Emotiva UMC-200 DAC vs Denon 3313

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I've never listened to an SACD, so I can't really claim to make any playback comparison, but just looking at it from a technical aspect it pretty amazingly dumb to do that. Makes SACD completely indistinguishable from DVDA, only far more restrictive to play.

All of my SACD are Hybrid discs so they can be played back on any player, but as plain 2.0 stereo.

SACD & DVD-A are both kind of dead now anyway. Blu-ray music in DTS-HD MA & Dolby TrueHD is equivocally better.

 

[Grador]

On my AVR's LCD, it will say "DSD Direct" or "Multi-Ch Direct" depending on how it is output from the player. I have compared both outputs many times. Absolutely no difference whatsoever.

Depending upon how your AVR works, it's entirely possible that the receiver is converting DSD to PCM internally.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Depending upon how your AVR works, it's entirely possible that the receiver is converting DSD to PCM internally.

That's where Pure Direct mode comes in. To bypass all tone control circuits and take DSD straight to the DAC.

 

[Grador]

That's where Pure Direct mode comes in. To bypass all tone control circuits and take DSD straight to the DAC.

Yes, but does the AVR actually have a DAC capable of using DSD? I'm thinking they may have to convert to PCM in order to feed the DAC. Also (non-rhetorical) is the volume control actually analog, or is it digital?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yes, but does the AVR actually have a DAC capable of using DSD? I'm thinking they may have to convert to PCM in order to feed the DAC. Also (non-rhetorical) is the volume control actually analog, or is it digital?

I know the Burr-Brown PCM1792 in my Denon says "DSD" & "SACD" in the spec sheet. But some of the other DACs do not mention "DSD" in their spec sheets.

The volume control is in the AVR, but I don't think the manual or spec says whether it is analog or digital.

 

[Grador]

I know the Burr-Brown PCM1792 in my Denon says "DSD" & "SACD" in the spec sheet. But some of the other DACs do not mention "DSD" in their spec sheets.

The volume control is in the AVR, but I don't think the manual or spec says whether it is analog or digital.

If the DAC will handle DSD, and the volume control is analog then the comparison you have made is a fair one. On the other hand I do not believe you would want to digitally control the volume of a DSD stream, they would most likely convert to PCM to accomplish that. It seems to me that it would be far easier to properly reduce the value of pule codes than it would be to accurately change [what equates to] pulse width lengths without altering the sound.

 

[cpp]

32 bit does absolutely nothing unless you find yourself a 32 bit source

My DAC handle 32 bit ( - Conversion: 32bit, PCM up to 192k, 64xDSD, 128xDSD )

 

[Grador]

My DAC handle 32 bit ( - Conversion: 32bit, PCM up to 192k, 64xDSD, 128xDSD )

Yes, but what use is being able to handle 32 bit when you have no 32 bit information to give it.

 

[cpp]

Yes, but what use is being able to handle 32 bit when you have no 32 bit information to give it.

so true, it's just the design capability of the chip. No music available anyway....Just like my car can run 150, but I'll never see it...

 

[Grador]

so true, it's just the design capability of the chip. No music available anyway....Just like my car can run 150, but I'll never see it...

Yes, but you're stating that improved bit precision is an advancement in DACs from previous years but it isn't really.

 

[cpp]

Yes, but you're stating that improved bit precision is an advancement in DACs from previous years but it isn't really.

Your reading something that's not written..

just the design capability of the chip

never said anything about previous years

 

[Grador]

Then I'm a little lost as to what you're getting at here.

Lots of changes, from 24 to 32 bit dacs, not to mention different chips offer new technologies like, DSD

Agree sounds cards in PC's well I go this fancy sound card in my system and its marginal at best.

 

[cpp]

Then I'm a little lost as to what you're getting at here.

Not really getting at anything, just saying that the capability of the DAC I own can sample up to 32 bits which is really just math.