..._1/Mastering/SACD Production Guide.pdf#page11

Agreed about multiple conversions.....

 

[poorsod]

The ballet trio on Saturday was interesting. The Balanchine was technically excellent but emotionally vacant. The tutus were excessive, and I would have preferred to hear the Mozart divertimento 15 without accompaniment. Second act, set to Beethoven's Appassionata, was slow to get started and weird with all three couples but better when it got down to two dancers. The third was set to Hurry Up We're Dreaming, the French electronic pop album, and though I would probably not ever have listened to the music otherwise, the dancers in their sneakers and street clothes were wonderful. Justin Peck may be the next ballet master in chief in New York - and deserve it.

NYC Ballet named the new artistic directors and it seems that Peck is on his own path.

Unlike their predecessors, neither is a choreographer. Justin Peck, City Ballet’s resident choreographer, will take the new title of artistic adviser. That will allow Mr. Peck, 31, who has enjoyed success on Broadway and is now working with Steven Spielberg on a new film adaptation of “West Side Story,” to continue making work for the company and to bring new choreographers into City Ballet’s fold, as he has with Kyle Abraham and Pam Tanowitz. Mr. Peck will stop dancing with the company, where he is now a soloist, after the spring season.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/28/...n=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=collection

Personally, I think Peck is best with the sneaker ballets and his forays into the pointe shoe ballets are weaker.

I haven't been out to SF recently but a few years ago I saw the SF Ballet's Tommasson production of Romeo and Juliet. I recall that Yuan Yuan Tan brought a particular lyricism to the role.

 

[wink]

 

[alpovs]

Studios don't change because working with DSD is almost the digital equivalent of recording direct to disc vinyl. Almost none of the usual studio sound adjustments are available in DSD. No EQ, no compression, no pitch correction, no auto tune, etc. Think a recorder finally allowed fade in and out. Otherwise, doing these things requires converting to PCM then back to DSD, often many times.

How do we get DSD recordings then? All converted from PCM?

 

[artur9]

How do we get DSD recordings then? All converted from PCM?

There is at least one company that only does DSD without any conversion. https://bluecoastrecords.com/

 

[Ableza]

Sure, there are a few boutique studios who do direct to DSD recording, which means it is live in their studio (if it has been edited then it has been converted to PCM somewhere along the line) and also means you have to like whatever it is they decide to record.

All mainstream commercially available recordings that are available in DSD have been PCM at some time in their life.

 

[Ableza]

Mike @Baldr , after re-reading your January post about the state of the transport and the importance of destination clocks, and after pondering the state of the Unison USB input and its destination clock, I have one request. Please make a USB preamp. Multiple, say 3 USB inputs (you know, like a streamer, a PC and your transport) with a great quiet selector switch complete with an old-school position indicator ("Input A", "Input B","Input C"), maybe a level control, and a single USB output to connect to the Unison-equipped DAC. Make it look Schiity with the power switch in the back where it belongs, and no lights other than maybe a power LED. Thank you, and please feel free to tell me to phuk off.

 

[Mike-WI]

Mike @Baldr , after re-reading your January post about the state of the transport and the importance of destination clocks, and after pondering the state of the Unison USB input and its destination clock, I have one request. Please make a USB preamp. Multiple, say 3 USB inputs (you know, like a streamer, a PC and your transport) with a great quiet selector switch complete with an old-school position indicator ("Input A", "Input B","Input C"), maybe a level control, and a single USB output to connect to the Unison-equipped DAC. Make it look Schiity with the power switch in the back where it belongs, and no lights other than maybe a power LED. Thank you, and please feel free to tell me to phuk off.

I think a "digital preamp" has been discussed before.
I wouldn't mind a switch in the front, but I think a digital pre-amp would potentially be more useful to some than a regular preamp.


EDIT
Found it...

2019 Oct 8 - Les Strat
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/schiit-yggdrasil-impressions-thread.766347/page-617#post-14527589

Mike Moffat posted back in May this year ( #7737) that he might create a digital preamp. Extract below:
'So my next wet dream is (how do you describe it??) a digital preamp or a “Swiss Army Knife”. This would have every common socket at the input, such as USB, coax, etc. Maybe BitWordData (BWD) to hook up with a transport. It would have at least coax and maybe BWD out as well. It would be mandatory that we have De-Jitter/re-clocking as well...'
That would be cool

.
I could be buying a new CD transport and a digital preamp from Schiit...


//////////////

So given that vs what you said, maybe a Schiit line of digital pre-amps.
Some in smaller form factor as you describe and some Yggy/Freya size?

 

[crazychile]

Mike @Baldr , after re-reading your January post about the state of the transport and the importance of destination clocks, and after pondering the state of the Unison USB input and its destination clock, I have one request. Please make a USB preamp. Multiple, say 3 USB inputs (you know, like a streamer, a PC and your transport) with a great quiet selector switch complete with an old-school position indicator ("Input A", "Input B","Input C"), maybe a level control, and a single USB output to connect to the Unison-equipped DAC. Make it look Schiity with the power switch in the back where it belongs, and no lights other than maybe a power LED. Thank you, and please feel free to tell me to phuk off.

I like this idea, except forget about a level control. A simple Unison USB source switcher would be great and could replace the EITR. It doesn't matter which DAC I own but I always run into situations where I don't have enough spare inputs. Given the popularity of USB, this seems like the logical solution.

 

[RCBinTN]

A simple Unison USB source switcher would be great and could replace the EITR ... Given the popularity of USB, this seems like the logical solution.

I like this idea a lot, and hope that Schiit Audio offers such a product once Unison launches

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Off to the Schiitr. And then I'm getting in my car.

 

[wink]

A wise order of events..........

 

[wink]

...or perhaps, this is a valid alternative.......

 

[ScubaMan2017]

...or perhaps, this is a valid alternative.......

...with plush, Corinthian leather.