Does Z9X support DOP or Native DSD via external USB DAC when using roon? I find roon convert DSD to PCM and there is no DSD item in roon configuration.
I recently bought a Gustard X26 pro DAC, I connect it to my Lenovo laptop (aka the ROON core), now I'm thinking about adding a network player, ZIDOO is attractive primarily for the price and because it can be combined in one case and a premium video player and audio transport, especially the Z1000pro, it's a pity that DSD does not go natively, and although my main source is TIDAL, where everything is PCM, I still want versatility, because Gustard perfectly reproduces DSD512. Owners of ZIDOO please let me know here when you will be able to play DSD natively via ROON
If I'm not mistaking it just never will. There is one barrier which no streamer can break for the time being (an no PC neither BTW) you CANNOT bitstream native DSD through the HDMI port. The only devices who can do this are licenced bluray players or so called universal players (denon, panasonic, oppo, etc....). For the PC it's like this since always (few exceptions exist on old Sony Desktops) because today the guardians of this feature are INTEL, NVIDIA and AMD and no one implemented native DSD support in their GPU audio drivers. So for the X9s the best you could have is a DSD over DOP implementation which is a DSD signal with a PCM header. If this is feasible and/or planned I don't know. The X9 furthermore doesn't have a dedicated DAC, this explains why roon does not "see" native DSD capability of it. At best it can decode DSD to PCM but is then limited by the HDMI driver (192/24_limited by the Soc). For the Zidoo's with a dedicated DAC (ie UHD 3000, Neo-X, Neo-S) native DSD becomes feasible (but only through the DAC and de facto the Zidoo then outputs native DSD decoded sound through it's analog outs). As the Neo-X for example is still not roon ready (doesn't support RAAT yet) you can easily test if the DAC can handle native DSD with a "workaround" : http://forum.zidoo.tv/index.php?thr...e-neo-x-2nd-revision.89868/page-3#post-165465. Just by using the Neo-X DAC USB in with a roon bridge (in this example done with a rasperry) you see that Roon identifies that the DAC has the native DSD ability. But also for those players native DSD bitstreaming over HDMI is a no go....
DoP (DSD over PCM) is as good as native DSD as there is no sound difference. It was invented just for the reason explained in detail above. So if that can be done it would be great. I understand that an OPPO UDP-203 will accept DoP via HDMI-IN and output it as Native DSD over HDMI to any AMP. I am willing to try it with any experimental Zidoo FW.
I was going to say that yesterday but something inside of me said "maybe DSD over PCM (USB) isn't as good as I have never looked into it. There does seem a clamour for MCH audio, maybe that is the reason for music (Audio) via HDMI? I am not in the MCH camp though - it's Stereo for me when it comes to music