Why does DSD convert to PCM

Support
1

Roon Core Machine

Intel NUC with ROCK. Intel motherboard with Intel i7 CPU, 16GB, 2TB Samsung SSD

Networking Gear & Setup Details

Arris TM1602 modem with Ethernet cable to Google Wi-Fi Mesh unit with Ethernet cable to TP-Link 5 port switch with Ethernet cable to Musica Pristina A Cappella III. Also Intel NUC into TP Link switch with Ethernet cable.

Connected Audio Devices

Musica Pristina A Cappella III streamer into Denafrips Terminator Plus with I2S cable

Number of Tracks in Library

About 17,000 tracks

Description of Issue

I have DSD CDs burned into the NUC. When I play these albums instead of them being payed in DSD, they are converted to 352.8 kHz PCM. Why aren’t these playing in DSD when the Denafrips has DSD capabilities? The Denafrips display shows 8X but not DSD? Is there some setting in ROON that I need to manipulate? Is it something else? Please see attached screenshot for signal path. Any guidance would be appreciated.

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2

Can you configure the HDMI on either device?
I would begin by switching off all DSP like volume control and levelling. Roon has to convert to PCM to do these functions so take away Roon’s reason to convert.

3

All DSP is already switched off. Reconfigure the HDMI on streamer or DAC or both?

Thank you for the reply

4

Did you switch off all DSP after you took that screen shot because I’m seeing volume leveling

5

Yes, I just did however it’s still converting to PCM.

6

I thought perhaps volume leveling was triggering the conversion to PCM but after checking on my system:
.dff file with volume leveling on, it’s still DSD.

7

I’m sure it’s the volume leveling. If it works for you, you may have DSD processing enabled.

8

I stream DSD files from roon into a raspberry pi4. From there to a Smsl D300.

Volume leveling and Equilizer etc all work just fine. Even upsampling to DSD512 is no Problem.

But the DAC has to be in fixed volume mode for it to work.

As long as you can control the volume through the DAC and in Roon it will probably not work.

9

Thank you for your reply, Marc.

My DAC does not have volume control and the volume in my Roon settings is fixed but it is still converting to PCM. I may need to reach out to my DAC and/or streamer manufacturer to see if something needs to be adjusted.

10

Did you turn off volume leveling. It is in the audio device settings?

11

Thank you for your reply, Marian.

My DAC does not have volume control and the volume in my Roon settings is fixed but it is still converting to PCM. I may need to reach out to my DAC and/or streamer manufacturer to see if something needs to be adjusted.

12

Check the volume leveling setting. That’s different than volume control.

13

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Looks like volume leveling is off :thinking:

14

That’s interesting. I can see volume leveling in the signal path. I can also see DSP volume there, which suggests volume is not fixed. Try to play the whole album again and see if it’s changed.

15

Why does it say volume limits?

Click through device Device Setup. Some kind of DSP is making it convert. Also, what’s configurable under output control on the Pristina? Anything there making it incompatible with DSD?

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