Have New L.K.S. HM-DA9038 with Oppo95 won't play SACD's, HDMI input on DAC is for 12S data


Sorry, I'm new to the site and misquoted the product name of my new L.K.S. DAC HM-DA004 with the upgraded USB port. 
I purchased this new DAC , L.K.S. Audio HM-DA004 , I really liked the spec’s and what it had to offer with the intent on improving the CD/SACD experience. I’ve got hook up to my system: Sunfire TG IV preamp, 3 X-Carver m-500T’s Mkll’s , Oppo 95, dbx-360 venue for speaker mgnt./eq. , Snell’s C-7s tower fronts, Polk Lsim 707 back surround. I do like initially what it does with the redbook CD’s, But I can’t get it to play SACD’s.
I didn’t know that the HDMI input on the L.K.S. HM-DA9038 was not capable of recieving regualar HDMI input. The HDMI input has been converted to a 12S audio input, but I believe its states it’s capable to receive DSD files.
I’ve read some of the treads on the new DAC from the Forum, Has anyone found this an issue and is there any way to make the DAC Capable of receiving SACD info. When I play CD redbook, I play it through the Hi Def Coaxial cable input and it plays and show’s that receiving the data at PCM 44k, But as soon as I put in a true SACD , Steely Dan’s Aja, it show that it’s not receiving any data. Any help with would be Greatly appreciated. I’ve had this for a few days, and if it’s not able to SACD’s I’ll be returning it. Thanks for your info and help.

I've seen that there are now some nice Mods now available , is there a Mod available now to enable the DAC to work with Mac's IOS system.Thanks again
128x128dhollywood
Thanks Melm,
I appreciate the great info, and it is  really good to hear how well your music is working out for you. In regards to Running the IOS on  Macbook, I wasn't thinking. I finally check out the output and it was set up wrong on my computer, easy fix, and  is working fine now. I also had to change some setting in the Oppo 95 for the DSD /PCM files and then it all came together.  I've been reading and researching as much as I can  in learning, or catching up with the Digital DACs. I really do like the sound that I'm hearing. I have been playing my SACD's by running then through a different input on the oppo, so I have kind of worked out all those issues, but not running the SACDs through the L.K.S 2 channel DAC. 

It's really good to hear such positive feedback on the New L.L.S DAC from someone whom owns one. How are you running everything from your phone, I was under the impression that it had to run through the usb port by a computer. Did you install a USB Board for wi fi, or is the Oppo app  you mentioned running everything through it. I did,'t realize it could tie into my itunes music library. Looks like I have some more researching. 
The LK.S manual is so basic, it's difficult to get much out of it. Can you use the L.K.S also for network streaming. Right now I have my Laptop sitting on top of a shelve tied into it with the usb input and listening to Sirius, Tidal, right now. I just don't like the laptop having to be hooked up next to it. Unfortunately , my main computer is on the other side of the house. If I can't put everything together, and  I'm trying because I really think this Dac is really nice with so much potential.  I'm trying to learn about the different Fir Filters, like what best for certain sounds, and what they perform and such.  If I can't,  I was looking  at the possibility  of getting an All is one ,  the Lumin D2 Network streamer with the  Wolfson DAC 8741 running mono on each side as the L.K.S., But honestly I don't know how those DAC match up to the  ESS 9308, which I've alway been a big fan on the ESS DAC's. Any help and input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
@melm 
  My Bryston DAC 3 is the DAC for all my digital sources: Oppo 105, Sony 5400 ES SACD Player (a refugee from another system in the house), Bluesound Vault2,
a MacBook Air, a Bryston BDP3 streamer (Bluesound will exit as soon as Bryston adds Qobuz in the next few weeks).  I have a Synology NAS in another room and Ethernet wiring.
  Why spin discs?  I have several hundred SACD, along with assorted Blu Ray Audios and DVD-A.  I am not interested in some complicated way of extracting the DSD from The SACDs when I can just play the DSD layer directly from the Oppo. Regarding red book CD, I am trying to scan them to the NAS, but I have several thousand to go.  I am also not enamored of any of the music management systems that I have encountered as I frequently can’t find something on the NAS; it’s easier to pull the CD off the shelf.  And at this point red book playback sounds truly excellent 
That’s one big Collection!! And sounds like a very nice DAC.  Now that I have it running, I’m going to listen to it for a bit and learn how to use this new Dac. I do love how yours plays everything, monies are tight and I thought I heard they run a $2K more than the L.K.S, 
I’m sure that it’s very nice. So you feel that you don’t need a Network streaming player because of you large volume of CD’s,
SACD, etc.., or because you feel that they play as nice as the stand alone DAC’s.
No SACD play can send DSD by HDMI. ESS9038 is a delta-sigma DAC which is suitable for DSD playback.
@dhollywood,

You can only run SACDs through the LKS (or almost all separate DACs that will accept .dsf files--and not all do) if you rip the SACDs to the .dsf files. Otherwise you will have to run your SACDs through your Oppo and its built in DAC, ignoring the LKS, using the disks.

You ask about how I use my phone. I have ripped all my CDs and SACDs and gathered other music by downloading PCM files all on to a hard disk. Initially it was a small USB disk. Now it's a Synology NAS. That disk is plugged into a small lap-top near the audio system on which I run JRiver. (The NAS can send the music files to the lap-top by wi-fi, but I find the SQ better if by hard wire) There is a USB connection between the lap-top and the LKS. JRiver has a phone app. Bottom line is that I sit in my chair and use the phone app to call up any of the music on the hard disk. I don't do network streaming, but if I wanted to I could just receive the streams through the lap-top. (I also run JRiver on an office desk top so I can listen to all of the music there too. JRiver converts the .dsf files to PCM for that computer. I use the desk-top for all the ripping and file management.)

With a screen between the speakers I do video with disks on the Oppo and sound out to the LKS, also youtube music through the Oppo using the coax connection.

Another option, but just for playing PCM files, as from the CDs, would be to use the Oppo 105 phone app to call up music from either of the hard disks and play them through the Oppo and to the LKS using the coaxial or optical connection.

@mahler123,

Ripping SACD disks is not "complicated". It's even easier, once set up, than ripping a CD though it takes a little longer as the files are larger. I do is put an SACD into the Oppo, bring up a small (free) program on any of the computers and press "execute." That's it. I'm sure you can set it up and do it. You might, as I did, even find an improvement in the SQ.

Yes, ripping all the disks and setting up a management system can be major chore. I found JRiver to have a long learning curve--but in the end it's really a great system to have where anything can be called up to play at your whim, and anywhere on the network, and without leaving your chair. And you have the NAS. For classical music listening especially, it is great to be able to quickly compare performances. You seem to have a large collection so I can understand the hesitation. But, on the other hand, keeping track of a large collection can be made much simpler with a good digital file system.