Playing DSD files

It would be nice to play .dff files correctly in Foobar, but meanwhile Audirvana does it for me, and there are also programs that can convert .dff to .dsf (like Tascam Hi Res editor, and Deffy).

Since my new solution plays my DSD files suprisingly well, I am testing the Tascam DA3000 recorder again. However, something has happened, maybe after I installed windows 11 on my pc, Windows now does not recognize micro cards formatted on the Tascam, and vice versa.So my recording of some good LPs like Jeff Beck: Performing this week, and Pharoah Sanders: Promises, was a waste of time. The files are seen by Tascam ok and can be played back there, but not by Windows. "Do it again, Sam".

Problem solved, some new LPs recorded, sounds good. I ran full format of the SD card in the Tascam, and now the card was recognized by Windows.

I realize this resembles a one man show, but so be it.

Problem with micro sd card - after full format in Tascam - solved.

Problem with .dff playback in Foobar - not solved. It insists on playing them as pcm, whatever components and outputs I try (foo_this, foo_that). While .dsf files play fine, as 'true' dsd. Maybe in some systems it doesn't matter, but in my case, the true dsd playback (where volume is disabled) is truly worth it. 

Happily, Audirvana plays both .dff and .dsf just fine. I also wonder if it plays the .dsf files a bit better than Foobar. Slightly more sonic space, and no breaks/gaps like I sometimes think I hear in Foobar (maybe, a buffer problem). Not sure, though.

Testing recently recorded LPs like Beatles: Magical mystery tour, the German Horzu version with true stereo. If you have rare costly LPs like this you owe it to yourself to record them to DSD. And the better the sound of the original LP the better it is from the DSD file.

It can be subtle, though. In this and many other cases, the streaming version of the album (on Qobuz) is not actually the original. It is "remastered 2009" whatever that means. They have obviously tried to fix the sonic problems of the original. Superficially, for a short while, it sounds better. In the longer run, no. 

Testing .dsf file playback with Audirvana vs Foobar. I am not able to hear any clear difference. Also, no breaks/gaps. Testing Doors: LA woman, Analog production 2 x LP at 45 rpm. Sounds great. This has been some days work, but I have now recorded 77GB of .dsf files (24 albums). To be played back in whatever system I use. I now have a total of 214 albums, 750GB, thanks to the Tascam recorder, and a small portable WD Passport 5TB disk.

Foobar issue fixed, it now plays .dff as well as .dsf files correctly. Trivial reason: I was running v 1.6.4. I upgraded to the latest (v 2) and updated the DSD and SACD components also. The Topping E30ii dac needed a restart. Now, it displays the correct DSD rate (5,64), and this is displayed correctly in Foobar also.