why dsd


Until a few days ago, i had never heard of dsd. Apparently it was developed thru sony/philips and used as the foundation for super audio. Why is everyone so hyped on this. I have had a sony 9100es for several years and have a handful of discs. Big deal. I am selling the damn thing and will toss in the discs if anyone is interested. I get the waive stuff bla bla bla. Yes- digital can sometimes sound bad, but have you ever listened to a poorly engineered record. Ugh. Less to do with the medium and more to do with the recording

My MAc mini into my C2 sounds good and upgraded spotify is great.

We are so caught up in hype. We split hairs over everything and talk about stuff that only an electrical engineer gets. We call 4k budget gear! Are you kidding me???

Music is something that touches your soul, and we don't listen in a perfect room with a lab coat on. If my foot taps then I'm happy.

I am trying to buy a dac with pre and HT pass, not because I am going to squeeze an additional drop of shimmer out of my system, but because I need something easier for my family to use.

Stop buying into hype! Records sound great but digital is more convenient and has opened the door to a world of music that should blow you away. If you are more concerned with being sold than just enjoying the music then you are missing the point.

Any thoughts on a dac/pre combo with bypass :-)
128x128famoej
I find joy in many different formats. Good vinyl sounds great. And so do well-recorded CDs and SACDs and DVD-A discs. It really comes down to the mastering, the media is decidedly of secondary importance...

-RW-
Speaking from a long-term experience with PCM and DSD converted to PCM, I must say that the only way of approaching Analog is with DSD.

Both PCM and DSD are fine in the digital domain, and both have their problems when it comes to converting them to analog. But, for example, DSD can be converted to analog with a simple Low Pass Filter. Please do not try this with PCM.

Simply, to me, DSD is Analog and PCM is Digital. And this how these formats compare when it comes to sound quality.

Above said, you really need a real PCM D/A converter and a real DSD D/A converter in order to truly compare the two formats. Anything else will not do a justice, IMO.

To have a better example, between DSD and PCM conversion to Analog, you cannot use a microphone preamp with vinyl, and the other way around.

Just my 2 cents, as usual. :-)

Best wishes,
Alex Peychev
APL Hi-Fi
I love all the responses. I sit there and try to listen to music. I have heard bad, good and great. I am drawn into all the hype just like everyone else who is into gear and music.

BTW- I said I had SACD for several years- listened to the 20 discs a lot which I own and also happen to have as standard. While I notice an analog softening in the sound., my breath has never been taken away.

Again, I have had stuff in the chain that just did not fit. Not saying it's bad, just did not fit sonically with my setup.

Digital makes my life easier. I can even listen to spotify. How often do I get the chance or permission to turn the lights down and chill for an hour of hard listening??? Not often, but the first thing I do when I get home is fire up the gear.