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Post by fbczar on Nov 14, 2015 13:51:04 GMT -5
Can any of you recommend a DSD capable DAC to use with the XMC-1? The Schiit Loki is inexpensive and seems a good choice based on the way it connects in-line, but it cannot play any of the higher resolution DSD sample rates. I would like something with sound quality on par with the XMC-1's PCM DAC. Any opinions on the Loki or other DSD capable DACs would be appreciated.
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Post by bluemeanies on Oct 22, 2017 15:05:59 GMT -5
Can any of you recommend a DSD capable DAC to use with the XMC-1? The Schiit Loki is inexpensive and seems a good choice based on the way it connects in-line, but it cannot play any of the higher resolution DSD sample rates. I would like something with sound quality on par with the XMC-1's PCM DAC. Any opinions on the Loki or other DSD capable DACs would be appreciated. The Schiit LOKI is NOT a DAC...it is however a 4band equalizer. Big difference. |
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Post by fbczar on Oct 22, 2017 15:40:39 GMT -5
Can any of you recommend a DSD capable DAC to use with the XMC-1? The Schiit Loki is inexpensive and seems a good choice based on the way it connects in-line, but it cannot play any of the higher resolution DSD sample rates. I would like something with sound quality on par with the XMC-1's PCM DAC. Any opinions on the Loki or other DSD capable DACs would be appreciated. The Schiit LOKI is NOT a DAC...it is however a 4band equalizer. Big difference. Sorry, When I made this post originally the Loki was most certainly a DSD DAC. It has since been discontinued and Schiit has introduced the controller you reference. |
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Post by Loop 7 on Oct 22, 2017 18:20:17 GMT -5
Can you hold out until the DC-2 is released. It is supposed to support DSD.
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Post by garbulky on Oct 22, 2017 20:29:34 GMT -5
The OP was made two years ago. The XMC-1 processes DSD in case you didn't know.
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Post by fbczar on Oct 23, 2017 7:20:48 GMT -5
The OP was made two years ago. The XMC-1 processes DSD in case you didn't know. The XMC-1 will play DSD from an SACD and it will play stereo and multichannel DSD sent to it over HDMI from Oppo Players beginning with the Oppo 103, but it will not play DSD over USB. However, the XMC-1's DAC only plays DSD64 and does not support higher bitrate DSD. I understand the RMC-1 and the XMC-2 will play DSD files sent to it over USB and will play DSD128. I also understand that the Atmos upgrade board for the XMC-1 will allow it to play DSD over USB, but I assume the bitrate will be DSD64 since the DAC will be unchanged. The new processors will be much more convenient relative to DSD playback over USB than an external DAC. |
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KeithL
Administrator 
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Post by KeithL on Oct 23, 2017 10:18:35 GMT -5
The original Schiit Loki was indeed a DSD DoP DAC (DSD over USB) ..... It was actually a cute idea.... (I thought it would sell - at least to DSD fans.  ) It was a DSD-only DAC, but it had an analog connection for your regular DAC, and a sort of HT bypass arrangement, so it could add DSD capability to your regular DAC. And it was quite economical. (But it was not a commercial success.) The Schiit LOKI is NOT a DAC...it is however a 4band equalizer. Big difference. Sorry, When I made this post originally the Loki was most certainly a DSD DAC. It has since been discontinued and Schiit has introduced the controller you reference. |
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Post by Casey Leedom on Oct 23, 2017 11:39:01 GMT -5
So what will happen if I attempt to send a DSD256 to the RMC-1? Will I need to resample it before sending it or will the RMC-1 do that? And it's kind of weird for the RMC-1 to peak out at DSD128 since the AKM4490EQ used in the RMC-1 can handle up to DSD256 natively ...
Casey
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KeithL
Administrator
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Post by KeithL on Oct 23, 2017 11:46:56 GMT -5
I'm honestly not 100% sure that the RMC-1 won't do DSD256..... but the current technical information I have does not say that it is able to. (Note that there may be other limitations beside the DAC itself which may preclude it - and I don't have all the details yet.) So what will happen if I attempt to send a DSD256 to the RMC-1? Will I need to resample it before sending it or will the RMC-1 do that? And it's kind of weird for the RMC-1 to peak out at DSD128 since the AKM4490EQ used in the RMC-1 can handle up to DSD256 natively ... Casey |
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Post by Casey Leedom on Oct 23, 2017 11:54:42 GMT -5
Well, one possible limitation might simply be the data paths. DSD256 has an 11.2MHz sample rate. Assuming that there's not a ton of meta-data going along with the famous DSD "1-bit samples", that works out to ~1.3MB/s. That's well within even USB 2.0 speeds (480Mb/s, 60MB/s) but there may be other choke points ...
Casey
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ramx
Minor Hero
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Post by ramx on Jan 1, 2018 21:26:00 GMT -5
I just want to chime in with a couple of comments about this topic. In spite of not supporting DSD, the C-Media-based USB input and DAC on the XMC-1 is excellent. Even DSD material converted to PCM sounds fantastic, so don't shy away from using it "as is" just based on the specs. If you use mpd, you can force upsample to 24/192 using the best interpolator with very good sound quality. That said, I currently use an Oppo Sonica DAC connected to my XMC-1 via the balanced input with excellent results. I chose the Oppo because of its network streaming capabilities and iPhone app control. Here is a good technical review (with measurements) of the Sonica. In spite of the fact you cannot do low-level controls of the filters and other parameters, I find the sound quality of the Oppo to be fantastic with almost all material. On my "big" system, I use a Teac UD-503 Reference DAC connected to an Emotiva XSP-1 Gen2 via balanced outputs and I find the results to be better than any other I've had the chance to test so far. Original DSD64 and 128 material sounds as real as "being there", of course given the right recording and speakers. The Teac can also upsample all PCM material to 192 on hardware, so you can benefit from using a less powerful headless unit to feed music to it via USB. |
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Post by Casey Leedom on Jan 2, 2018 0:07:09 GMT -5
A friend of mine also used the Teac NT-503 and loves it. It also uses the AK4490EQ chips, one per channel in a "dual monaural" configuration, that the RMC-1 will be using.
Casey
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Post by vcautokid on Jan 2, 2018 8:24:50 GMT -5
AKM is widespread in the digital world. As ubiquitous as Burr Brown. Really now T.I. I haven't tried DSD myself. Curious but that is about all.
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Post by goodfellas27 on Jan 2, 2018 8:44:09 GMT -5
OPPO 205 for DSD for me via XMC-1 analog inputs and reference stereo.
It also supports MQA
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