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SACD Player vs SACD Transport to use the D. Bob a/k/a Digital Breakout Box

Seeking the ability to hear the DSD layer of an SACD.  The current standard is PCM.  I have read that there is a legal invention called the Digital Break Out Box which allows the user to hear but not copy the DSD layer. Only interested in listening, not copying.  It is called the D. Bob and the seller sells same at geerfab.com. My reading says if you wish to use a SACD transport and hear the DSD layer and you wish to connect to an external DAC then the transport must have an HDMI out. Do any SACD transports have this HDMI.  Thought HDMI was only for televisions and not high end audio. I f I purchase a SACD player, do I still need the Geer Fab Box in order to hear the DSD layer of the SACD. In short, will I need the box in all cases? IF I am incorrect about any of my assertions, would welcome any constructive criticism.

 

kjl1065
toddalin's avatar
toddalin
658 posts
 

The Oppo players allow you to use the transport with a different converter.

I have an Oppo 95 and someone on AudioKarma has an Oppo 103 and when I ask him why he didn’t get a 105 for the better audio, he said he only uses the transport through a different converter and get similar/better results.  The transports are the same and the better power supply of the "5" series only applies to the audio circuits.  I’ve confirmed this on-line.

https://youtu.be/teNLr3hexxk

 

 

yyzsantabarbara
5,543 posts
 

I have been testing the D.BOB with 3 DACs the past month.

I used 2 used OPPO players as my transport into the D.BOB via HDMI. It is a bit of a PIA to get this going with the OPPO. You may need a TV for a 1-time HDMI sync. It depends on the transport. ChatGPT is your friend here.

1) Tried it with the $26k Allnic D-15000 Signature OTL/OCL. It cannot do the HDMI handshake well and did not work even though it is spec’d for DoP.

 

2) Tried it with the $12k imersiv D-1 DAC which is spec’d out to support a lot of DSD bit streams. Again, did not work.

3) Tried the RME ADI FS DAC that I got used for $500 and it worked on the first attempt. The reason being that it has a robust HDMI handshake implementation.

4) I owned a Benchmark DAC3B before and the always worked easily with the D.BOB.

The Allnic and Imersiv are massively better DACs than the RME and Benchmark. A real shame I could not get it to work.

 

rcprince
3,100 posts
 

You asked, "If I purchase a SACD player, do I still need the Geer Fab Box in order to hear the DSD layer of the SACD."

The answer to that is no.  The SACD player will play the SACD layer from its analog outputs.  But, unless something has changed magically over the years, you will need to have an SACD player (or SACD transport) in any event because you need the laser in it that reads the SACD layer of the disc.  It wasn't clear in your post if you were planning on that.  

winoguy17
1,323 posts
 

The venerable Sony XA 5400 has hdmi out...

big_greg
6,821 posts
 

If your DAC has an i2s input, there are inexpensive (less than $100) hdmi to i2s converters that do the same thing. I had no issues playing SACDS through my Rockna DAC and the sound quality is a night and day difference. The big variable is what the i2s implement is on your DAC. Most also include coax and digital outputs,  so i2s isn't required on your DAC.

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