PCM vs DSD

[SoundMods]

Walt,
We will try to do on the weekend of 18th or after thanksgiving weekend.

It sounds like a plan.

[Roscoe Primrose]

Be sure to sprinkle some salt on the dialog -- he is a manufacturer looking for exposure to sell his products.

In general yes, but in this case, there is nothing in his interview that is questionable.

Except that he completely ignores the fact that essentially every piece of music released in DSD format was converted to PCM for mixing/mastering and then converted back to DSD...

Roscoe

[DaveR]

I would love to hear, actually hear, the difference and benefits of one over the other. Bring it.

[HAL]

The other problem with DSD is that unless you convert it to PCM, you cannot signal process it with a DSP available.

I just get the DFF of DSF files from the SACD's or downloads and convert to HiRez PCM and sounds very good indeed here.

[Cogito]

The other problem with DSD is that unless you convert it to PCM, you cannot signal process it with a DSP available.

I just get the DFF of DSF files from the SACD's or downloads and convert to HiRez PCM and sounds very good indeed here.

I am curious what type of DSP activities are done in your signal chain. Can you in detail?

[Cogito]

Except that he completely ignores the fact that essentially every piece of music released in DSD format was converted to PCM for mixing/mastering and then converted back to DSD...

Roscoe

Chicken or egg problem.

Outside Jazz and Classical genres, virtually all music is released to redbood standard only. Jazz accounts to about 2.2% of the total music album sales and I assume classical would be even less. So about 96% of the music never released in HiRez. Obviously, its very expensive develop DSD mastering infrastructure to cater to the market of only 4% of total music sales.

NativeDSD says, about 20% of the DSD albums are pure SD. Some small audiophile labels produce pure DSD. David Elias claims to be one.

[Pelliott321]

what about the conversions that David R does of SACD disks to computer files. John Gatsky does it also. I have a few and the sound wonderful. but nothing to compare too

[Roscoe Primrose]

what about the conversions that David R does of SACD disks to computer files. John Gatsky does it also. I have a few and the sound wonderful. but nothing to compare too

I do it too. At least when I'm doing it, the files stay DSD when they're ripped.

Roscoe

[DaveR]

I leave the rip as an iso file. Foobar can tag it and play it as either DSD or convert it to PCM on the fly. I know, it isn't possible in a plain old PC, but it does it.

[Roscoe Primrose]

I leave the rip as an iso file. Foobar can tag it and play it as either DSD or convert it to PCM on the fly. I know, it isn't possible in a plain old PC, but it does it.

I always extract the individual files since some of the player software I use (basically anything that is MPD based) can't deal with ISO files. Also, I don't know if the ISO files can be tagged with artist/song metadata, which the ripping software I use pulls from the original SACD automatically.

Roscoe