[wmy5]

Hi guys. I have a Pioneer BDP-140 BD player and a Onkyo NR818 receiver. I have some multi-channel SACDs to play and I want to get best quality. To my disappointment, I found my 818 only has a set of cheap PCM1690 DACs, with is not DSD-analog capable. That is to say, DSD signals must be converted to PCM, either on the player or the receiver. I have two options here:

1. Let the player, BDP-140 do the conversion. It can output 88.2kHz/24bit LPCM for SACD.

2. Feed the receiver DSD, and let the receiver do the conversion. The sampling freq. is unknown.


Could you give me some suggestions about which setting is better? I'm curious about what is the sampling frequency of the PCM signal converted from DSD inside NR818. If it's higher than 88.2, maybe it's better to let the 818 do this job. Any idea?

 

[Kilian.ca]

What the receiver does is unknown, so take your pick or just (1), at least you know for sure. I have the same player and receiver but I use the Sony for SACDs as it does 176.4kHz. No more uncertainty or compromise.


Two other things:

1. DSD-analogue direct conversion isn't a good idea for MCH generally as you can't have bass management and EQ. Most SACDs are native PCM recordings anyway.

2. Some Onkyo and Integra AVRs have a digital cut-off filter at 20kHz, not that it matters to me at all but some people care for the supersonic frequencies.

 

[wmy5]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Kilian.ca  /t/1468103/dsd-sacd-settings-with-onkyo-nr818#post_23200983


What the receiver does is unknown, so take your pick or just (1), at least you know for sure. I have the same player and receiver but I use the Sony for SACDs as it does 176.4kHz. No more uncertainty or compromise.


Two other things:

1. DSD-analogue direct conversion isn't a good idea for MCH generally as you can't have bass management and EQ. Most SACDs are native PCM recordings anyway.

2. Some Onkyo and Integra AVRs have a digital cut-off filter at 20kHz, not that it matters to me at all but some people care for the supersonic frequencies.

Thanks a lot. I agree with you that for not ideal listening environment like living room, Audessey correction has more immediate effect than DSD-Direct. But a 20kHz cut-off does matter to me a little bit. The higher sampling freq. can brings better Dynamic Range, smoother waveforms, and more detailed sound, which is HD audio all about, isn't it? If supersonic freq. was filtered out, what's the difference from Redbook CDs?


The reason I prefer Pioneer to PS3 is I have quite a number of ripped SACD ISOs, PS3 simply doesn't support them.

 

[Kilian.ca]

The benefit of high sample rate is the filter, even within the audible freq. Now most modern DACs oversample internally with 44.1kHz input and some players upsample for the same reason, but it's better to start off with a higher sample rate than oversampling or upsampling which is all 'guesswork'. As for the supersonic freq. most amps and speakers aren't rated that high anyway although some would extend beyond 20kHz a bit, perhaps 30kHz but really not like 50kHz.


Does the 140 support SACD.iso? I know it plays SACD-R. The PS3 can rip SACDs but won't play the iso?

 

[wmy5]

PS3 won't play SACD-R. Yet it does play DSD disc(.dsf format DVD-R, stereo only), which can be made using AudioGate from SACD-ISO.


BDP-140 won't play ISO from USB, one need to burn ISO to DVD for playback.

 

[wmy5]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Kilian.ca  /t/1468103/dsd-sacd-settings-with-onkyo-nr818#post_23200983


What the receiver does is unknown, so take your pick or just (1), at least you know for sure. I have the same player and receiver but I use the Sony for SACDs as it does 176.4kHz. No more uncertainty or compromise.


Two other things:

1. DSD-analogue direct conversion isn't a good idea for MCH generally as you can't have bass management and EQ. Most SACDs are native PCM recordings anyway.

2. Some Onkyo and Integra AVRs have a digital cut-off filter at 20kHz, not that it matters to me at all but some people care for the supersonic frequencies.

You said Onkyo AVRs have a digital cut-off filter at 20kHz. Could you give some reference? Is it possible that Onkyo's DSP converts 1-bit DSD to PCM at 44.1kHz? Thank you.

 

[shpitz]

Does anyone have any success bitstreaming DSD over HDMI from a PC running Foobar2000 to an Onkyo 1010? I can only get it to work when foobar2000 streams as PCM. I've never seen DSD in the 1010's display, only PCM.