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Topic: Configuring Teac UD-501 DAC In foobar (Read 6750 times) previous topic - next topic
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Configuring Teac UD-501 DAC In foobar

Hello All,

I received a UD-501 yesterday and I am very pleased with it. My goal is to play play primarily stereo DSF files in foobar and I am in the process of converting several hundred SACD ISOs. I convert DSD to DSF and DST to DSF as I am building a library of multi-channel DSF for the future. Where I don't have the DSF files I collect stereo FLACs at 24/44.1, 24/48, 24/88.2, 24/96, 24/176.4 or 24/192 instead. This becomes relevant later.

Hardware comprises 6Tb NAS - Win 7 laptop - UD-501 - Revox B750 Mk. II Amp - Mission 753f speakers. I exclusively use foobar for playback and I do not want to consider JRiver MC although I have a trial version for testing the UD-501.

I have  the Teac ASIO drivers which I thought would be sufficient but they are not. I have been using foo_input_sacd for a long time and it seems I have to now use the ASIOProxyInstall-0.7.1.2 application that is part of it. Under File/Preferences/Playback/Output I now have foo_dsd_asio selected. With no PCM upconverting on the UD-501 everything is great - with DSF playing at 2.8MHz and PCM playing at the native sampling rate. I should just enjoy the music...

But the ASIO Proxy configuration introduces some new options - which may be pointless in several respects one of which is my hearing. However, the option exists to 'upsample' DSF 2.8MHz to 'DSD 5.6MHz' and PCM at any rate, I assume, also to 'DSD 5.6Mhz'. When I use 'DSD 5.6MHz' that is what is displayed by the UD-501.

So I have foo_dsd_asio configured as:

ASIO Driver:                TEAC ASIO USB DRIVER
DSD Playback Method:  ASIO Native
DSD to DSD Method:    SDM Tpe A    Fs: DSD128
PCM to DSD Method:    SDM Tpe A    Fs: DSD128
DSD/PCM Transition:    0ms

Now DSF at 2.8Mhz plays as 'DSD 5.6MHz' as does PCM at 24/44.1, 24/88.2 and 24/176.4. But PCM at 48, 96 or 192 errors in foobar with - for example - 'Unrecoverable playback error: Sample rate of 96000 Hz not supported by this device'.

Does anyone have any ideas what is wrong here?

The reason I mention JRiver MC is that here http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=83101.0 user 'Archimago' says: "Now all PCM is converted to 2xDSD. And DSD files are streamed proper as either DSD64 or DSD128 in DoP. Cool... Everything works". But I find JRiver MC borderline unusable so it is not the way ahead for me. He mentions DoP but with 'DoP Marker 0x05/0xFA' selected for DSD Playback Method i.e get 2.8Mhz DSF playing as 5.6Mhz, 44.1kHz PCM playing as 352.8kHz and 96kHz PCM playing as 384kHz.

Regards,

Peter

Configuring Teac UD-501 DAC In foobar

Reply #1 –
Hi Peter,

I am glad I came across your inquiry. Yesterday I thought about an upgrade of my system and decided to consider Teac UD-301.

1) In another forum discussion somebody said: "Once you have experienced upsampling your pcm music to DSD 128 or even 256 you would never go back".
Sounds like a good strategy: 1) FLACs - convert to DSD128; 2) DSD64s - native playback + convert to DSD128. However he never raises an issue with the conversion. 

2) In addition, I have come across this comment on Superforge.net site:
"The SACD plugin is a fantastic work. I use the plugin for playing SACD ISOs and for converting on the fly PCM (44.1, 48, 88.2, 176.4 and 192 KHz) to DSD64. This is sent to my W4S DAC-2 DSDse. To my ears it sounds better than sending the PCM files to the DAC, The only thing I am not currently familiar with is the different SDM modes. I currently use SDM type D and DSD64."

3) I also read somewhere that UD-501 has some limitations in upconverting as compared to UD-301.

I hope it helps. And please share your experience so I can make the right decision.

Alex
PC - Gustard U12 - Rotel RA1570

Configuring Teac UD-501 DAC In foobar

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Alex15 on
Hi Peter,

I am glad I came across your inquiry. Yesterday I thought about an upgrade of my system and decided to consider Teac UD-301.


I'd like to see someone contrive a DBT that actually showed some kind of a real sonic advantage for DSD media.