@corente
It is a Golden Atlantic
I could not find an exact matching model on Lampizator's website - I am trying to understand the architecture of Lampizator's dac(s). Note that I am using dac lower case for the actual converter and DAC uppercase for the box that contains the dac(s), plus other functionality like filters and volume control.
This is to try to understand whether there is a dac that natively processes DSD bitstreams, or whether DSD is mathematically converted to PCM. If so, what PCM bit-depth and sampling rate?
Note that DSD can be exactly converted to PCM, but the resulting PCM cannot be exactly converted back to the original DSD based on the PCM data alone. In other words, you lose detail. Is this audible?
For me, it is clearly audible, and here's my proof. For a couple of decades, I have listened to SACDs played through very accurate Quad electrostatic speakers. When my Marantz universal disc player became flaky, I replaced it with a Reavon universal disk player. Initially I used both player's analogue outputs. The Reavon is very similar to the now-discontinued Oppos, but uses Burr-Brown dacs instead of Sabre ESS dacs.
Every type of silver disk sounded superb, except for SACD DSD layers. I looked up the specification sheets on the Burr-Brown dacs - one is a two-channel dac which can handle 32-bit PCM, and the other is a multi-channel dac that can only handle 24-bit PCM.
There was no mention of either dac handling native DSD! I wrote to Reavon who confirmed that internally multi-channel DSD is down-converted to Redbook CD quality, ie 16-bits at 44,100 samples per second, though still multi-channel.
Then I wondered what they did with 2-channel DSD where they could use a 32-bit dac. The answer was the same - DSD is internally down-converted to CD quality.
I knew there was something wrong within a minute or so of listening! The 'air' around quiet piano notes was missing.
A soon as I reconfigured the Reavon to output DSD over HDMI, I got back the 'air' by using a Marantz pre which has an array of AKM dacs. These do natively handle DSD. Used as a transport, the Reavon is excellent but I wasted my money on its dacs!
I do not understand why the North American market makes such a dog's breakfast of SACD playback, and especially why the purpose-built HDMI is often missing from transports and DACs designed for North America.
In my experience, I have had no compatibility issues whatsoever sending SACD formats from universal transports over HDMI, whether the Redbook CD layer, 2-channel native DSD or multi-channel native DSD. That includes from Sony transports a tenth the price of the Reavon.
To me, trying to squeeze DSD over other connection types designed for low bit rate 2-channel is performing an entirely unnatural act.
