HDX play DSD over spdif

Posted by: Paul Quigley ie on 14 December 2015

Now the nDAC supports DSD files would it be possible to get the HDX to play DSD files over spdif to the nDAC?  Can the HDX hardware support this?

Thank

  Paul

Posted on: 14 December 2015 by ChrisSU

No, the Naim servers don't support DSD. I guess it would be nice if they did, although I can't say it bothers me much at the moment given the high price and limited choice of material available.

Posted on: 14 December 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Although the servers don't support DSD at the moment, it should be simply a software change to send DSD via DoP over the SPDIF port or Ethernet for the DACs and network players.

Simon

 

Posted on: 15 December 2015 by robgr

In the meantime play DSD via USB on the DAC

Posted on: 15 December 2015 by Eloise

If you have dsd files on your computer; I understand it is possible to create a DoP file using dbPoweramp (and other applications).

For dbPoweramp you need to find (google) "dBpoweramp Codec Central: Direct Stream Digital (DSD)". I've read using Foobar 2000 SACD plugin to do the same - more instructions can be found by googling "How to use the Squeezebox Touch to play DSD files on a DoP compatible DAC".  (sorry I don't think I'm allowed to put actual links in?)

Once you have your DSD saved as DoP FLAC files the HDX should pass these through transparently to your Naim DAC (via SPDIF) though of course the HDX won't play them itself (you will get horrid noise quite likely).  The same method should work for enabling the HDX / UntiServe to supply DSD files to the (compatible) streamers.

No guarantees this will work ... but it should do ...

Posted on: 15 December 2015 by Jan-Erik Nordoen

Very interesting. Thanks Eloise !

Posted on: 15 December 2015 by Paul Quigley ie

Eloise Thank you.  That seams like a great solution. I will give it a go. Thanks for the help.

Paul

Posted on: 15 December 2015 by Paul Quigley ie
Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Although the servers don't support DSD at the moment, it should be simply a software change to send DSD via DoP over the SPDIF port or Ethernet for the DACs and network players.

Simon

 

Thanks. This is what I was thinking. I hope Naim will implement this software update.