Despite the reports of its exceptional sound, there is one operational issue I have with DAVE is described on page ten of its manual:
Dave has two menu options specifically tailored for PCM or DSD playback. You can play both PCM
and DSD music using either mode, but each one is specifically optimised for a particular format. In
order to cycle between each mode please highlight the segment and press both left and right navigation
buttons simultaneously for one second.
PCM+ - Use this for PCM playback up to 768KHz. DSD playback up to DSD256 is also supported but
it is decimated and not optimised in this mode.
DSD+ - Use this for DSD64, 128, and 256 (single, dual and quad speed) playback. There is no
decimation. PCM can still be played and this mode is ideal for streaming video with audio as it has a
lower delay.
Before changing modes please stop music playback and mute your amplifier to allow the clocks
to resynchronise and avoid incorrect playback. Please note that when switching between PCM+
or DSD+ modes there will be a 20 second delay where the display will show ‘Mute’. This is to
allow the unit to program, and for the system to settle.
This is a significant limitation to me, since you can't effectively play a group of tracks that are a mix of PCM and DSD formats decoded optimally without decimation. If you only play PCM or DSD files in separate sessions or can live with a 20 second reboot when changing between PCM and DSD then this is not an issue.
