Re: Dac which support bitstream and flac 192? whats the point if dacs accept only PCM
Existing:
Pioneer BDP -> LPCM over spdif optical -> DAC -> Amp
what I need
Pioneer BDP -> bitstream over spdif optical -> DAC -> Amp
Case 1: decoding happeing at BDP
Case 2: Decoding happeningn in DAC
I am looking for the seccond option, which dac supports that?
Please read these carefully-
B&O Tech: Where should I decode? ? earfluff and eyecandy
and
Connectivity Today RamElectronics.Net: Bitstream vs PCM (LPCM) when using a DAC or in your Home Theater Setup
In a nutshell, there are 2 separate process involved. Decoding to PCM (which is basic digital format for audio, still in digital domain) and then Converting that PCM to Analog Signal. First part done by a decoder (for most of the cases done by bdp or av receiver) which also involved various licensing for various codecs. No so called DAC (just any pure stand alone dac) can do the 1st part. But the 2nd Part (PCM to Analog) done by those commercially available DACs like Schiit Bifrost, Audiolab, Metrum octave, Chordette Qute, Audio-gd etc. etc. For example when you are using any bdp to play movie or music directly connecting it's analog out to an amp then both process (decoding and DAC work) is furnished (for sound) by the bdp.
Now for external decoding/DAC
1)If you have AVR then you can instruct the bdp either (through menu) not to intervene with any of the process, just to read and send the bitstream to the AVR for both processing (decoding and DAC work).
or
2) instruct the bdp to send the decoded pcm to AVR (now you can use a stand alone DAC with separate amp at downstream instead of AVR) just to complete DAC process.
For case no.1 The AVR will show the format type of the signal (Dolby, DTS etc. etc...)
For case no.2 The AVR with show just PCM (some may show also incoming sample frequency like 44.1 or 48.0 or 88.2 or 96 KHz etc. etc.....). In this case you can use a DAC instead of AVR. If that DAC has display or indicator then it also will show the incoming sample frequencies.