SACD decoder options Options

[Anakunda]

Hello,

perhaps somebody can explain meaning of SACD decoder options.

ASIO Driver mode: PCM / DSD (Autodetect) difference
and
DSD2PCM mode: Multistage (fixed point) / Multistage (floating point) / Direct (Floating point, 30kHz LF) difference

I'm utterly aimed to get highest quality for converter..

What's the native sampling frequency for SACD? I have 4 choices which 44.1 is too low, but there are higher. I intuiitionally choosed 88.2kHz but not sure if this still isnot downsampling the undecoded audio. I need a value that won't up/downsample the audio any way and extracts in the same reate as original. Thankyou.

[SoNic67]

SACD is an optical support that holds an "encrypted" version of DSD audio. The same as DVD/CD are optical supports for PCM audio.
So there is no point of asking what is the sampling frequency for SACD - that's the disc itself.
More about that on wiki.
As quality goes, the DSD (resulted from SACD) is equivalent with PCM 24 bit 96kHz... So the 176.4kHz might be overkill, but some might say 88.2kHz is not "complete". As in it "goes" only to 40kHz instead of 50kHz
In my view, 24 bit at 88.2kHz will get the maximum quality from DSD on today's DACs (that are slightly less performant at 192kHz rates).

This post has been edited by SoNic67: Apr 7 2012, 06:20

[Anakunda]

As quality goes, the DSD (resulted from SACD) is equivalent with PCM 24 bit 96kHz... So the 176.4kHz might be overkill, but some might say 88.2kHz is not "complete". As in it "goes" only to 40kHz instead of 50kHz

Then why must it be resampled to 88.2, 176.4 or even 352.8kHz? Why can't the reader keep the original sampling? Is 352.8kHz any sense when 176.4 is overkill already?