Hello.
Thıs was asked here by someone else before but was not solved due to driver was not available at that time for Singxer SU1. Here is the link DAC displays incorrect sample rate at random [Singxer Driver Not Ready]
Now the updated driver is available but i am having a a similar issue.
I have posted this in another forum so i will just copy and paste it here. Thank you for your help @support
"I can not stress enough how frustrated i am after waiting for the latest driver (4.36) from Singxer so i could do DSD512 on my Gustard x20pro. Through HQ Player with Roon-Tidal i can select the 44.1k x512 bitrate and 512+fs modulator with or without DOP on HQP and the music plays fine but my Gustard’s display is showing wrong playback rates like 5.6448MHz or 2.82MHz… I can’t tell if i am upsampling to DSD512 or not because of the error in display… Roon tells me that i DO upsample to 512dsd in its interface by the way.
I am kind of new to all this stuff , so what am i missing here? Why can’t i upsample 512DSD or it is not possible at all?
Also my other related question is , what is the difference between Native DSD and upsampled one? With this new driver from Singxer they claim that it supports Native only DSD. Thank you!
(BTW my Singxer Su1 and Gustard x20pro is connected via I2S.) ‘’
Native DSD is a term used to distinguish a DSD stream from DoP (DSD over PCM). DoP is DSD decimated into PCM word lengths. HQP will output DoP if Settings/SDM Pack is set to DoP and Native DSD if SDM Pack is set to None.
Native DSD means a slightly lower processing overhead in the rendering device. Some people say that it sounds better for them, I can’t hear a difference between DoP and Native DSD on my system.
The Roon Signal Path reports the output settings in HQP. I haven’t heard any reports that HQP output differs from its settings.
It sounds like the issue may be in the display on the Gustard. If Gustard can’t replicate the issue then you may have a defective unit.
Thank you for the feedback. Just to have your opinion on this ; do you think a DAC (Gustard or any other) can simply downgrade the signal coming from HQP-Roon if it can not support the 512DSD rate and yet still play the music? As far as i know the DAC should not play anything at all if it can not handle the signal.
I hope i could explain what i am trying to say , as English is not my native.
No worries Arda. I’m Australian and they tell us we don’t speak English properly either.
It is possible for a DAC or software like Roon or HQP to “downsample” music and output it at a lower resolution than the input. In order to do that, however, the device/program has to be able to handle the higher resolution file in the first place. That is usually limited by its internal clock. I haven’t heard of a device that is capable of receiving hi res (like DSD 512) but instead of outputting it always downsamples. Being able to downsample means they could, with minimal extra effort, also output it.
In your case if the Output settings in HQP are set to DSD 512 and you are hearing music then I’d be confident that your DAC is playing DSD 512.
One check you might make is to use HQP to send DSD 512 to an input on the Gustard that doesn’t support DSD 512. If you try this make sure you do it at a controlled low volume as I suspect you will hear a godawful screeching sound. If you hear music then you’ll know the Gustard is downsampling, which would seem quite odd.
There are some devices that do this, but they are quite rare… Usually it is either something that does digital room correction (example being Harman/Kardon HK990 amp when DRC is enabled -> everything converted to 96k). Another example are DACs that convert DSD to PCM due to some technical reason. Some convert higher PCM input rates to lower intermediate rate.
I got the gustard X20 (non pro) with dual ESS9018 chips to play back DSD512 (and the display shows DSD512) via 2 methods. 1) was with a DIYinHK USB to I2S card that I tapped into the I2s lines where the USB card normally resides. This worked well for about 6 months until the card started acting up and the music would drop out occasionally. Then 2) I used the singxer SU-1 with the older halo Springs driver, this was able to play back DSD512 and the display showed DSD512 as well. There was a brief burst of white noise on initial playback but then settled in with nothing but music.
I have read reports from other users that the X20uPro displays do not display DSD512 correctly, if you drop to 256 the display is fine. The dual Ess9028 chips in the pro can definitely handle DSD512 so not sure what the issue is. If you go between DSD256 and DSD512 can you hear a difference with your set up? To me 512 expands the stage, images are more stable and solid and the music is just more natural and real. It ws a pretty big jump in my opinion and you should be able to hear it. If 512 sounds the same as 256 or even worse then it probably is not playing back 512 despite what HQP or Roon shows as output. Contacting Gustard is next to impossible.
Bottom line ESS9018 can do 512 and display correctly, ESS9028 can certainly playback 512,.