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Linn support for DSD
01-12-2017, 19:55
Post: #1
Linn support for DSD
Now that Linn support DSD on their latest-generation Klimax streamers, I downloaded a free sample, and it sounds fine. Not much content out there though.

Anyway, I tried the dff:dopwav transcoding option out of curiosity, and just got static. This also happens if I transcode regular FLAC to L16 or L24 instead of WAV. Not a problem, but something I just noticed, and I wondered if the explanation is known?
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01-12-2017, 20:18
Post: #2
RE: Linn support for DSD
You need to have FFMPEG installed and its path correctly identified in MinimServer settings to be able ro transcode the DSD formats to native PCM. Details are in the transcoding section of the MinimStreamer User Guide.

David
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01-12-2017, 20:24 (This post was last modified: 01-12-2017 20:28 by ac16161.)
Post: #3
RE: Linn support for DSD
(01-12-2017 20:18)DavidHB Wrote:  You need to have FFMPEG installed and its path correctly identified in MinimServer settings to be able ro transcode the DSD formats to native PCM. Details are in the transcoding section of the MinimStreamer User Guide.

David

Thanks, but I wasn't asking about transcoding to PCM. As Linn now support DSD I was just curious if the dopwav transcode would work. Just seeing what works and what doesn't, and was reminded that FLAC:L16 does not work with Linn.

In the absence of DSD content for my region, it's a moot point, and the samplers I've downloaded are nice, but not mind-blowing.
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01-12-2017, 23:01
Post: #4
RE: Linn support for DSD
I don't have the right Linn hardware to try this. Perhaps Linn don't support the DoP/WAV format but require native DSD to be streamed.
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02-12-2017, 00:04 (This post was last modified: 02-12-2017 00:07 by DavidHB.)
Post: #5
RE: Linn support for DSD
(01-12-2017 23:01)simoncn Wrote:  I don't have the right Linn hardware to try this. Perhaps Linn don't support the DoP/WAV format but require native DSD to be streamed.

It can be either native DSD or native PCM (i.e. transcoded to WAV24 or whatever), but (I guess) not DoP/WAV. The new feature takes advantage of facilities in the Katalyst DAC; DSD can only be output to the analogue outputs of the DS or DSM, and is not available for Exakt. Linn's Space Optimisation cannot be used on native DSD playback. Unsurprisingly, the Linn technical team recommend conversion or transcoding to a PCM format.

More information, including several informative posts from Linn staff, is on this thread on the Linn forum.

David
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02-12-2017, 12:08
Post: #6
RE: Linn support for DSD
I've never given much attention to DSD given I'm in the Linn world, but presumably if you buy in to the idea that DSD has inherent advantages, then wouldn't transcoding it to PCM before it gets to the DAC rather negate the alleged benefit that DSD is supposed to offer, if the DAC is capable of playing DSD audio without pre-conversion?

I have the impression that the Katalyst DAC is probably doing its own conversion anyway, but need to go back and re-read the posts from the Linn staffers (by the way, I just love Linn for allowing their tech bods to post on their forum).
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02-12-2017, 14:00
Post: #7
RE: Linn support for DSD
(02-12-2017 12:08)ac16161 Wrote:  I've never given much attention to DSD given I'm in the Linn world, but presumably if you buy in to the idea that DSD has inherent advantages, then wouldn't transcoding it to PCM before it gets to the DAC rather negate the alleged benefit that DSD is supposed to offer, if the DAC is capable of playing DSD audio without pre-conversion?

You will find that this is all discussed at inordinate length on this thread, which has been running for the last four years on the Linn forum. The Linn team thought that DSD was a bad idea in 2013. They still think it is a bad (and essentially unnecessary) idea in 2017, but are prepared to support it because the DAC in their (Klimax level) Katalyst players can provide the support (in a limited form, because of the limitations of the DSD format) with only a relatively minor software change that does not affect the other capabilities of the device, and because DSD has a bit of traction in some markets.

(02-12-2017 12:08)ac16161 Wrote:  I have the impression that the Katalyst DAC is probably doing its own conversion anyway, but need to go back and re-read the posts from the Linn staffers (by the way, I just love Linn for allowing their tech bods to post on their forum).

DSD is actually directly rendered in the DAC; there is no conversion. Hence the limitations described in my previous post.

All of this is pretty academic for most of us, I guess. I don't see myself using a format other than FLAC any time soon. But is is a good illustration of the way in which folk can get themselves excited about narrow (and to most people irrelevant) technical issues.

David
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03-12-2017, 21:47
Post: #8
RE: Linn support for DSD
(01-12-2017 19:55)ac16161 Wrote:  Now that Linn support DSD on their latest-generation Klimax streamers, I downloaded a free sample, and it sounds fine. Not much content out there though.

There are some good music available on DSD stores.

I like NativeDSD because they are structured by labels, like the London Symphony Orchestra (https://lsolive.nativedsd.com/) Mariinsky https://mariinsky.nativedsd.com/ or Harmonia Mundi https://harmoniamundi.nativedsd.com/

Pentatone https://www.pentatonemusic.com/

HDtracks http://www.hdtracks.com/dsd-albums

Qobuz said they would, but nothing yet.

Also, there are some players which allow to rip your SACD in DSD files
https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forum...-its-true/

Hope it helps
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04-12-2017, 20:38
Post: #9
RE: Linn support for DSD
(03-12-2017 21:47)lyapounov Wrote:  
(01-12-2017 19:55)ac16161 Wrote:  Now that Linn support DSD on their latest-generation Klimax streamers, I downloaded a free sample, and it sounds fine. Not much content out there though.

There are some good music available on DSD stores.

I like NativeDSD because they are structured by labels, like the London Symphony Orchestra (https://lsolive.nativedsd.com/) Mariinsky https://mariinsky.nativedsd.com/ or Harmonia Mundi https://harmoniamundi.nativedsd.com/

Pentatone https://www.pentatonemusic.com/

HDtracks http://www.hdtracks.com/dsd-albums

Qobuz said they would, but nothing yet.

Also, there are some players which allow to rip your SACD in DSD files
https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forum...-its-true/

Hope it helps

Kind of you to collate some links. I mainly buy from Qobuz, occasionally HDTracks. It's a while since I looked at their US site which has a much better catalogue than the UK version, though either way the web-site design is really poor in my view.
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05-12-2017, 22:07
Post: #10
RE: Linn support for DSD
I have opened a thread under "Digital Audio" section of this forum with a little bit more infos on DSD files
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