HI
Not sure yet as there are many versions of DSD - DOP DSD 64, DSD 128, Native DSD and now talk of higher DSD up to over 500 as well.
This all affects what DACs are used as well as how the circuit handles the switch between DSD and PCM. DSD 64 is relatively easy to implement in exiting DAC's and players but moving all the way to Native DSD is a new ballgame. Most of the units we have looked at now do DSD 64.
If we are going to move into DSD playback then I want o make sure we cover any potential changes going forward.
james
Understood! But one cannot say for certain DSD is a viable format, right? It still might go south. Not because it is inferior but because an enormous percentage of recordings are mastered for PCM. It is also the reason why some SACDs don't sound nearly as spectacular as they should.
Frankly, I didn't even know there were so many versions of DSD but I take it the BDA-2 will be able to decode at least one of them with just software upgrade and no changes to the hardware. Am I correct to assume that?
One other thing - DSD is possible only through USB connection, right? If so, then the BDP doesn't use it's hardware Envy24 processor for this but instead, the decoding is done by software and the main CPU in the BDP. I would take on-chip hardware processing over software processing any day of the week. That was always my experience with computers.
I would also say it would probably be a good idea to have a software feature in the BDP that would convert any DSD format to PCM and then output it as such to the BDA. That would at least ensure maximum compatibility with owners of older DACs as it now seems even the BDA-2 won't be able to support all of the formats.
What are your thoughts on this, James?
Cheers!
Antun