Roon Nucleus+ Bug in Audio settings for MSB DACs

[Mark_Dubovoy]

Roon Server Machine

Roon Nucleus+

Networking Gear & Setup Details

Gigabit Ethernet.
Netgate pf Sense+ Router
Netgate Gigabit Switches

Connected Audio Devices

Nucleus+ connected via Ethernet to MSB Select DAC

Number of Tracks in Library

281445 tracks. Yes, over two hundred and eighty one thousand tracks

Description of Issue

Cannot play DSD 512 files using my Roon Nucleus+ and MSB Select DAC…
This should absolutely, positively not be happening!
The problem is that there is a bug in the Roon Audio setup for MSB DACs:

Going to the Device Setup inside the Audio tab in settings, the only options for DSD in my MSB DAC are DSD 64, DSD 128 and DSD 256.

DSD 512 IS MISSING!

Here is a screen shot:

PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU ADD THE DSD 512 SETTING, SINCE BOTH THE ROON NUCLEUS AND THE MSB DAC’s SUPPORT THIS RATE.

I hope you can fix this issue as soon as possible, since most listeners using this kind of equipment own and expect to be able to play DSD 512 files.

Thank you!

[Robert_F (Rob)]

@Mark_Dubovoy, are you using the streamer (Ethernet) input to the Select DAC? If so, this input appears limited to DSD 256 (4x DSD) per MSB’s specifications:

The Select DAC Features - MSB Technology

The Network Renderer V2 Features - MSB Technology

DSD 512 appears to be available only on the USB interface using a PC (not the Nucleus Plus) per MSB:

Pro USB Adapter - MSB Technology

[Mark_Dubovoy]

No. I am not using that input.

I am using the ethernet input to the Director (which supports DSD 512) and then using the optical connection from the Director to the DAC.

[Rugby (aka Daniel or Big Dan)]

@Mark_Dubovoy

which supports DSD 512

The documentation specifies that the supported formats are input dependent. I could not find a document which listed the supported formats per input. If you don’t know for sure, then I would contact MSB.

Wait, I just did and MSB tech support’s reply is …

The only input that supports 8xDSD is our ProUSB interface.

The Network Renderer is limited to 4xDSD playback.

So network is limited to 4x DSD and you need to use the ProUSB interface for 8xUSB.

[Mark_Dubovoy]

I also just checked with MSB and You are correct.

This is a bummer because USB is consistently and by far the worst connection one can have in terms of audio quality. Network connection is the best, AES/EBU is second best, SPDIF is third and USB is the worst.

I also checked this morning with some very knowledgeable audiophiles as well as top executives in ultra high end audio manufacturing companies and the consensus is that the USB connection is to be avoided. One is much better off downsampling the files and using the network connection.

So I will continue to use the network port and downsample when needed.

Thank you for your quick response and all your help looking into this. Highly appreciated!