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Universal Players that do not convert DSD to PCM?

All
Is there way to definitively tell if a universal player converts DSD (SACD) to PCM before convertion to analog? I am talking about 2 ch Audio output from the player here.

When I talk to retailers about this I usually get a blank stare.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Tim
twclark

Showing 2 responses by jeffreybehr

jeffreybehr's avatar
jeffreybehr
805 posts
 
One can read the manufacturer's description. I know the Denon 2900 does not convert DSD to PCM.
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jeffreybehr's avatar
jeffreybehr
805 posts
 
Seantaylor99: "Aren't ALL digitally recorded SACDs originally recorded in PCM then converted to DSD during mastering? Do any digital multitrack recorders and mixers run natively in DSD? I thought they all ran 24/192 (or 96kHz) PCM.

The DVDA standard (PCM) is theoretically a higher resolution standard than SACD (DSD) so if a player converts DSD to PCM (DVD-A) then that should not be detrimental."

There are DSD recorders and they DO NOT start in PCM. I read somewhere that DSD's native sampling rate is something like 2.4MEGA Hertz! DSD is a delta- ( or 'difference'-)sensing system and records the difference between this and the last sample. PCM converts the entire sample into a digital representation and requires lots more digital resources than DSD's delta sampling.

Personally, I try to stay away from DVD-As or SACDs, both of which are highly listenable formats IMO, that were recorded in the other format. EVERY conversion has to remove some of the information or it wouldn't be called sampling.
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