Exciting times for DSD and DXD!
There have been many important steps over the past few months in general availability of playback hardware for the most cutting edge formats, specifically DSD at 64fs (2.8Mhz or SACD resolution) and 128fs (5.6Mhz), and DXD and other PCM formats up to 400Khz.
The Mytek Stereo192 DAC offers DSD up to 5.6Mhz, though not sure what software is needed. Units have shipped, and apparently supports SDIF for DSD as well, which is just about the only standard professional DSD interconnect. Allows hooking up an TASCAM DSD recorder to it, or a Pyramix workstation. $1500-$1600USD
The Antelope Audio Zodiac Gold has been out for a while, and offers up to 384Khz DXD. $5000-$6000 with external 'upgrade' supply.
The Playback Designs MPS-3 and MPD-3, both offer DSD and DXD over USB, with software for OS X (Amarra PureMusic) and Windows (have to check what software) Very expensive, think more than $7000USD
dCs has announced a USB interface for there hardware supporting DXD and DSD, plus word of a possible 'standard' driver model. dCs is top-notch world class digital, and on the professional side has many years experience with DSD. Supposedly supports OS X and Windows, no word on *nix/Linux yet. No price yet but dCs is very high end, would expect at least $10000-$12000USD....
There is a plugin for foobar on Windows computers called SACD-Decoder, and it apparently is offering DSD playback natively with some USB-DSD interfaces, not sure what hardware it has been tested with/supports.
The ElectrArt UDA (or USB-Dual-Audio) offers both 2.8Mhz and 5.6Mhz DSD recording and playback, when used with the appropriate ADC/DAC. This is a kit for the hobbyist coming out of Japan, I took the dive on this one and have been enjoying backing up some vinyl and tapes to 5.6Mhz DSD, very good sound, yet I am sure I have not gotten close to the maximum quality it offers. Only Windows is supported for DSD at the moment, but OS X and Linux can use it as a soundcard up to 192Khz. $360~, but you can only order once a month.
The ExaU2I USB interface is a multichannel interface for playback only, supporting up to 8 channels at 192Khz, or 4 channels DXD, 384Khz or DSD at up to 5.6Mhz. Very exciting for the hobbyist making there own multichannel DAC/media server. Also the software and support for DSD was figured out after the development and release, showing probably any hardware supporting DXD can support DSD, and visa versa. No support yet for OS X I am aware of, but hopefully around the corner. $430USD
The VC-21WSD is a portable 8-track DSD recorder, supporting up to 5.6Mhz DSD. It has been used in the past year in the field , and there is already atleast one SACD in Japan recorded with it. Don't know if they are even being produced in any quantity, but very exciting nonetheless.
Last but not least, the copy protection has been defeated for SACD's, allowing consumers the basic FAIR USE right of backup of physical media. For the first time we can make a computer based DSD music collection, of legally bought, recorded or downloaded files, and enjoy the most basic benifits we have had for years with PCM audio. The hardware required is an early model PS3 that has not been updated past firmware 3.55. Preliminary results sound amazing. I know personally I would not invest in any *digital* format I could not make a bit-perfect backup of, why else go digital if not for bit-perfect backups?
Of course a few DAC's support DSD and DXD input, such as the Buffalo-II or anything with the ESS ES9018, the top end chip from AKM, the DSD-179*/PCM-179* series and probably more. For a DIY project you would just take a DSD capable DAC and connect it with an interface such as the ExaU2I or ElectrArt UDA.
Well, hope someone finds this interesting. Just want to update the community on the growing momentum behind the ultra-high res formats. There are a few things I most definitely left out, If you know of any please add to the list.
-Alexander
