• Registered: 2023-12-26
  • Posts: 3

Topic: RME 2/4 pro SE: DAC mode and DSD format

I have my RME ADI 2/4 in DAC mode w/ Dig Out - Main for volume control as it's acting as a digital preamp before a dbx digital crossover (connected via AES).  I'd like to understand how DSD files are handled -- I think ideally the digital out signal would be PCM since I'm fairly certain that the dbx unit doesn't support DSD.

I found some information on DSD playback in the manual but didn't find anything re: how DSD (via DoP over a USB cable) is handled in DAC mode specifically.

Thank you.

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: RME 2/4 pro SE: DAC mode and DSD format

No ADI-2 includes DSD to PCM conversion for the digital output. If Dig Out is set to Default DSD will be sent out as DoP. If Dig Out is set to Main the digital output is muted, because DSD can not be processed, and DSD to PCM conversion happens in the DAC chip, not prior in the digital domain. The output of the DAC chip is obviously analog, so nothing there for the digital output to get.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2023-12-26
  • Posts: 3

Re: RME 2/4 pro SE: DAC mode and DSD format

That makes sense, thanks for the quick response.  Fortunately the software I'm using (Roon) lets me convert the stream to PCM before it reaches the DAC so I'll just do that.  (At one point I owned many SACDs so I have a lot of DSD64 files.)