What do you do if your DAC doesn't play DSD?
What do you do if your DAC doesn't play DSD?
What is a DAC anyway? Every cell phone or laptop or device that is playing sound of any kind is a DAC. DAC means Digital Audio Converter and is the the short version of what we call the 'chip' inside a device that changes the 1's and 0's into audible analog sound. DACs come with various ability to play "formats" like mp3, WAV, FLAC and DSD. So if you've heard of DSD and want to use it, how do you know if your DAC is capable?
We wish it were that simple, but if you want better sound, you may have to put some time in to learn all the parts. Here's a link to download 8 different formats for you to test your systems.
https://bluecoastmusic.com/hifilife/test-your-music-systems-for-high-res...
Remember when you download the folder, it comes in a zip file to protect the files. Unzip the folder and load the files on to your computer or phone. You should notice the size of the files before attempting this. DSD and WAV files are very large. If you're used to mp3, you'll be in for a surprise. The cost of quality is large size files!
Now, if you've heard DSD before and want to 'future proof' your collection because you are convinced that one day you'll have a DSD DAC, then by all means.. get the DSD download!
If you have a Macintosh computer you might try DSD Master for conversions.. here's a link
http://dsdmaster.blogspot.com/p/what-is-dsd-master.html
For a PC, you might try
https://samplerateconverter.com/
Keep in mind that not all converters sound the same. Good luck and let us know if you have other suggestions or how your journey to learn to convert files is going.
Enjoy Your Music!