Is DSD download already an extinct format?

Sabai, I have a ModWright Sony HAPZ1, which like the PS audio DS converts everything to DSD. I have roughly 850 albums loaded to the hard drive, including some that are old recordings, some that are early digital, and many that were originally recoded in DSD. They are all of course, transferred to the HAPZ1 hard drive as redbook PCM files, mostly in AIFF format.
Everything I have played back with conversion to DSD has been very high quality. With the HAPZ1, one can turn off the DSD conversion and listen to the native PCM. Where I have A/B'ed the DSD against the redbook PCM, the DSD has been better by a wide margin. So what you say has some merit.

The HAPZ1 comes shipped with a few DSD tracks. One of those tracks is from Yo Yo Ma's Appalachian Journey, and is a particularly beautiful recording of fairly recent vintage. I have ordered the CD so that I can compare a native DSD file to a redbook PCM file that goes through the real time PCM to DSD conversion process. If I cannot discern a difference between the two, then for me, purchase of native DSD master files does indeed become moot.

I expect there will be a difference, but I am uncertain what the magnitude of the difference will be. However, in any case, I agree completely that redbook is alive and well. I have no desire to replace 1500 cds with HiRez files, no matter what. I am very much open to purchase of new music as HiRez downloads, especially native DSD, for new music, but the value proposition has to be more favorable than it is currently. $25 a title isn't going to happen on a regular basis, and as more equipment like the sony and the PS audio becomes available, the window of opportunity for the record companies to make HiRez download more than a niche may close.

Brownsfan,

I think this is the death knell for HiRes. Between their outta sight pricing and the advent of new DAC technology their days are numbered. IMO, it is only a matter of time.

It is all just a "niche". Most just get their music off their phones. MP3 is all they know. Moderately priced to high end has always been just a niche but even more so today with so many cheap, awful sounding, easy options. As for converting all to DSD, that can not improve the quality of your sound. You are just moving the bits around from one place to another. Example a round bucked filled with water poured into a square bucket. No gain. Possible some loss. Definitely not improved. Native DSD, that is different animal. Possibly an improvement. I have heard some but content not to my listening interests. I will stick to HDtracks. Largest selection of HD music. Buy on the sales. Now CDs, another story. I use to buy CDs used, rip, then sell back. Some times forced to buy new, rip and sell back. Find for digital recordings, HD down loads sound the best. One reason is you take the drive out of the equation. A second is that 24 bit is quieter. A third obviously the extra info. I have compared them all. For the most part HDtracks sounds the best. Native DSD still up in the air. Have two recordings by David Elias. Sound very good. Do not have any other format recordings to compare to. Oh, I use flac not that it matters. My views anyway.

I've done reading about the Sony HAPZ1 & the DirectStream DAC but haven't seen an explanation, at least one clear enough for a layman like me, as to why converting non-DSD files into DSD as part of the playback would improve the sound. Why is 1-bit DSD so beneficial to playback?

Jult52,

You might want to ask the experts on the PS Audio forum this very question.