I am not that sold on DSD yet, but I did upgrade my Romulus to the
Signature level on my own on the analog board. I put in the same parts
they do to upgrade it to the Signature level. The DSD ability is all my unit is
lacking compared to the Signature.
I am not going to use the USB input so DSD is not something I really cared
about.
The unit sounds amazing. I have not shared this as yet, but I do prefer it
over my tricked out computer based rig with the Lampizator and Empirical
Audio stuff. I did not think this would be the case, but as it turned out I
prefer the sound of the Romulus. More musical and refined. Less up front
or forced sounding is the best way for me to describe the differences.
Larger stage and much improved bass.
I just want to listen to the music more than the sound with the Romulus.
I still need to tube roll to see what is possible, but I love the unit.
Should I ever decide to play music from a computer again, I will look to
upgrade to the DSD board. Right now I want to run from computers:-)
This recent article from Absolute Sound does a pretty good job
summarizing where DSD is at. Not sure it is the magic bullet just yet?
"Conclusions
So where do things currently stand for DSD file playback?
First, although the situation is improving, there still arent a lot of music files
in the DSD format available for purchase, and most of the ones available
are classical. That makes sense; most existing DSD files were recorded to
serve as masters for SACDs, and most SACDs were classical. But thats
about to change now that Sony Music, Universal, and Warner are opening
their vaults; with HDtracks and Acoustic Sounds offering DSD downloads, I
expect a much wider variety of music to be marketed, which should
increase interest in downloading DSD albums. Several of my audio buddies
have expressed increased interested in DSD now that more non-classical
material is available.
Second, although lots of hardware is available that will play DSD files,
were still on the leading edge of development, and as several of my recent
struggles to use DACs and servers with DSD capability have shown me, its
still not a plug-and-play operation. A good dealer who can help you set up
your equipment is worth his weight in gold.
Third, by far the most common format for DSD recordings is the DFF file.
DSF files may hold more metadata, but DFF files are probably a safer way
to go if you have an option when purchasing.
Fourth, many DSD files available for purchase are priced at a premium
level. I hope/expect their prices will go down at least to the level of high-
resolution PCM downloads, but who knows? SACD prices never went
down to the level of CDs; if they had, the medium might have succeeded.
Fifth, DSD is not a magic bullet. It does not guarantee that a recording will
sound good. Many factors in the recording environment affect the sound
quality: microphones, the acoustics of the recording venue, the performers
ability, cables, and doubtless other things all contribute to the quality of a
recording. To my ears, a really good DSD recording can sound quite
special, but not all DSD recordings are really good.
Sixth, downloading music files may require customers to perform some
computer operations to create folders on their servers music-storage
drives, extract files from a compressed zip file, and transfer them to the
new folders. While those are not difficult tasks, they may be beyond some
customers abilities. Several advanced audiophile friends told me they
wouldnt be able to perform the operations necessary to handle
downloaded files. This isnt just a DSD problem; it exists for all computer-
audio downloads.
For now, as with any new development, if youre willing to pay premium
prices and go to a little (or maybe not so little) trouble to set up your
hardware, DSD music files provide some of the best sound available. This
should be no surprise; it always costs more to be on the leading edge of
technology."
