Native DSD support for Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M

[ChrisMrX05]

Roon Core Machine

Intel® NUC: NUC8i5BEH, Intel® Core™ i5-8259U, 8Go RAM
Operating System Version 1.0 (build 258) production

Networking Gear & Setup Details

Freebox Delta, D-Link DGS-105 Switch 5 Ports, Gigabit Ethernet

Connected Audio Devices

Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M, USB

Number of Tracks in Library

28600 tracks

Description of Issue

Hi,
I have just purchased a Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M which I have connected to my ROCK server via USB.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the “Native” option to read my DSDs. Playback of these only in DoP or PCM.
I bought this DAC for its native DSD support.
Do you have a solution to this problem?
Is this a known known?
If so, will you are you going to remedy it in the near future?

[Rugby (aka Daniel or Big Dan)]

Hello Chris,

You might review the two threads below with similar issues. The issue is your DAC used with a Linux OS.

Native DSD on Cambrige Audio Dacmagic 200m not working

It is not a given that a device will support native DSD on Linux. Each Linux kernel needs to be patched for the specific device, if it can. On other threads, it was specified that the 200m was NOT in any of the Linux kernel patches. DoP is the same as native DSD, just not at the full resolution. You should contact Sonore and see if they can add the device to their kernel running on the Rendu. Alternately, If you want DSD512, then you will probably need to setup a Windows machine, run roonbr…

And more recently discussed here

Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M native DSD added to Ropieee?

This is what they say … [image]

As mentioned, DoP is native but the encapsulation lowers the available resolution. So, if your DAC can do 512 native then DoP will limit it to 256.

If you want to get to that 512 resolution with that DAC, then you will need to be running Windows and the DAC Magic driver. You can do that two ways, replace ROCK on that NUC with Windows, or, get a small PC to setup as a network endpoint that is running RoonBridge and the Windows Drivers.

[ged_hickman1]

Rock is Linux based and may not have the required drivers.
Although this link talks about a sonore the general principals apply.

Native DSD on Cambrige Audio Dacmagic 200m not working

It is not a given that a device will support native DSD on Linux. Each Linux kernel needs to be patched for the specific device, if it can. On other threads, it was specified that the 200m was NOT in any of the Linux kernel patches. DoP is the same as native DSD, just not at the full resolution. You should contact Sonore and see if they can add the device to their kernel running on the Rendu. Alternately, If you want DSD512, then you will probably need to setup a Windows machine, run roonbr…

[ChrisMrX05]

Thank you for your answers.
I will contact Cambridge Audio support and ask them if they can provide their driver for Linux. So that the developers can integrate it into the kernel.

[Burkhardt_Petermann]

There isn’t a need for a Linux driver, but a kernel patch (it’s only a change one file to add the CA will handle DSD native and then a recompile of thd kernel) is needed.
Rock itself uses normally not a current kernel, but if you’ll use as endpoint something like Ropieee, you’ve a better chance that here your DAC will supported in the near future.

[ChrisMrX05]

@Burkhardt_Petermann

Rock itself uses normally not a current kernel, but if you’ll use as endpoint something like Ropieee, you’ve a better chance that here your DAC will supported in the near future.

Can’t the ROCK developers quickly patch and update its Linux kernel to support the DacMagic 200M?
At the moment, I don’t plan to use a Raspberry Pi to play my DSDs.

[Rugby (aka Daniel or Big Dan)]

@Burkhardt_Petermann

but if you’ll use as endpoint something like Ropieee

Which is a no go. I take it you didn’t read the second link I posted which was included a response by the writer of Ropiee about the DacMagic specifically. I"ll repeat it.

Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M native DSD added to Ropieee?

General Linux support and native DSD are 2 different items. The first one is actually answered by @Stefano_Antonelli: CA is one of those companies that still do not take Linux support seriously. That being said: it does support Linux in general as their DAC has the UAC (USB Audio Class) implemented. But combined with the shown message in the screenshot you’ll get an idea what you can expect when you reach out for support Native DSD is another story: it requires the DAC to not only have…

[Rugby (aka Daniel or Big Dan)]

@ChrisMrX05

Can’t the ROCK developers quickly patch and update its Linux kernel to support the DacMagic 200M?

If you read the second link I posted, for some devices, it is not as simple as just making a kernel patch. As the author of Ropiee posted

@spockfish

And that’s not there for the DacMagic (I already looked into this before).

[wklie (Peter Lie)]

Short answer: No.

Longer answer than no:

Cambridge DacMagic 200M not playing DSD

[spockfish (Harry ten Berge)]

See all the answers above.
There’s only one party here that can fix this: CA.

[ChrisMrX05]

I’m waiting for an answer from Cambridge Audio support, I’ll let you know here…

[spockfish (Harry ten Berge)]

I already know the answer. It has been asked before.

[ChrisMrX05]

I have just received a reply from Cambridge Audio:
"I have spoken to our engineering department.

The solution here would seem to be for Roon to update their Roon Rocks to a Kernel version which supports native DSD playback via USB DAC.

Unfortunately, we ourselves cannot do this - it would have to come from Roon’s end.

Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause."

[wklie (Peter Lie)]

@ChrisMrX05

The solution here would seem to be for Roon to update their Roon Rocks to a Kernel version which supports native DSD playback via USB DAC.

Linux is open source. Please tell them to provide a link to the source file that they know and tested to support this operation on this model of USB DAC. They can also provide a link to kernel patches they prepared or a third party prepared that they tested to work correctly on this model of USB DAC. If they are unable to do either of the above, please provide the kernel version from an open source distribution that they tested to support this operation on this model of USB DAC. (Only) If it truly exists, then those of us who prepare the kernels can integrate such support.

[spockfish (Harry ten Berge)]

This can’t be done.
I would be happy to do this, but from what I’ve seen this requires a firmware change on their end.

Another vendor who does not take responsibility

[ChrisMrX05]

Cambridge Audio’s latest answer:

“I have had another response from engineering.
They came back to me with the following information:

As far as I am aware, we do not have any links to source files or kernel patches, nor do we specifically advertise Native DSD support for Linux distributions.

If we wanted to offer this feature, I presume it would require a considerable amount of Engineering resource. I will put forward a proposal in the DM200M feedback and suggestions channel that I have access to, although I cannot guarantee your suggestion will be implemented.”

Support for native DSD playback is clearly not a priority for Cambridge Audio. If this feature is implemented, it won’t be for tomorrow.