ROCK + NUC7i3 + Denon AVR + native DSD

[Stefan_Gliessmann]

I learned that my Denon AVR-X4300H does not support DoP. And the initial dCS method only produces a crack sound in the speakers.

Question 1: In Device Setup, under DSD Playback Strategy, are there only three options to select from? or should there be another option like native DSD?

Only in DSP Engine, sample rate conversion, I find enable DSD Processing, but only when either DoP or dCS is used in Device Setup.

I do know that my Denon AVR does handle native DSD over HDMI when sourced via the Sony UBP-X800 using Music Center (Sony iOS app).

Question 2: Have I configured ROCK / NUC7i3 correctly to enable native DSD? Or is that only possible when the Denon could understand DoP or dCS?

Thanks for any help on this issue.
I am still in my trial 14 days and I like the UI and the new music experience, but no native DSD would be the deal breaker for me …

[wklie (Peter Lie)]

native DSD over HDMI

Attaching Nucleus+ via HDMI to Receiver, not getting all resolutions

Hi @BostonX, I don’t think any of the HD Audio drivers for Linux (the drivers used to speak to HDMI ports) support Native DSD modes. When we first added our multichannel+HDMI support, I did some research into this and concluded that it was just something that Linux could not do. Are you aware of any other Linux-based servers that have this working? If so, it might give us a path to do some investigation.

[Stefan_Gliessmann]

Conclusion: I need to change OS on the core and endpoint.

Since MacOS is also Unix based, I assume Windows is the only option?

[Geoff_Coupe]

MacOS is not based on Linux, it’s based on BSD Unix - a different kettle of fish altogether. But I don’t know whether it has drivers that would deliver multichannel DSD in Roon, I’m afraid. Perhaps someone else in the Roon community has the answer?

[wklie (Peter Lie)]

I’m afraid not.

DSD 5.1 On the ROCK?

Hello @Morten_Valbjorn, Unfortunately, I do not believe you will be able to play DSD files to the Onkyo NR656 from a PC or Linux computer. Since there are no HDMI drivers on Windows or Linux that support native DSD, you have to use the DoP format for DSD on HDMI. As far as I can tell, the Onkyo will not decode a DoP formatted DSD stream via it’s HDMI inputs. When you play a DSD file to the Onkyo via HDMI connection, Roon will automatically convert the stream to a high resolution multi-channel …

We do have some products that can send native DSD over HDMI (using dedicated Silicon Image HDMI hardware chip), but they support 2 channel only, not multi-channel.

[john (John Iburg)]

Hello @Stefan_Gliessmann,

Native DSD over HDMI on consumer PC hardware is incredibly rare, regardless of operating system. Some motherboard or GPU vendors may include support for the ‘official’ DSD over HDMI standard, but there really isn’t any reliable way to know this without access to the hardware. According to a post made by an Intel representative, the 7th generation NUCs do not support DSD over HDMI.

https://communities.intel.com/thread/119016

-John

[Stefan_Gliessmann]

Thank you @john! This is a final and definitive answer … I guess I have to use either DSD -> PCM in Roon or my BDP for native DSD in MCH. Too bad that my BDP isn’t supported by Roon …

[WiWavelength (Andrew J Shepherd)]

Too bad that my BDP isn’t supported by Roon …

The other way around. Your Sony BDP would need to add Roon support. But to this point, none of the Japanese AV manufacturers has adopted Roon capability.

AJ