Best way for DSD Playback of content from SACD ISOs on Oppo 10x-20x

[LizardKing]

I got a Oppo 205 recently and I've been enjoying it.

I've got a bunch of SACD ISO rips from my PS3, I've been extracting them using Sonore ISO2DSD with DSDIFF Edit Master Output Mode, and playing via the CUE file generated. The DST is converted to DSD also. Extracting via other methods (DSDIFF and SONY DSF) seems to introduce gaps in playback.

A couple of questions:

Is this the best way to playback DSD (from SACD ISOs) on the Oppos?
What do other people do?

 

[humprof]

The CUE file is a good idea, since Oppo's gapless playback, such as it is, is kind of a pain (and it doesn't handle DSF files gaplessly, anyway, only FLAC). I played DSD and FLAC files stored on USB thumb drives through my Oppo until I got to the point where I'd filled up 3 128GB drives. At that point I considered just plugging in a USB hard drive instead, but finally decided that I didn't want to have the Oppo powered on all the time--and that it would be easier and more versatile to finally figure out how to connect a laptop to my AVR as a dedicated media player. So...old laptop + 4TB external hard drive + HDMI cable + foobar = happy. I've never looked back.

 

[LizardKing]

FYI - mine does play DSF (including multichannel), not sure if its truly gapless though, but the bought files I have in DSF seem to play OK.

Everyone's set-up is different, but the sound is better via my Oppo (analog output via the ESS SABRE PRO DAC) as opposed to std HDMI playback.

Also PC playback unless you have a USB DAC to plug it into will not do DSD and you'll be converting to PCM.

 

[humprof]

FYI - mine does play DSF (including multichannel), not sure if its truly gapless though, but the bought files I have in DSF seem to play OK.

Everyone's set-up is different, but the sound is better via my Oppo (analog output via the ESS SABRE PRO DAC) as opposed to std HDMI playback.

Also PC playback unless you have a USB DAC to plug it into will not do DSD and you'll be converting to PCM.

I'd prefer analog outputs, too, but my current setup (Oppo 103 to Marantz NR1607) won't accommodate it. Like most low to mid-range AVRs, that model Marantz doesn't do DSD over HDMI, either. But (and I'm not looking to start a fight here) the more I read about that, the less I'm convinced I should care. Anyway--as you imply: what matters most is what sounds better to you (within the constraints of your setup, that is).

 

[bmoura]

FYI - mine does play DSF (including multichannel), not sure if its truly gapless though, but the bought files I have in DSF seem to play OK.

Everyone's set-up is different, but the sound is better via my Oppo (analog output via the ESS SABRE PRO DAC) as opposed to std HDMI playback.

Also PC playback unless you have a USB DAC to plug it into will not do DSD and you'll be converting to PCM.

That'a how I have it setup here when using the Oppo 105.
Output the DSF files to Analog and then Analog Out to the EMM Labs Switchman II 6-Channel Preamp/Controller.

Better sound quality results when the DSF files are played through a USB DAC with Multichannel DSD playback.
So the Oppo 105 is used more for transferring the DSD Audio from SACDs than playing the SACDs on the Oppo these days.

 

[atrocity]

Is this the best way to playback DSD (from SACD ISOs) on the Oppos?
What do other people do?

I do exactly what you're doing. It's the only thing that consistently works for me.

One little trick I just learned: Instead of using the Sonore GUI, I wrote a couple of batch files with names that make it clear what they're for. That way I can just execute the appropriate batch file when I need to rather than trust my senile brain to properly tick all the correct boxes.

Though in general, all I ever really do is extract the multichannel tracks to a single large file and the stereo tracks to individual ones (because those I play elsewhere via a system that's reliably gapless).