[werd]

I think it's the same chip utilized differently ^^^

[Phil A]

I think it's the same chip utilized differently ^^^

http://www.audioaficionado.org/bryston-audio/28796-bryston-bda-3-announced-2.html

"Hi

I have not done a straight ahead shoot out yet but the only difference is we are using a new AKM DAC which is being used because it will do DSD.

james"

[werd]

It's not clear. The existing dac in the BDA 2 does DsD.  I would need to know what AKM dac chip is in the BDA 3 to know for sure.

[werd]

Probably is a new chip due to the multichannel mode. I doubt though they will run a dual dac like the BDA 2.
Which would be a bummer.

[Phil A]

Here's a list of their DACs - not sure of the differences

http://www.akm.com/akm/en/product/detail/0021/

[James Tanner]

Yes it is a new AKM DAC just released and there will be 2 used.

james

[R. Daneel]

Yes it is a new AKM DAC just released and there will be 2 used.

james

Hi James!

This is exciting albeit a bit sudden. I didn't expect to see a DSD-capable DAC so soon.

I have a few guestions:

1) We already discussed the matter of DSD implementation into your BDA-2 DAC and your concern then was that DSD capability would require bypassing of the sample-rate converter which would increadse jitter and compromise PCM performance of the DAC. The obvious solution to this problem, as you explained it, was to have two separate circuits, one dedicated solely to PCM decoding and the other to DSD decoding. My question is: is this approach now being employed in the BDA-3 DAC?

2) Your products are developed on the basis of technological research as well as listening tests. How much would I be benefitting from the BDA-3 over my existing BDA-2 when it comes to PCM playback? Would there be an improvement in audio quality over the BDA-2 DAC?

3) Everyone is talking about BDP-2 and it's compatibility with DSD. How do the things stand with the BDP-1 player? Does it allow same compatibility?

Cheers!
Antun

[James Tanner]

Hi James!

This is exciting albeit a bit sudden. I didn't expect to see a DSD-capable DAC so soon.

I have a few guestions:

1) We already discussed the matter of DSD implementation into your BDA-2 DAC and your concern then was that DSD capability would require bypassing of the sample-rate converter which would increadse jitter and compromise PCM performance of the DAC. The obvious solution to this problem, as you explained it, was to have two separate circuits, one dedicated solely to PCM decoding and the other to DSD decoding. My question is: is this approach now being employed in the BDA-3 DAC?

2) Your products are developed on the basis of technological research as well as listening tests. How much would I be benefitting from the BDA-3 over my existing BDA-2 when it comes to PCM playback? Would there be an improvement in audio quality over the BDA-2 DAC?

3) Everyone is talking about BDP-2 and it's compatibility with DSD. How do the things stand with the BDP-1 player? Does it allow same compatibility?

Cheers!
Antun

Hi Antun

1. Yes the input section determines the type of signal coming in (DSD or PCM) and routes it to the appropriate circuitry inside the BDA3

2. I do not think you would find PCM sounding much different through the BDA2 or the BDA3. Most of the listening tests seem to support the premise (and has from the beginning of our DAC developments) that most quality DACs are within a hair of each other when it comes to technical performance on paper.  Where the larger issues are is in power supply integrity and type (analog vs switching), discrete analog fully balanced amplification circuit topology (not IC's), electrical noise etc. So the differences when it comes to these design features in the BDA2 and BDA3 are essentially the same.

3. Yes the BDP-1 will allow for DSD playback with the MM software and a USB 2 DAC.

Hope this helps.

james

[alexone]

James,

so the hdmi inputs of the BDA-3 are some kind of audio de-embedders??

al.

[James Tanner]

James,

so the hdmi inputs of the BDA-3 are some kind of audio de-embedders??

al.

No they are standard HDMI connections.  A lot of products now only offer HDMI out instead of COAX - example TV cable boxes. Also DVD players like the OPPO offer SACD output on HDMI which will work with the BDA3.

james

[klao]

3. Yes the BDP-1 will allow for DSD playback with the MM software and a USB 2 DAC.

I that case would BDP-1 output DSD via AES/EBU or SPDIF?  Does the unit has USB out??

Thank you, James.

[James Tanner]

I that case would BDP-1 output DSD via AES/EBU or SPDIF?  Does the unit has USB out??

Thank you, James.

No you can not legally output DSD except on USB

james

[klao]

Sorry, James.  I'm a bit confused.

So, would the original (non-USB) BDP-1 that I have, if updated with latest Manic Moose firmware, somehow plays the DSD files, or not?

Thanks again. : )

[James Tanner]

Sorry, James.  I'm a bit confused.

So, would the original (non-USB) BDP-1 that I have, if updated with latest Manic Moose firmware, somehow plays the DSD files, or not?

Thanks again. : )

Hi

The BDP-1 has 4 USB connections. USB connections are 2-way so they can be used to receive or send signals.  So connect the DSD DAC to one of the USB outputs on your BDP-1 (reboot the BDP-1) and it will output DSD after you choose the DSD DAC in the MM software.  The DSD DAC must be USB 2 version.

james

[klao]

Hi

The BDP-1 has 4 USB connections. USB connections are 2-way so they can be used to receive or send signals.  So connect the DSD DAC to one of the USB outputs on your BDP-1 (reboot the BDP-1) and it will output DSD after you choose the DSD DAC in the MM software.  The DSD DAC must be USB 2 version.

james

OK, that's clear to me now.  I thought USB connections in the BDP-1 are just one way (in).  Thank you.

The latest BDA-3 has two, how should I call "circuits/paths", one optimized for PCM & one for DSD, as you mentioned before somewhere?

EDITED: Got that.  Failed to read your answer no. 1 to Antun. 

[R. Daneel]

Hi Antun

1. Yes the input section determines the type of signal coming in (DSD or PCM) and routes it to the appropriate circuitry inside the BDA3

2. I do not think you would find PCM sounding much different through the BDA2 or the BDA3. Most of the listening tests seem to support the premise (and has from the beginning of our DAC developments) that most quality DACs are within a hair of each other when it comes to technical performance on paper.  Where the larger issues are is in power supply integrity and type (analog vs switching), discrete analog fully balanced amplification circuit topology (not IC's), electrical noise etc. So the differences when it comes to these design features in the BDA2 and BDA3 are essentially the same.

3. Yes the BDP-1 will allow for DSD playback with the MM software and a USB 2 DAC.

Hope this helps.

james

It does indeed, thank you very much!

Cheers!
Antun

[Rod_S]

This talk of multi-channel, where are you guys finding multi-channel downloads be it DSD and/or PCM? I haven't come across any yet thus I've only experienced multi-channel via SACD and DVD-Audio discs.

[Phil A]

This talk of multi-channel, where are you guys finding multi-channel downloads be it DSD and/or PCM? I haven't come across any yet thus I've only experienced multi-channel via SACD and DVD-Audio discs.

If you can extract DSD ISO files which have a multi-channel layer, you can extract the multi-channel layer.  I did about 50 multi-channel extracts for a secondary system where I have an Oppo 103D with a hard drive attached to it.

[Rod_S]

You mean straight from a SACD? I never thought to do that.

[Phil A]

You mean straight from a SACD? I never thought to do that.

Correct - I use the PS3 to get the ISO file and then instead of extracting the stereo DSD file, I do multi-channel.  A little resource intensive (even though my main PC is about 3 years old it is a 6 core processor with good RAM) but it gets you there.  I did about 50 as I just have a 1TB hard drive attached to the 103D with FLAC files of CD quality, some FLAC files higher than CD resolution, some 2 channel DSD in addition to multi-channel DSD>