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DACS that don't do DSD - obsolete?

I can get a deal on the Cary Audio 100T DAC (with tube analog stage). It's supposed to sound fantastic but it doesn't do DSD without converting to PCM first.

I don't spend that much time listening to SACD's but I know there's more DSD material coming out these days. This begs the question - are non DSD DACs becoming obsolete? Or put another way - are DACS that do DSD more future proof?
larrybou
mitch4t's avatar
mitch4t
1,611 posts
 
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They're not obsolete yet, but the handwriting is on the wall. Going forward, DAC mfgs that don't do DSD are putting themselves at a tremendous disadvantage. Any new DAC coming out more than six months from now had better have DSD capability. I can't imagine anyone that's thinking of plunking down serious bucks today will think long and hard about spending $5k and up and not getting DSD capability. Wyred4Sound has DSD capability for $1600.

Of course, existing DACs that don't do DSD still have a strong place in hifi.
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doggiehowser
672 posts
 
I got a Teac UD501 a while back which handles up to 2xDSD and DXD a while back.

In my system with a Mac Mini (QC 2.6GHz, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) Audirvana Plus in Integer/Direct mode, I found it wasn't quite as resolving as my (pricier) Bel Canto DAC3.5VB MkII - which only handles up to 24/192 but not DSD.

I've also recently built a quiet PC (QC 3.9GHz, fanless PSU, fanless heatsink, 16GB RAM, 240GB SSD) and run Windows7 + JRiver - which can dynamically perform DSP on any material to 2xDSD. The combination of the quieter machine, JRiver handling 2xDSD IMHO improved what I was hearing on the Teac considerably, I thought. Of course, this is dependent on the computer up sampling material to 2xDSD but I did prefer this to the Bel Canto.

IMHO DSD material (native or upsampled) have a nicer more analogue feel to it.,, it is also more resolving with complex passages in music.

I first noticed this with the same PC hooked to my Playback MPS-5 via USB-X which sounded better than Audirvana Plus running in Direct/Integer mode. I now use the Mini to run JRiver Mac to do the same 2xDSD conversion to the Playback in that set up.
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,592 posts
 
No they not not obsolete at all. It depends on the quality of the dac really.
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
tube analogue stage is extra distortion, color and compression. it does make sound more pleasant, but i believe it's not important in DAC. great suggestion for TEAC UD501.
larrybou OP
130 posts
 
KR4 - I don't believe it accepts DSD, it has to have DSD converted to PCM in advance (I'll double check that). If that's the case, it would at the very least hurt its potential resale value in the next couple years?

It may be a feature I never care about but OTOH if music is moving increasingly to hi res it's not something I want to miss out on.

DoggieHouser - So basically a better dad that didn't do DSD was outperformed by up sampling to a lesser dad that DOES DSD? Interesting.

Mitch4T - I've been thinking about the Wyred 4 Sound DAC as well. Have you heard it? Also the newest Benchmark does DSD. Any opinions on the Wyred VS Benchmark?
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