DSD Playback Options - Feature Request for the Wiim Ultra

[Alex Dunavski]

Feature request, in the order of descending preferences. Thank you very much for your anticipated related efforts:

(A) Implement a native DSD playback, or native using DoP. Note: If that may significantly reduce the DSP capabilities of the Ultra, that would be understandable. If that may not be possible, then ...

(B) Add the following to the Ultra's current DSD-to-PCM capabilities:
- Remove the ultra-sonic noise starting from about 30 to 35kHz and up. Note: The ultra-sonic noise is currently present, and can only make the downstream equipment work harder without any benefits.
- Increase the signal loudness by 6dB, or close to 6dB. If with 6dB the avoidance of the signal clipping may be difficult, make the increase of the signal loudness user-selectable, e.g. +3dB, +3.5dB +4dB, +4.5dB, +5dB, +5.5dB, +6dB.
- Convert DSD to PCM with the 88.2kHz or 176.4kHz sampling frequency, rather than the currently used 192kHz.

 

[vicviper]

1) DoP passthrough is already possible for 1x (2.8 Mhz) and 2x (5.6 MHz) DSD. I have not done it, but others have reported doing it successfully. You just need to have a player that will send DoP to a Wiim device and make sure that it is passed through unaltered. You can do that by making sure volume is set to 100% and no DSPs are applied. Wiim has documented how to do bit perfect throughput, but it would also be nice to have a setting that guarantees these conditions are in place. Doing 4x or 8x DSD DoP would require higher PCM rates than are currently available on Wiim products.

That's very interesting! Can you point me to that documentation?

I think I just managed to send a DoP stream (DSD64 source) to my Wiim Amp Ultra through LMS/Squeezelite but want to make sure it's actually accurate. I was able to use volume control and also don't see why this would be an issue using the hardware mixer.

 

[slartibartfast]

Doing some experiments with LMS/Squeezelite and this happened. Not sure yet if this is just a display error as I have found no way to confirm what format the Wiim Amp Ultra is actually playing here...

Is that using the DSD Player plugin in LMS?

 

[vicviper]

Is that using the DSD Player plugin in LMS?

Yes that's indeed a plugin I have installed but found no actual config for. I think without it I wasn't able to get DSD playback at all and PCM conversion on the Wiim did also not kick in.

 

[Burnside]

Yes that's indeed a plugin I have installed but found no actual config for. I think without it I wasn't able to get DSD playback at all and PCM conversion on the Wiim did also not kick in.

Yeah, I just loaded up that DSD player plugin on Lyrion and play to my Ultra, with the WiiM app showing the same resolution info viz.

 

[slartibartfast]

Yes that's indeed a plugin I have installed but found no actual config for. I think without it I wasn't able to get DSD playback at all and PCM conversion on the Wiim did also not kick in.

Config for DSD Player is in Player Settings

 

[vicviper]

Thanks, I haven't actually changed any of the settings for the plugin so I don't even think DoP was enabled. Somehow it just works now. If I only had a way of finding out if the Wiim is actually playing DSD natively or if it's just a wrong display.

 

[slartibartfast]

Thanks, I haven't actually changed any of the settings for the plugin so I don't even think DoP was enabled. Somehow it just works now. If I only had a way of finding out if the Wiim is actually playing DSD natively or if it's just a wrong display.

I think LMS does the transcoding to PCM but the display shows the original DSD bitrate.

 

[Burnside]

Thanks, I haven't actually changed any of the settings for the plugin so I don't even think DoP was enabled. Somehow it just works now. If I only had a way of finding out if the Wiim is actually playing DSD natively or if it's just a wrong display.

i guess it’s showing the input file resolution but is outputting 24/176.4 pcm as that’s what my linn amp shows when I feed it that track over usb from my ultra.

 

[vicviper]

I believe you are both correct and the conversion is still happening. There is no audible difference to me listening to the same file from a network share through the Wiim App using PCM conversion. Now the question would be which PCM conversion is better - Wiim's or DSDPlayer plugin from LMS. Toying around with some of the settings here but unable to find actual sampling rate config.