Query about MUSE DAC compatibility with native DSD over USB-C for iPhone (ref#BGCQHD)

[b11 (B)]

What’s happening?

· Other – My issue isn’t listed above

Describe the issue

I like to purchase a new portable DAC for my iPhone. As I have native DSD files in Roon ARC I did wane ask if MUSE outputs native DSD over USB-C?

Describe your network setup

RoonARC

[noris]

Hello @b11 ,

Welcome to the forum! At this time, native DSD is not supported in ARC since it requires more processing power than an ARC device can usually provide. DoP (DSD over PCM) is supported by some DACs, but for DoP to work, you won’t be able to use any MUSE (DSP) functionality. For more information regarding this, please see the thread below. Hope this helps!

MUSE & ARC bit-perfect in Android phone!

Hi all! Once @brian and his fantastic team have fulfilled their promise of providing a DSP for ARC (and what a DSP! ), I think is time to start another thread about how MUSE, a game changer, has improved the issues we have been talking about in the previous thread. First of all, I have to say that MUSE has surprised me with a lot of impressive functionalities I don’t know I will know how to use (equaliser, cross-feed, sample rate conversion, sigma-delta modulation, …) …

[b11 (B)]

Dear @noris thank you very much for the heads up. This means the DSD and sample conversion is not about to change soon? Meaning if I wane go nativ DSD then an AudioPlayer is the way to go. But what I don’t understand, most DAP’s today use Android - would ARC there be able to play this files?

[connor]

Hi @b11,

Native DSD for Android DAPs is something we hope to one day add to ARC, but it’s not in the current implementation.

The issue for DAPs isn’t processing power so much as the custom Android API implementation upon which DAPs rely. Android expects all audio to be PCM; high-end DAPs bypass the Android audio stack in creative ways that are specific to each brand, sometimes each model. This means ARC would have to introduce native DSD compatibility on a brand-by-brand, likely DAP-by-DAP basis. It’s a long and winding road that demands considerable resources. ARC is not thoroughly QA’d and tested on many Android DAPs and users report some instability.

Thank you!

[connor]

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