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DACs that upsample to DSD internally?

Hello Everyone,

I'm wondering if we can form a list of DACs that are capable of upsampling PCM to DSD internally? I realize there are various software programs that could do this on the fly from your PC. But for the truly computer illiterate among us (like me) who find learning to use such programs incredibly frustrating, it would be great to know which DACs can to this. I only know of the Directstream. Thanks to all!
xrayz
dragon_vibe
430 posts
 
Don't forget Playback Design, Andreas Koch who designed the EMM Labs Dacs and a few other before he went independent and started his own company.
rspyder
98 posts
 
The Esoteric K-01X does.  I have one and it is exceptional in both modes: PCM unfiltered and no upscaling and conversion of PCM to DSD.
nordicnorm
313 posts
 
Teac UD-501 or UD-503
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,394 posts
 
xrayz, I'm still confused.  Do you need your DAC to output DSD stream to the outside (DSD stream on output connector) or you're looking for the DAC that outputs analog voltage that comes from PCM-DSD conversion.  As I mentioned before all Delta-Sigma D/A converters are based on principle of converting PCM to DSD, then taking average value (filtering) of DSD (PWM) stream.
erik_squires
15,654 posts
 
I think you mean the DAC is a Delta-Sigma, which some mistake for DSD.  DSD is encoded using Delta-Sigma.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta-sigma_modulation

DAC's are either multi-bit or delta-sigma, although I think there's some hybrids with 2 bits, and I think the famous dCS ring DAC was  complicated 5 bit Delta-Sigma, but now I may be making stuff up. Schiit makes a big deal of using multi-bit DAC's.

99% of current DAC chips are Delta-Sigma types.

A common feature is "Asynchronous Sample Rate Conversion" though it may be called "reclocking" or upsampling or something. ASRC can go up, or down or even keep the sample rate the same, but with a new low jitter clock.

Best,


ERik
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