Topic: DSD Discs- recording and playback.

[DavidDSD]

Hi

Should have named this thread 'DSD Discs- Creating and Playback'

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,89333.msg1188333.html#msg1188333

Having recently acquired a Korg MR recorder, I thought I'd try out making a DSD disc using the guide linked above. A DSD disc is nothing more than a dvd-r with a specific file structure. 

I won't be able to test out whether the disc works properly until the new Sony SACD player I just ordered arrives next week.  This player, the SCD-XA5400ES, supports playback of DSD discs. The only other way of playing these discs, as far as I'm aware, is via a Playstation 3 (1st gen) or a post 2005 Sony Vaio with Sound Reality chip. There is also a WMP plug in but that converts to PCM (http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/14...ackPlug-in.zip).

The DSD disc I made cannot be played via WMP on my PC with the plug-in. It's impossible to say, until I aquire the 5400ES, whether this is the fault of my disc or WMP.

Anyhow, I'm looking for feedback from those who have made DSD discs.  How do they sound?  Were any issues encountered in the process of making them or with playback?

[MattH]

I have been recording DSD for about 3 years now. I am excited to hear about the new Sony ES SACD player being potentially able to play raw dsd files without having to author those files to SACD which is cost prohibitive at this time and likely will remain that way. If this Sony does play raw DSD files, then I would think just a folder containing the raw dff files would work fine.

Fingers crossed with great anticipation....

[DavidDSD]

Hi, the Sony 5400 sacd player arrived today. Sounds great with normal cds, btw. 

I made my first DSD disc, burnt onto DVD+RW.  Tried it in the player and it reads ok but plays the track at half-speed!  I think this is because the maximum frequency it will support is 2.8Mhz and not 5.6Mhz.  Will try it again at the lower frequency.

[busterr]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the benefit of this over simply playing directly from your Korg > amp/active-monitors/headphones..?

[DavidDSD]

Hi

It's not possible to store a lot of MR files on the Korg's 40gb HD- max 14 1/2 hours in 1bit 2.8Mhz- especially if you do a lot of recording.

The DAC in the Korg while good is not the last word in DACs. The Dac in the Sony player is in a different league.  That said, I do constantly play music straight off the Korg and love the detail and depth to the sound! I'm finding it a bit lean but that may be because it hasn't ran in fully.

I do a lot of converting vinyl to digtal, so creating 1 bit/2.8 discs of that is an attractive propostion and, reportedly, these DSD discs from vinyl sound excellent.  You are basically creating your own sacds.

Ok, I wouldn't have minded just storing all my music on PC and routing it too a standalone DSD Dac, as many do with outboard PCM DACs.  But there aren't any DSD dacs available for reasonable money that I'm aware of.  This is where the Sony 5400 comes into play, albeit with silver discs only.